A Girl's Diary..

Chilly Cauliflower

2012-05-08T00:02:00.001+05:30

I always get confused what should I make as a side dish for our daily dinner/lunches. And that is why I experiment with the vegetables. Now a days I prefer the baked version of anything. It is so healthy... right? And easy too!! That is why I made this spicy cauliflower recipe for the dinner. Hope you will enjoy it.

Ingredients :

1. Cauliflower- 1 small
2. Cornflour- 3 tbs
3. Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tsp
4. Garlic- 3 cloves
5. Salt to taste
6. Green chilly- 4
7. Soy sauce- 1 tbs
8. Black pepper powder- 1 tsp
9. Red chilly powder- 1/2 tsp
10. Red bell pepper- 1/2
11. Oil

Procedure :

Cut the cauliflower in medium florets. In a pan boil water with salt. Add the florets and cook for 3 to4 minutes till the florets become a little tender. Now in a bowl mix cornflour , 1/2 tsp black pepper , red chilly powder , salt and ginger-garlic paste. Add little water to make a thick batter. Drain the water from the florets and dip the florets in the batter. Preheat the oven at 400 F and bake the florets for 15 minutes. Do turn the florets in between. Now in a pan add 1 tbs oil and chopped bell peppers, saute them for 2 minutes. Add the chilly , soy sauce , remaining pepper powder , garlic and the remaining of the batter. Stir fry everything until it thickens. Add the baked cauliflower and mix well. Sprinkle some salt and turn off the heat.

Mixed Seafood Soup

2012-05-02T08:59:00.000+05:30

What else can be better than a bowl of light seafood soup. This light soup is a little spicy but it is not harmful. So I generally prefer this seafood soup over any other heavy ones.

Ingredients :

1. Fish fillet- 1
2. Small prawn- 1/2 cup
3. Mushroom- 5
4. Carrot- 2
5. Garlic- 2 cloves
6. Whole black pepper- 1/2 tsp
7. Salt to taste
8. Bay leaf- 1
9. Clove- 3
10. Black cardamom- 1
11. Chicken- 1 medium piece
12. Worcestershire sauce- 1 tsp
13. Oyster sauce- 1/2 tsp
14. Cayenne pepper- 1/2 tsp
15. Fish masala powder- 1/2 tsp
16. Black pepper powder- 1/4 tsp
17. Butter- 1 tbs

Procedure:

First make the chicken stock. In a pan add 1 tbs oil and bay leaf, cardamom , clove , whole pepper, chicken, carrot and fry for a minute or two. then add 2 glass of water , some salt and cover the pan and cook over medium flame for 15 minutes to make the chicken stock.

In a stock pan add the butter , cayenne pepper , sauces and chopped garlic. Heat over medium flame. Then add the chicken stock (remove the chicken piece) and the prawn , fish and mushrooms. Add some more water and salt to taste. Add the remaining masalas and cover the pan and cook over medium flame for 5 to 8 minutes until the mushrooms are done.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

2012-04-26T22:42:00.001+05:30

A healthy soup recipe for everyone. It is not too heavy though it uses cream. Tastes good when served hot.

Ingredients :

1. Mushroom- 10
2. Salt to taste
3. Butter- 2 tbs
4. Pepper powder- 1/4 tsp
5. Worcestershire sauce- 1 tbs
6. Home made stock- 2 cups
7. Sour cream- 1 cup
8. All purpose flour/cornflour- 1 tbs
9. Garlic- 2 cloves

Procedure :

Wash and chop the mushrooms. In a deep bottom pan add the butter and the chopped mushrooms. Fry the mushrooms until they leave water. Cover and cook for 2 minutes until the water evaporates. Now add the flour and mix well. I used all purpose flour but you can also use cornflour. This is done to give a certain thick consistency to the soup. Pour the home made stock and cover the pan and cook over medium flame. Add the garlic too.

Now for the stock , I have used chicken , carrot , bay leaf , cinnamon , clove , salt , black cardamom and whole black pepper. In a cooker add some oil and fry all these ingredients together then add 2 glass of water. Cover the cooker and cook it for 15 minutes on medium flame. A nice aromatic stock is ready to use!!

When the stock starts to thicken up , add the cream and mix well. Sprinkle pepper powder , sauce and salt to taste. Cover and cook until the soup reaches its desired consistency. Here I would suggest to use a little less salt before so that when the soup thickens up , it does not turn out to be too salty. Turn off the heat and let the soup cool down a bit. Then blend the whole soup into a smooth puree. Boil once again before serving.

Strawberry Roulade

2012-04-26T00:12:00.000+05:30

This is the first time I tried my hands on roulade recipes. And what else can I make apart from the famous Strawberry Roulade!! The mild sweetness of this roulade impressed us a lot as we both are not that big fan of sweets. If you prefer extra sweetness, you can change the sugar quantity according to your taste.

Ingredients :

1. Egg- 6
2. All purpose flour- 100 gm
3. Confectioner sugar- 200 gm
4. Whipped cream- 200 gm
5. Strawberry- 1 cup

Procedure :

In a bowl take the egg whites. Now while separating egg whites from the yolk be extra careful. If you mix up the yolk with the egg white , the beaten egg white will never be stiff enough. Beat the egg whites until they turn fluffy and stiff. Keep it aside. In a separate bowl take the egg yolks and mix well. Add the sugar and beat until the color turns pale and the mixture becomes fluffy. Fold in the flour. Do not over mix it. Pre heat the oven at 350 F. Prepare the baking pan. You can spray some cooking oil and dust a little flour in the pan or you can use a baking sheet. Fold in the egg white mixture into the egg yolk mixture. Mix well and pour the batter in the baking pan and bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the surface turns light brown. Test with a toothpick if its done or not. Take out and roll it softly. Do not put much pressure. I rolled it while it was warm so that it does not break. Keep it rolled for 5 to 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat the cream and add some more sugar if needed ( I added 3 tbs sugar). Take half of the strawberries and puree them. Cut the remaining strawberries into pieces. Now open the roll. Spread the strawberry puree and then the cream and on top place the strawberry pieces. Roll it again and hold it with the help of toothpick. Place it in refrigerator for 2 hours and then cut the roulade into pieces and serve.

