Anju's Kitchen Treasures

Announcement

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:27:00 +0000

I've been away for a good reason. Allah SWT accepted our duas and granted me and my husband beautiful twin girls! We have named them Maryam & Anum.

Please make dua for us.

Will be back soon.............

Off To Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 11:41:00 +0000

Finally I'm off on my vacation to India .In the event of impending holy month of Ramadaan,I shall be off my blog for some time.Wil be back soon.
May Allah make us of the successful in Ramadan, and make it easy for us to turn to him completely and perpetually. Ameen.

Chicken Tikka Masala- The easy way

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 11:32:00 +0000

The way to a perfect dish of Chicken Tikka Masala may sound laborious with grilling the chicken and then making a gravy out of it.Not anymore....

Ingredients for the Tikka
Boneless chicken(bite size pieces)-500gm
Red chilli powder-2tsp
Jeera powder-1tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
Garam masala-1/2tsp
Ginger garlic paste-2tsp
Curds-2tbsp
Oil-2tbsp
Salt -to taste
Red food color-a pinch

Mix all the ingredients with the chicken and marinate for 2 hrs.Heat a non stick pan and roast the chicken on medium flame till crisp and cooked.

For the gravy:

Chopped onions-1cup
Ginger garlic paste-1tsp
Tomato puree-1cup
Jeera powder-1/2tsp
Chilli powder-1tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
Salt-to taste
Butter-2tbsp

Heat butter in a pan.

Add onions and saute til brown.Add ginger garlic paste and saute.

Add the remaining ingredients and saute for 2mins.

Add the chicken pieces now and add enough water to get the right consistancy.

Boil for 2 mins.
Serve hot garnished with chopped cilantro.

Bhuna Gosht-Stir Fried Lamb

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 06:39:00 +0000

I had Bhuna Gosht in a restaurant once and vowed to make my own version of it at home.
The result was not too close to what I had eaten, but the taste turned out to be heavenly.

Ingredients:

Lamb cuts-500gm
Ginger garlic paste-1tbsp
Red chilli powder-2tsp
Jeera powder-1/2tsp
Garam masala powder-1/2tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
Salt-to taste
Finely Sliced onions-1 big
Curry leaves-1 string(optional)
Oil-2tbsp
Chopped cilatro,Lemon-For garnish

Add ginger garlic paste,salt and all the spices to the meat and marinate meat for a couple od hours.
Add a cup of water and cook meat on low flame until tender.A pressure cooker can also be used to cook meat.Make sure the meat does not get over cooked.
In a pan heat oil,add curry leaves, sliced onions and saute till crisp and olden brown.

Now add the cooked meat and saute on high flame till all the water dries up and the meat gets crisp.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and lemon wedges.

Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Mishti Doi (Sweet Yoghurt)

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 10:57:00 +0000

Mishti Doi is synonymous with Bengal in East India.Bengali sweets is complete without "Mishti Doi" or sweet yoghurt. It is a must-have item on all auspicious occasions for Bengalis

Mishti Doi tastes great but is amazingly simple to make!

Mishti doi reminds me, and probably all Bengalis an earthen pot filled with a brownish mass of sweet curd.

Ingredients:

Full Cream Milk-1ltr
Sugar-8 tbsp
Yogurt -2 tbsp
1 Earthen pot (optional)

Pour the milk in a thick bottom vessel and heat over low flame

As it starts boiling add 4 tablespoons of sugar and keep on simmering till the volume is reduced to little less than half.

Take the remaining sugar with 2 tablespoons of water and heat till the sugar melts and attains a golden brown color.

Gradually add the molten sugar over the milk and boil for another 15 minutes over low flame

Take out of flame and let it become lukewarm

Pour the milk over the earthen pot and add the yogurt

Keep the pot in a warm, dry place, and let the yogurt set over night

Refrigerate the set dahi and serve as a dessert .

Grilled Lamb Chops

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 07:06:00 +0000

These grilled chops, easy to prepare and delicious to eat, can be served as a starter or a light lunch or even more appetizing on a barbecue accompanying other delicious dishes.This dish goes well with rice or grilled vegetables.

Lean lamb cuts are ideal for cooking this dish. This particular dish is best to be left to marinate for at least 4-6 hours or over night before cooking. Once marinated cook under a grill, barbecue or on a griddle

Lamb rib chops-6 (500gm)
Oil-3tbsp
Ginger garlic paste-2tsp
Red chilli powder-2tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2tsp
Lemon juice-1tsp
Garam masala-1/2tsp
4tbsp-thick yoghurt
Salt-to taste
Chopped cilatro-3tbsp

Beat each chop on both sides.