Laal Murg

2012-04-23T12:38:00.000+05:30

Its a similar version of Laal maas that is a famous Rajasthani lamb recipe. Here I have used chicken instead of lamb. But the dish came out pretty good. And specially the red color!! And the most amazing part is that I did not find it too spicy :)

Ingredients :

1. Chicken breast- 3
2. Onion- 1
3. Tomato- 1
4. Dry red chilly- 7
5. Bay leaf- 1
6. Clove- 3
7. Green cardamom- 2
8. Cinnamon- 2
9. Garlic paste- 1 tbs
10. Ginger paste- 1 tsp
11. Curd- 2 large tbs
12. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
13. Coriander powder- 2 tbs
14. Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
15. Crushed black pepper- 1/4 tsp
16. Chicken masala powder- 1/4 tsp
17. Salt to taste
18. Ghee

Procedure :

Wash the chicken breasts and cut them into medium chunks. Soak the dried red chillies in warm water for 5 minutes. Meanwhile finely chop the onion. Make a smooth paste of the chillies. In a pan add 2 tbs ghee and add cardamom, cinnamon, clove and bay leaf. Fry them for a minute until they leave a nice aroma. Add the chopped onion and fry until they turn brownish. Add 1 tbs of the chilly paste and fry until the mixture turns dark red in color. Add ginger and garlic and fry until the raw smell goes off. Add all the masalas and if needed some more ghee and fry until the mixture starts sticking to the base. Add the chicken chunks and fry them, covering the pan.

Cook the chicken for 4 to 5 minutes and then add puree of the tomato. Beat the curd properly in blender. Let the chicken soak the tomato puree. Cook on medium heat. When the tomato is soaked add the curd and cook until the curd is soaked completely. Add some water and add salt. Cover the pan and cook until the chicken is done. Sprinkle the crushed black pepper.

Serve it hot with plain rice or paratha.

Prawn Biriyani

2012-03-27T00:09:00.000+05:30

Biriyani as we all know is all about cooked rice with spices and non-veg/veg. It is said that the origin of biriyani is from Iran. But in India this dish has achieved such a high popularity that it has become our own dish now. India being the land of spices , has several delicious recipes of biriyani. Prawn biriyani is one of them.

Ingredients :

1. Prawn- 12
2. Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
3. Red chilly powder- 1 tbs
4. Black pepper powder- 1/4 tsp
5. Salt to taste
6. Onion- 1/2
7. Curry leaf- 5 to 6
8. Cumin powder- 1 tsp
9. Curd- 2 large tbs

10. Biriyani flower- 1/2 tsp
11. Cumin seed- 1 tsp
12. Black pepper- 1 tsp
13. Rice- 1 and 1/2 cup
14. Ghee- as needed
15. Milk- 1/4 cup
16. Oil- 2 tbs
17. Cinnamon- 2
18. Bay leaf- 1
19. Green cardamom- 2
20. Clove- 4
21. Ginger paste- 1 tsp
22. Garlic paste- 1 tbs
23. Lemon juice- 1 tbs

Procedure :

In a bowl add the prawn , turmeric , 1/2 tsp chilly powder , pepper powder and a little salt. Sprinkle the lemon juice and marinate the prawns for half an hour. Make a paste of the onion. In a pan heat 1 tsp oil and add bay leaf , cinnamon , cardamom and cloves. Fry them until they leave a nice aroma. Add the rice (soaked in water for half an hour) and fry for a minute or two. Add 1 tsp chilly powder , salt and 1/2 tsp cumin powder. Add water and cover the pan. Cook the rice on medium flame until its just done. Turn off the heat and keep the rice covered. In a separate pan add remaining oil and fry the prawns over medium heat.

Fry for 3 to 4 minutes as excess frying may turn the prawns a bit hard. In the same oil fry the onion paste until it turns dark. Add the ginger-garlic paste , remaining chilly powder , salt , cumin powder , chopped curry leaves and fry. Separately dry roast the biriyani flower , cumin and pepper and blend them. Add 1 tsp of this powder to the onion mixture. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes and add curd. Cook until the mixture leaves oil. Add the prawns and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes and turn off the heat. In a large pan brush the bottom with ghee and spread one layer of the rice and then spread a layer of the prawn mixture. Add some milk and 1 tsp of the blended powder. Thus keep layering. Now place the pan on 'dum' for 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the hot prawn biriyani with simple curd.

Chicken Leek Soup

2012-03-24T10:50:00.000+05:30

Another soup recipe for non vegetarians. Leek has a mild onion like taste. Its crunchy when raw. And turns very soft after boiling. It is also used to make stocks. Here I have made a very old soup recipe which is recognized for its healthy aspects.

Ingredients :

1. Leek (chopped)- 1 and 1/2 cup
2. Onion (finely chopped)- 2 tbs
3. Chicken broth- 400 gm
4. Salt to taste
5. Black pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
6. Sour cream- 1/2 cup
7. Milk- 1/3 cup
8. Lemon juice- 1 tbs
9. Butter- 3 tbs
10. Potato (boiled)- 1/2 cup

Procedure :

Chop the white part of the leek into thin slices. In a pan heat the butter and add onion , leek. Mix well and cook over medium heat covering the pan. This will help the vegetable to soften fast. When onion will turn translucent , add the chopped boiled potato. Mix well. Add salt and pepper. You can mix a little extra salt as at the end you will be adding , cream , milk etc. Pour the chicken broth to the mixture and cover the pan. Let it cook for 6 to 8 minutes until the vegetables are done. Turn off the heat. Let it come down to room temperature. Blend the soup.

Now pour the smooth soup in a pan. Heat the pan. Add the cream , milk and mix well. Stir it so that it does not form lumps. When the soup starts boiling , turn off the heat. Serve it hot and sprinkle the lemon juice on top of it.

Baked Dahi Kebab

2012-03-21T21:15:00.000+05:30

Dahi kebab was a sweet surprise to my husband. He never thought that curd can be used in making a solid kebab....but the kebabs turned out to be very crispy and tasty.

Ingredients :

1. Curd- 1 cup
2. Paneer- 200 gm
3. Cornflour- as needed
4. Green chilly- 3
5. Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
6. Ajwain- 1/2 tsp
7. Black pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
8. Chaat masala- 1 tsp
9. Salt to taste
10. Garlic- 2 cloves
11. Ginger- 1/2" stick
12. Oil
13. Ghee

Procedure :

In a large bowl add grated paneer , curd , finely chopped green chilly , ajwain , cumin powder , pepper , chaat masala , salt and minced garlic-ginger. Mix it well. Now add 4 tsp cornflour and mix again. Now brush cooking oil in a baking pan and take medium sized balls from the curd mixture and dip it in cornflour and press a little between palms. Place the tikkis on the baking plate.

Pre heat the oven at 450 F and bake the kebabs for 25 minutes or until they turn brown. Change the side of the kebab in between. After its done , brush the kebabs with ghee and serve hot.

Moong-Paneer Seekh Kebab

2012-03-19T07:36:00.001+05:30

A very delicious veg kebab recipe......sometimes we (the non-vegetarians) get surprised with the veg delicacies whenever we try a new thing. This kebab is one of those surprises. A perfect recipe for a party.I loved it...and when I am updating the pictures of this recipe right now, my husband is telling me that he wants those kebabs once again!!

Ingredients :

1. Moong daal (split)- 100 gm
2. Paneer- 100 gm
3. Salt to taste
4. Green chilly- 2
5. Bread (wheat)- 1 slice
6. Black pepper powder- 1/2 tbs
7. Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
8. Oil- 1 tbs
9. Garlic- 2 cloves
10. Ginger- 1/4" stick
11. Ghee/melted butter

Procedure :

Soak the daal in water for 3 to 4 hours and drain it. Grate the paneer. Blend the moong daal with garlic , ginger and green chilly. The paste should not be too smooth. Take the bread slice and make dry bread crumbs from it(put it in the blender and blend for a minute). In a large mixing bowl , add all the ingredients except the oil and mix well. Now heat a non stick pan and add the oil. When the oil is a little hot , add this mixture and keep stirring it with a spoon. Keep the flame on medium. Mix the moong daal mixture well and turn off the gas when it turns a little dark. It takes hardly 5 to 7 minutes. Let the mixture cool down a little. Put some oil in the seekh. Take medium sized ball from the mixture and make kebabs in the seekh. Brush a little oil all over the kebabs. Pre heat the oven at 450 F and place the kebabs on the rack. Bake for 20 minutes or until they turn brown. Change the side of the kebab in between. When it is done, take out the kebabs from the seekh and brush with melted butter or ghee. This will help the kebab to retain a moist texture.

Sending this recipe to the event I'm the star and Bake fest created by Vardhini .

Palak Paneer

2012-03-16T08:11:00.001+05:30

In our house we both have always been in anti-palak group. We had tried different versions of paneer recipes but not the simplest Palak Paneer!! Its just that we thought we won't like the taste of spinach at all. But we were wrong!! This simple vegetarian recipe won our heart. It is a healthy recipe indeed.

Ingredients :

1. Paneer- 10 to 12 medium pieces
2. Spinach (Palak)- 2 bunches
3. Salt to taste
4. Oil- 2 tbs
5. Green chilly- 4
6. Garlic- 5 cloves
7. Chat masala- 1/2 tsp
8. Lemon juice- 1 tbs
9. Ginger- 1/2" stick
10. Sour cream- 2 tbs
11. Cumin seed- 1/4 tsp
12. Coriander seed- 1/4 tsp
13. Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
14. Chicken masala powder- 1/4 tsp

Procedure :

In a pan add the spinach and some salt and water. Heat it on high temperature until the water starts to boil. Switch off the gas and drain the water. Let the spinach be cooled down a little and put them in the blender jar. Add the green chilly, ginger and blend it well. Do not add much water while blending. Crush the coriander seeds and heat the oil in a pan. Add the cumin , coriander , minced garlic and let them fry for a minute. Add the spinach mixer to it and mix well. Cook it over medium heat and stir in between. After 5 minutes , the gravy will turn a little dark , add all the masala powder and mix well and cook over low flame. If needed , add little water. When the gravy starts simmering, add the paneer cubes. Cover the pan and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cream and adjust salt level. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle the lemon juice. Serve hot with paratha or rice.

Sending it to the event I am the star.

and cooking with love.

Oreo and Vanilla Dessert

2012-03-13T04:23:00.000+05:30

This oreo-ice cream shake is a simple dessert recipe. With the minimum ingredients and minimum time you can prepare this recipe.