Place lamb chops in a shallow dish. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over chops.

Cover and refrigerate for 6 hours.

Preheat grill for medium heat.

Place chops on a well oiled grill or grriddle and cook on each side till well cooked.

Once cooked garnish with fresh salad, lemon wedges.Serve with your favorite chutney or yoghurt sauce.

Bhindi Jaipuri (Crispy Fried Okra)

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 07:06:00 +0000

I just love bhindi.I had my eyes on this fry since I got married.Had to wait for six long years to make this and eat. Once my husband had I been to a wedding and there he happened to have this dish. He had all praise for it and wished to have it at home. Then my mission was to try my hands on this north Indian delicacy. It was an instant hit . This is a very good starter and also a prominent side dish to accompany with rotis or rice.

Ingredients:

Bhindi (Okra)-300gm
Amchoor(dry mango) powder-1tsp
Red chilli powder-1tsp
Cumin powder-1/2tsp
Besan(gram flour)-3/4 cup
Corn flour-1/4cup
Broken cashewnuts-2tbsp(optional)
Finely chopped onions-2tbsp
Oil-to deep fry
Vinegar-1tsp
Salt-to taste
Red food colour-a pinch(optional)

Wash the bhindi and pat dry them

Cut off both the ends and slit them length wise or cut them diagonally.

Add all ingredients and mix and sprinkle few drops of water if the flour is not sticking to the bhindi.

Deep fry till golden brown on medium heat.

Serve as appetizer or as an accompaniment.

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KFC Chicken- Clone Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 04:09:00 +0000

-Kentucky Fried Chicken is loved across the world and there are many recipes online that try to duplicate the great taste. After many tries at preparing the perfect chicken I have learned that there are several factors that have a great influence the perfect result.

Use shortening versus vegetable oil.The shortening tends to do a better job at cooking the chicken.

There are no shortcuts.The chicken needs to be marinated for a long time.This makes the chicken extremely soft and juicy.

This recipe is so close to the real deal. Adjust the recipe as you wish until your happy with the results.

Ingredients:

Chicken-8 pieces (I used the drumsticks and thighs of a large chicken)
Red chilli powder-1tsp
Garlic powder-1tsp
Mixed herbs-3tsp( is easily available at large supermarkets)
Black pepper powder-1tsp
Meat tenderiser-1/4 tsp
Salt-to taste
Egg, beaten -1
Milk-1cup
Flour-2cups
Coarse bread crumbs-2tbsp
Shortening/ vegetable oil-to deep fry

Remove any excess skin and fat from the chicken pieces.
Soak the chicken in 5 cups of water and add the red chilli powder,garlic powder,mixed herbs,salt and meat tenderiser.

Mix well and let it marinate in the referigerator for 24 hours.

Combine the beaten egg ,a pinch of salt and milk in a bowl.

In another bowl, combine the coating ingredients (flour, salt, pepper and crumbs).

When the chicken has marinated, transfer each piece to paper towels so that excess liquid can drain off.

Working with one piece at a time, first dip in egg and milk then coat the chicken with the dry flour mixture, then the egg and milk mixture again, and then back into the flour.
I like to double coat my chicken for extra crispiness and texture.

Make sure that each piece is coated very generously.

Stack the chicken on a plate.
Drop the chicken, one piece at a time into the hot shortening/oil.
Fry on medium heat till golden brown.

Remove the chicken and drain in paper towels for about 5 minutes before eating.

Enjoyyy the amazingly crisp and juicy KFC chicken !!

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Deira Fish Market Dubai

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 04:58:00 +0000

My visit to Dubai’s busiest fish market in Deira was worth a visit.
At the break of dawn, the place is bustling with sellers and traders luring every single customer to their catch of the day.
Mind you, they do sales talk in languages you can imagine – German, Japanese, English and what not - depending on how they see you!

Dubai, being situated in the Arabian Peninsula is abundant with so many kinds of fishes. The Dubai Fish Market has an incredible variety of local fish, crabs, shrimps, you name it at very affordable prices and very fresh, some still moving.

If you haven’t been to a real, wet fish market, be prepared, though - it is an eye opener to your senses. The smell is, well, fishy but what can you expect from a fish market? After a while, your nose will get used to the smell and you won’t mind roaming around looking for the perfect fish

Next to the Fish Market is the Vegetable and Fruit Market. The vegetables are better than the ones in the supermarkets.