Ingredients:

1. Oreo cookie- 4
2. Vanilla ice cream - 3/4 cup
3. Milk- 2 tbs

Procedure:

Keep the cookies in a zip lock bag and beat lightly to break them into pieces. Now place half of the broken cookies at the bottom of the glass and press well so that no gap remains there. Blend 2 tbs ice cream , remaining cookie and the milk quickly. Now place 1 tbs of ice cream in the glass and then pour some of the blended shake. Do it alternately.

When it is done, place the glass in the freezer for an hour so that the shake settles down properly. Serve chilled.

Baked Vegetable

2012-03-07T06:56:00.000+05:30

This baked vegetable recipe is a bit spicy and tadkedar. You can always mix and match different spices for this baked vegetable recipe. And that is the best part of it.

Ingredients :

1. Potato (small)- 3
2. Red bell pepper- 1
3. Mushroom- 6
4. Salt to taste
5. Lemon- 1
6. Black pepper powder- 1 tsp
7. Red paprika- 3/4 tsp
8. Dry oregano- 1/2 tsp
9. White sesame seed- 1/2 tsp
10. Olive oil

Procedure:

Wash the potatoes thoroughly and slice them. Do not peel the skin. Make long and semi thick slices of the potatoes and prick them well. Cut the bell pepper in medium chunks. Remove the stem part. Cut the mushrooms in thin slices. Now in a bowl add all the vegetables , 1 tbs oil , salt , pepper , paprika , oregano and sesame seeds. Mix well. Cut the lemon into half and sprinkle the lemon juice on top of the vegetables. Mix again and keep aside for 5 to 10 minutes. In a baking pan apply olive oil properly and place the potatoes in rows keeping the skin side down. Keep equal gaps between each potato slice. Place the mushroom and bell pepper too. Pre heat the oven at 400 F. Bake the vegetables for 35 minutes or until the potato is done. After every 10 minutes mix the vegetables well. When the vegetables are done, take them out and sprinkle the remaining lemon juice and serve hot.

Chicken Curry

2012-03-05T21:33:00.000+05:30

The BEST chicken curry I have ever had!! This is the simplest form of chicken curry which we have learnt from our mothers ages ago. But I guess I could not make this curry so wonderfully as my husband did......now I guess you can understand why it is the best :)....This weekend I did not cook anything as my dear hubby took charge of the kitchen and he made this tasty dish for me. One thing is for sure....now onwards he will always make this chicken curry on any occasion.

Ingredients :

1. Chicken breast-4
2. Onion (large)- 2 1/2
3. Tomato- 2
4. Green chilly- 4
5. Garlic paste- 1 tbs
6. Ginger paste- 3/4 tsp
7. Butter- 1 tbs
8. Coriander powder- 2 tbs
9. Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
10. Red chilly powder- 1 tsp
11. Chicken masala powder- 1/2 tsp
12. Oil- 4 tbs
13. Salt to taste
14. Sugar- 1 tsp

Procedure:

Cut the chicken breasts into medium chunks. Make a smooth paste of the onion, tomato and chilly. In a pan heat oil and fry the chicken pieces until they leave the water. In a kadhayi heat the 4 tbs oil and add the onion paste. Keep frying the paste until it changes color. Stir the mixture at certain intervals so that it does not stick to the base. The color of the mixture should turn dark brown. Then add the ginger,garlic paste and roast until the raw smell goes off. Add the masala powders and sugar. Fry the mixture for another 3 to 4 minutes while constantly stirring it. Add the chicken pieces to it and mix well. Add the butter and fry the chicken with the masala over low flame. When the masala will start to stick to the base, add water. Cover the kadhayi and cook it over medium flame until the water dries up a bit and the chicken is done. We prefer a little thick gravy so we evaporated most of the water. Add salt accordingly and remove the cover of the kadhayi. Cook it for another few minutes and turn off the heat. Serve hot with plain rice.

It was really delicious and amazing!!

Mayo Chicken

2012-03-02T22:48:00.000+05:30

A creamy chicken recipe where mayonnaise is used as the base of the recipe. The aroma and taste of hot curry powder adds an extra edge to it.

Ingredients :

1. Chicken (boneless)- 2 breast piece
2. Salt to taste
3. Olive oil- 2 large tbs
4.Onion (chopped)- 2 tbs
5. Garlic (minced)- 2 tsp
6. Hot curry powder- 1 tsp
7. Mayonnaise- 4 large tbs
8. Honey- 1 tbs
9. Oregano (dried)- 1/2 tsp
10. Black pepper powder- 3/4 tsp
11. Ginger (minced)- 1/4 tsp
12. Grapes- 1/2 cup

Procedure:

Cut the chicken breasts into medium size pieces. In a pan heat the oil and add the onion, garlic , ginger and fry until onion turns out translucent. Add the chicken pieces and the hot curry powder. Sprinkle salt according to your taste and fry the chicken from all sides. When the chicken is done and is brown, turn off the heat and let it cool down. In a bowl mix mayonnaise , honey, oregano and pepper. Add salt if needed. Add the chicken mixture to it and mix well. Serve it hot with rice and some chopped grapes. I mixed the grapes in the leftover oil which I had used to fry the chicken.

I got this recipe from a book called "Mmm chicken" by Love Food and made some changes to the recipe as every ingredient was not there in my pantry.

Grapes Chutney

2012-03-01T23:21:00.002+05:30

Whenever the grapes kept in my refrigerator turns out to be a little old , I make this chutney. This is a simple chutney but a delicious one. The more spicy you make it , the more delicious it is. We love to have this with roti or paratha.

Ingredients :

1. Green grapes- 1 cup
2. Coriander seed- 1 tbs
3. Red paprika- 1/2 tbs
4. Kalonji- 1/2 tsp
5. Hing- 1/4 tsp
6. Salt to taste
7. Oil- 1 tsp
8. Red chilly powder- 1/2 tsp
9. Coriander powder- 1/4 tsp
10. Cumin powder- 1/4 tsp

Procedure:

Wash and chop the grapes and keep aside. In a pan dry roast the roughly ground coriander seed , paprika and kalonji and add the oil when coriander starts to leave a nice aroma. Add the grapes , hing , chilly , salt , coriander powder and cumin powder. Mix well and stir the mixture. Cook it over low flame for 5 minutes. Do stir the mixture when needed so that the masala does not stick to the base. When the masala is fried properly , a nice roasted aroma of hing will come out. Stop cooking and let the chutney cool down to room temperature. Serve it with roti/rice/paratha. You can store the chutney for 3 to 4 days in refrigerator.

I do not mix any sugar , as the grapes are already sweet. If you want , you can add sugar to it.

Stuffed Chicken Breast with Purée De Tomates

2012-02-17T03:01:00.002+05:30

How many of you have experienced this: you thought to cook something and what you cooked at the end was totally different? I guess many of us have done it thousands of time. I do it very frequently :P..... Though I am glad that whatever be the end product, it turns out to be good.....phew....all those hard work in the kitchen do pay off then :)........

The recipe today I am going to share with you is one of those many out of the box recipe.....Stuffed chicken breast with purée de tomates.

Ingredients :

Chicken:

1. Chicken breast- 2
2. Salt to taste
3. Black pepper powder- 1 tsp
4. Olive oil- 1 tsp
5. Rice (cooked)- 3/4 cup
6. Cheese- 1 tbs
7. Sweet corn- 1 tbs
8. Onion (finely chopped)- 1 tbs
9. Vinegar- 1 tsp
10. Red capsicum- 1

Procedure :

Wrap the chicken breasts in cling film separately. Now beat them with the rolling pin for a while. Do not beat too hard or else your chicken breast will be damaged. This is done to flatten the chicken breast to around 1/4" thickness. Now season the breasts with salt and black pepper powder for a while. Keep them aside. Heat 1 tbs oil in a pan and add chopped onion. When they turn translucent , add the sweet corn and fry for 2 minutes. Season with salt , vinegar and pepper. Turn off the heat. Add the shredded cheese and 2 tbs of the cooked rice. Mix well. Now put one tbs of this mixture at one side of the chicken breast and roll it slowly and tightly. Wrap the chicken breast well and place some toothpick to hold the wrapped chicken. Pre heat the oven at 400 degree F. Place the chicken breasts in a baking pan and drizzle some olive oil over them. Bake the chicken for 35 minutes and check whether it is done or not. Take them out and keep aside.

Tomato puree :

1. Green tomato- 3
2. Oregano- 1/2 tsp
3. Red paprika- 1/2 tsp
4. Salt to taste
5. Black pepper powder- 1/4 tsp

Procedure :

In the same baking pan where the chicken breasts were baked, put the tomatoes. In a bowl add the cubed bell pepper with some salt , pepper and olive oil. Mix well and place the bell papaer cubes in the same baking pan. Now bake them at 400 degree F for 15 minutes. Take them out. Keep the bell peppers in a separate bowl. Take the tomatoes out and mash them well. Add the oregano , salt , paprika and pepper and mix well. Your sour green tomato puree is ready!!

Serve the breast piece with some baked red bell pepper and the tomato puree.

All rights reserved on photographs and written content © 2012 A Girl's Diary

Baked Soy Chicken With Peanut Chutney

2012-02-10T05:15:00.001+05:30

A simple baked chicken kebab with an extra spicy peanut chutney!! A terrific combination.

Ingredients :

1. Boneless chicken- 250 gm
2. Corn flour- 1 large tbs
3. Soy sauce- 2 tbs
4. Salt to taste
5. Garlic- 3 cloves
6. Ginger (minced)- 1/2 tsp
7. Black pepper powder- 1/2 tsp

Procedure :

Cut the chicken into medium pieces and keep aside. In a mixing bowl add the cornflour , soy , minced garlic and minced ginger , pepper. Mix well. Cornflour tends to stick to one place , so you have to be very quick to mix the ingredients evenly. I have used freshly minced garlic and ginger , it gives a nice aroma as well as a nice taste to the chicken. One can also use ginger-garlic paste. Mix the chicken in this mixture and marinate the chicken overnight. Cover the bowl with a cling film. I did not add the salt while marinating the chicken.

Take out the chicken at least two hours before baking. Add salt and mix well. Now pre heat the oven to 350 degree F. I brushed a little oil on the chicken pieces. Place the chicken pieces in the skewers and place the skewers in the oven. Cook the chicken for 30 minutes. Turn it in the middle of baking.

After 30 minutes , check whether chicken is done or not. To do so, prick the chicken with a sharp knife and see if any pink liquid flows out or not. If not , then the chicken is done. Now to get a nice crispiness , I baked the chicken for another 10 minutes at 400 degree F.

Peanut chutney :

Ingredient :

1. Raw peanut- 100 gm
2. Onion (chopped)- 2 large tbs
3. Red chilly powder- 1/2 tbs
4. Garlic- 1 clove
5. Red paprika- 1/2 tsp
6. Salt to taste
7. Green chilly- 2
8. Chaat masala- 1/2 tsp
9. Water

Procedure :

In a pan roast the raw peanuts properly. Then remove the skin of the peanut. To do so , just rub the little warm peanuts between your palms. Now in a pan heat 1 tbs oil and fry the chopped onion , garlic. Cool down the mixture. Add all the ingredients in a mixing jar and blend together. Add water as required to make a smooth paste.

Serve this spicy peanut chutney with the chicken kebabs.

Sending this to Priya's event Dip in.

Peas Paratha (Matar ke paranthe)

2012-02-09T08:06:00.002+05:30

Peas paratha is the most convenient option among all the other stuffed parathas. Minimum effort is required to get the delicious hot parathas. My favorite combination is peas paratha with cold boondi ka raita. A perfect lunch option for the days when I do not want to cook a lot :)

Ingredients :

For the stuffing :

1. Peas- 200 gm (approx)
2. Salt to taste
3. Coriander seed- 1 tsp
4. Chaat masala- 1/2 tsp
5. Coriander powder- 1 tbs
6. Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
7. Red chilly powder- 1/2 tsp
8. Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
9. Hing- 1/4 tsp
10. Oil

For the dough :

1. Wheat flour- 2 cup
2. Oil- 1 tbs
3. Kalonji- 1/2 tsp
4. Water

Procedure :

Boil the peas in pressure cooker until one whistle. Let it cool down. Then mash the peas with spoon. In a pan dry roast coarsely ground coriander seed. Add 2 large tbs oil to it and all the masala of the stuffing. Let the masala get a little fried and then add the mashed peas. Mix well. Do not add water. Cook the mixture over low flame until the pea mixture starts getting brown and sticks to the base of the pan. Turn off the heat after 4 to 5 minutes and keep the mixture aside to cool down.

Meanwhile add the oil to the wheat flour and mix well. Add the kalonji and little water every time to knead the dough. The dough should not be too soft. When its done, keep the dough covered with a wet cloth.

Before making the paratha, knead the dough once again. Take medium size ball from the dough and roll it into a small 2.5" round disc. Put one large tbs of the peas mixture at the center of the disc and close the ends in the middle. Now roll the ball again to make the paratha. Do not put much pressure while rolling the paratha or else the mixture will come out slowly. Heat 1 tbs oil in a flat surface frying pan and when the oil is ready, fry the parathas one by one. Keep adding oil when needed. Fry the parathas from both the side until they turn brown.

Serve the hot parathas with boondi raita.

Recipe for boondi raita :

In a bowl add 4 tbs curd , 1/4 cup water , salt to taste , 1 tsp sugar , 1/2 tsp chaat masala and 2 large tbs boondi. Mix well and serve.

I am sending this to the event Anyone can cook series 41.

Sending this to the event Cook with spices: coriander seed, announced by Anu

Brinjal Cashew Curry

2012-01-31T06:47:00.001+05:30

A sour brinjal curry. It tastes best with hot rice. I have used cashew here, but one can also use peanut instead of cashew. When you will cook it , the aroma in itself is so irresistible!! A real competition for the non-veg curries.

Ingredients :

1. Black brinjal (cut into cube)- 1 cup
2. Salt to taste
3. Cashew- 1/2 cup
4. Onion- 1 large
5. Tomato- 1
6. Coriander seed- 1 tsp
7. Curry leaf- 7 to 8
8. Green chilly- 1
9. Coriander powder- 1 tsp
10. Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
11. Red chilly powder- 3/4 tsp
12. Tamarind paste- 1 tbs
13. Ginger paste- 1/2 tsp
14. Garlic paste- 1 tsp
15. Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
16. Oil

Procedure :

Finely chop the onion. Heat 3 large tbs oil in a kadhayi. Let the oil be a little hot. Add the chopped onion and fry them on medium heat. Meanwhile, chop the tomato and keep aside. Dry roast the cashew until they turn brownish and a nice roasted smell comes off. Be careful as the cashews tend to get burnt easily. Now blend the cashew and tomato together. The paste must be a smooth one. Do not add much water as it will destroy the consistency of the gravy. When the onions turn brownish, add the chopped green chilly , coriander seed , ginger-garlic paste and curry leaves. Fry them until the curry leaves turn dark. When the onion is dark brown, add the cashew paste to it. Put some more oil if needed. Fry the paste with the onion over low flame. Add turmeric , cumin powder , chilly powder and coriander powder. Mix well and fry the masala. Add water when the cashew paste starts sticking to the base. Add the tamarind paste and brinjal. Mix well. Add more water if needed. Adjust salt level. Cook the kadhayi over low flame and cover it. Cook until the brinjal is done and the gravy reaches a semi thick consistency.

Banana and Almond Muffin

2012-01-25T00:11:00.002+05:30

I have always had a fascination towards baking. Recently I made my first baking attempt. And it was a banana- almond muffin recipe. The recipe was super hit and I was super excited!! I loved the combination of the two. Hope my baking success will continue after this.

Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour (maida)- 1 cup
2. Salt- 1/4 tsp
3. Sugar- little less than 1/2 cup
4. Baking powder- 1 tsp
5. Baking soda- 1/2 tsp
6. Chopped almond- 2 tbs
7. Banana- 2
8. Curd- 1/2 cup
9. Oil- 1/2 cup
10. Egg- 1
11. Vanilla essence- 1 tsp

Procedure:

Pre heat your oven on 350 degree F (pre heating an oven helps the oven to reach to the desired temperature from all side, the timing of pre heating vary from oven to oven. In my oven it takes 6 minutes. Just select "Bake" option and select the desired temperature, press start, it will automatically stop after pre heating and there will be a sound).

In a large mixing bowl add maida , sugar , baking powder , salt and baking soda. Mix everything well. Now add the chopped almond and mix.

In another bowl whisk the egg properly. Add the curd , oil and vanilla. Whisk it well. Mash the bananas properly. For a great taste you should use ripe bananas, the one with brown spots on the skin. Those bananas are really sweet and they add a nice aroma and flavor to the muffins. Now add the maida mixture slowly to the egg mixture. Mix everything with the help of a spatula. Do not over mix. Just moisten the dry ingredients. Place muffin papers in your muffin pan and fill each cup up to two third of height.

Now place the muffin pan inside the oven and bake it for 25 minutes (as it took in my case). After finishing insert a tooth pick to check whether it is properly done from inside or not. If the tooth pick comes out clean, its done. Keep it inside for a minute or two as it helps in attending the nice brown tinge. Take it out after that and cool the muffins. Your delicious Banana - almond muffins are ready.

Sending this to the event Banana recipe by Sameena and Sweet Luv by Vardhini.

Goan Fish Curry

2012-01-23T01:00:00.000+05:30

This Goan fish curry is a lovely mix of sweetness of coconut and the sourness of tamarind. Here I never marinate the fish before to retain the original fish flavor in my dish. The rich thick gravy with the soft and juicy fish is an awesome combination with rice.

Ingredients :

1. Fish fillet- 4
2. Salt to taste
3. Onion (chopped)- 1 cup
4. Tomato (chopped)- 1/2 cup
5. Coriander seed- 1/2 tsp
6. Clove- 2
7. Cinnamon-1
8. Bay leaf- 1
9. Red chilly powder- 1 tsp
10. Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
11. Coriander powder- 1 tsp
12. Cumin powder- 1 tsp
13. Oil
14. Tamarind paste- 1 large tbs
15. Garlic clove- 2
16. Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tsp
17. Scraped sweet coconut- 3/4 cup

Procedure:

Heat 2 large tbs oil in a pan and add finely chopped onion, ground coriander seed, cloves,cinnamon and bay leaf. Fry the onion over medium flame until the onion turns light brown. Add the chopped tomato and garlic. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes until the tomato is mashed. Turn off the heat and keep the mixture aside to cool down. Make a smooth paste of the mixture removing the bay leaf, clove and cinnamon. Heat 1 tbs oil in the pan and add the removed cinnamon,clove,bay leaf, ginger-garlic paste and the onion paste. Keep frying them and add cumin powder,chilly powder, turmeric, coriander powder and fry the paste until a nice aroma of fried masala comes out. Add the sweetened scraped coconut and some water. Adjust the salt level and keep cooking. Add the tamarind paste and mix well. When the gravy thickens a little, add the fish fillets and cover the pan. Cook over low flame until the fish is done. It takes hardly 4 to 5 minutes. Keep the fish soft and juicy, don't over do it. Your sweet and sour Goan fish curry is ready.

Ukha soup ( A Light Fish Soup)

2012-01-18T10:44:00.001+05:30

Ukha soup is a light fish soup. It is very healthy and refreshing. This soup can be prepared with any of your choice of vegetable. I have used my own ingredients in such a way that it gives a nice twist of flavor to my soup. And this is my desi Ukha soup.

Ingredients :

1. Fish fillet- 3
2. Onion- 1
3. Salt to taste
4. Black pepper powder- 3/4 tsp
5. Olive oil- 1 tsp
6. Bay leaf- 2
7. Spring onion- 2 large tbs
8. Carrot- 1
9. Garlic clove- 3
10. Clove- 2
11. Cinnamon- 1
12. Potato- 1
13. Sweet corn- 2 tbs
14. Vinegar- 1 tbs

Procedure :

First heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and add cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf. Let them fry until the bay leaf leaves a nice aroma. Add one fish fillet to the oil and fry for a few seconds. Add 2 cups of water and the chopped garlic, sweet corn, spring onion, carrot. Break the fish fillet that has already been added. Peel the onion and prick it with a fork and add it to the pan. Add salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook it on high till the water starts boiling. Add the potatoes and cover again. Cook until the potatoes are done. Add 1 tbs vinegar and adjust salt level. Add the remaining fish fillets and cook the pan covered for 3 to 4 minutes.Do not over cook the fish.

When it is done, take the soup in a bowl. Throw away the bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon and onion. Place one slice of lemon on top of it. and sprinkle some more pepper powder.

Sending it to the event Soup it up hosted by Nupur and originally started by Kalyani.

Roundup: Bake with your heart

2012-01-11T01:24:00.000+05:30

Enjoy the delicious 76 treats.

PJ of Seduce your tastebuds has sent Almond cookies.

Priya of Priya's feast has sent Nuts and raisin muffins.

Sujatha of Worlds of suja has sent Honey wheat almond bread.

Sangee of Spicy treats has sent Gobi masala stuffed bun.

Coconut stuffed sweet buns

Chocolate pistachio biscotti

Spicy garlic mozzarella muffin

Manju of Manju's eating delights has sent Cherry and blueberry pie.

Sugar cookies

Pumpkin cupcakes

Mango gateau

Coffee cake

Oatmeal cookies

Irish soda bread

Mocha sponge cake

Archana of Archana's kitchen- Indian vegetarian cooking has sent Eggless rainbow zebra cake.

Nalini of Nalini's kitchen has sent Chana masala stuffed bun.

Chitra of Share my recipes has sent Zebra cake with vanilla butter cream icing

Karishma of Effortless cooking easy baking has sent Banana nutella mini muffins.

Jam drops

Baked chickpea cutlet

Neetu of Hobby chef has sent Sugar dotted choco chip cake.

Pradnya of Pumpkin Farm food has sent Red velvet cup cake.

Neethu of Kitchen express has sent Eggless vanilla sponge cake.

Nashira of Plateful has sent Chocolate caramel slice.

Kalyani of Sizzling tastebuds has sent Baked spinach and cheesy corn quesadilla.

Eggless choco chip pumpkin bread

Princy of Spicyfood has sent Ma'amoul cookies.

Pradnya of Pumpkin farm food has sent Banana and choco muffin.

Cake toast

Butter cookies

Tandoori aloo

Devil's food cake

Cheese burst pizza

Vegetable lasgna

Ashwini of Indulge ashcorner has sent Pajama cake.

Disney cars cake

Anisha of Flavors has sent Eggless pineapple upside down cake

Vanilla cake with royal icing

Dill and potato biscuits

Apple and cinnamon cake

Ambreen of Simply sweet n savory has sent light fruit cake.

Tutti frutti cookies

Vidhya of A portion to share has sent Banana muffins.

Lasagna

Pizza

Divya of Tease your tastebud has sent Carrot and pear cake.

Marbled choco banana cake

Dates and walnut cake

Amy of Food corner has sent Wrapped sausage bites.

Amina of Amina creations has sent chocolate chip biscuit.

Orange cake

Vardhini of Zesty palette has sent Molten lava cake.

Cranberry pistachio short bread

Prathibha of Cook ezee has sent Three tier cake

Chocolate chip cupcakes

Kerala plum cake

Julie of Erivum puliyum has sent Low fat banana bread.

Baked chicken rolls

Teena of Teenz yummy delights has sent Red velvet cupcake.

Coffee cake pops

Polka dot cinnamon sugar cookies

Suma of Veggie Platter has sent eggless almond moon cookies

eggless brownie cookies

Kavitha of Mummy's kitchen has sent Vanilla cake.

Chitra of Chitranna has sent Naan khatari.

Banana coconut muffin

Dates cake (eggless)

Rathai of Rathai's recipes has sent fruit cake

Cinnamon roll with almond filling

Kavi of Edible entertainment has sent Golden yellow cake.

Pizza pinwheels

Deeksha of Dees kitchen has sent Coconut cookies.

Sobha of Good Food has sent Vegetable pizza.

Eggless oats banana muffin

Puffs pizza pinwheels

Mutton Piyazi

2012-01-07T06:13:00.000+05:30

Mutton is one of the best red meat. The texture and taste of any mutton dish is just mind blowing. The mutton piyazi is a semi thick gravy dish. It goes well with some hot paratha and some cold raita.

Ingredients :

1. Mutton (boneless)- 8 pieces
2. Onion- 2 large
3. Cumin seed- 1/4 tsp
4. Red chilly powder- 1/2 tsp
5. Salt to taste
6. Turmeric- 1/4 tsp
7. Curd- 1/2 cup
8. Olive oil- 6 tbs
9. Mutton masala powder- 1/2 tsp
10. Cumin powder- 1/4 tsp
11. Ginger-garlic paste- 2 tsp
12. Hing- 1/4 tsp

Procedure:

Wash the mutton pieces and keep aside. In a large mixing bowl add curd,turmeric,chilly powder,2 tbs oil,cumin powder and a little salt. Mix everything well. Add the mutton pieces and marinate the mutton overnight.

Chop the onion into thin slices. Heat oil in a pan and when it is hot, add the chopped onion. Fry the onion on medium flame. When onion turn light brown, add cumin seeds and when they start crackling add one tsp ginger-garlic paste. Stir the mixture well so that it does not stick to the base. Add the marinated mutton to it and fry with the mixture for 2 minutes until it starts sticking to the base. Add the remaining of the marinade (if any) and little water so that the mutton gets cooked properly.

Mutton generally takes a little long time to get cooked. If you want to save time, cook it in pressure cooker and after that open the lid of the cooker and heat the mutton so that the excess water evaporate.

When the mutton is done, open the cover of the kadhayi and let the excess water evaporate. Sprinkle the hing and check the salt level. Turn off the heat.

Serve this mutton piyazi with paratha.

Chole Bature Recipe

2011-12-29T23:07:00.000+05:30

Chole bature, a spicy Punjabi recipe. A famous breakfast option in North India. Do not forget to have a glass of lassi with Chole bature. Its an awesome combination!! I have already shared the bature recipe with you. Today I am going to share the chola recipe.

Ingredients :

1. Kabli chana (chickpeas)- 1 cup
2. Salt to taste
3. Onion- 2 large
4. Tomato- 1
5. Red chilly powder- 2 tsp
6. Ginger-garlic paste- 1 tsp
7. Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
8. Coriander seed- 1/2 tsp
9. Coriander powder- 1 tbs
10. Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
11. Hing- 1/4 tsp
12. Bhuna garam masala- 1/2 tsp
13. Tamarind paste- 1 tsp
14. Butter- 1 tsp(optional)
15. Oil- 4 tbs

Procedure:

Soak the kabli chana in water for at least 24 hours. Keep changing the water in between. Now in a pressure cooker add the washed kabli chana , some water and little salt. Pressure cook the kabli chana on medium flame until 4 to 5 whistles come. Remove the cooker and let the steam evaporate.

Meanwhile Chop the onion roughly. Keep some (2 tbs) chopped onion aside. Heat 2 tbs oil in a kadhayi and add chopped onion , chopped tomato and crushed coriander seeds. Let them fry on medium heat until the onion turns lightly brown. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool down. Blend the onion-tomato mixture in a mixer grinder.

Heat remaining oil in kadhayi and add the paste. Keep frying the paste on low flame. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry until the raw smell goes. Add all the remaining masala powder and keep frying the paste. When the paste turns little dark, add the boiled chana to it. Mix well and let the chana get fried with the paste for 3 to 4 minutes. Add some water and cover the kadhayi. Let it cook over low flame. After 5 to 6 minutes, add salt and tamarind paste to it. Mix well. Cook over medium flame till the water dries up and reach the expected consistency. I prefer the kabli chana gravy to be mildly thick which is perfect with some paratha or puri. Adjust the salt level before turning off the heat. Add the scoop of butter to it and serve it hot with bature (for recipe click here). Sprinkle the chopped onion on top of it.

Do participate in the ongoing event Bake with your heart, last date of participation is 7th January.