Dubai is a desert land but because of its location, we get lots of fresh produce from neighboring countries in Mediterranean, Europe and India. Some veggies and fruits are locally produced as well, using state of the art greenhouses.

This is where you'll find a large variety of cheap and fresh fruits both from local and imported from neighboring countries. It's also a place where you can get a hand on different types of dates

In all,had a great time in the market. Cya...

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Pav Bhaji

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 07:51:00 +0000

Pav bhaji is a fast food dish popular in most cities of India and liked by almost everyone. Pav means bread and bhaji is a term for the mashed vegetable curry garnished with coriander and chopped onions.

Ingredients-

Boiled and mashed vegetables(potato/cauliflower/capsicum/carrot/beans/green peas)-500gm
Finely chopped onions-1 big
Finely bchopped tomatoes-2 medium
Chopped garlic-2tbsp
Chopped fresh coriander leaves - handful
Pav bhaji masala - 2tbsp
Red chilli pwd - to taste(optional)
Salt to taste
Lemon juice
for garnishing - onions and coriander finely chopped
Low fat Butter
Pav/Burger buns/bread-1 pack (use brown bread/buns for a healthier dish)

Bhaji:

Cut all the vegetables in big pieces and boil them with a cup of water and a little salt in a pressure cooker.
Mash these vegetables.
In a pan put 2tsp oil, add the garlic and chopped onions and sautee till slightly pink in colour.
Add the tomatoes and cook closed until soft.
Add the paav bhaji masala.(I use Everest/mother's recipe pav bhaji masala) saute the tomatoes well.
Add the vegetable mixture to it & mix it well .
Add salt (according to taste) and red chilli powder if you like a real hot gravy.
Add water if the gravy gets too thick
Let it boil for a minute or two.

Add 2tbsp butter to it as per your taste and mix it well.
Once you remove it from gas pour in juice of half a lemon for that extra taste.

For Pav:

Apply butter to your pav.
Toast your pav until they turn golden brown.

To serve:

Serve your Pav and Bhaji together with onion, cilantro & lemon juice garnished on the bhaji.
Enjoyyy !

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Homemade Tahini (Sesame Seed Paste)

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 04:48:00 +0000

Tahini is readily available in stores across many countries.

It is an essential ingredient in Middle Eastern dishes such as humous and falafel

I just like to make my own tahini and have found that this recipe is the best.
I have made it with both vegetable oil and olive oil and decided that I like if best with a combination of the two.
It is worth making tahini in bulk to reduce waste as the sticky paste is difficult to empty cleanly from your food processor. This is the proportion of oil to sesame seeds to use, increase the quantities to suit your needs

Ingredients:

Sesame seeds-5cups
Olive oil or vegetable oil-1 1/2 cups

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast sesame seeds for 5-10 minutes, stirring the seeds frequently with a spatula. Do not allow to brown. Cool for 20 minutes.

Pour sesame seeds into food processor and add oil. Blend for 2 minutes. Check for consistency. The goal is a thick, yet pourable texture. Add more oil and blend until desired consistency.
Makes about 4 cups
Homemade tahini should be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container. It will keep for up to 3 months.

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Arabic Falafel

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:34:00 +0000

Falafel is very popular in the Middle Eastern snack.

As a main dish, it is served as a sandwich, stuffed in pita bread with lettuce, tomatoes, and tahini sauce. As an appetizer, it is served on a salad, or with hummus and tahini. Falafel is a favorite among vegetarians.

Dried chickpeas or canned chickpeas -1cup/1can
Onion, chopped -1large
Garlic, chopped-3cloves
Fresh parsley, chopped-3tbsp
Fresh cilantro, chopped -3tbsp
Cumin -1tsp
Flour-4tbsp
Dry hot red pepper-1/2tsp
Salt-to taste
Baking powder-1tsp
Oil -for frying
Tahini sauce thinned with a few drops of water(Homemade recipe to follow in next post)
Chopped tomato/onion/bell peppers- for garnish

Place dried chickpeas in a bowl, covering with water. Allow to soak overnight. Omit this step if using canned beans.

Drain chickpeas and pressure cook for 20mins until cooked

Drain and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, cumin, parsley, cilantro, salt and pepper in bowl. Add flour and baking powder.
Mash chickpeas well ensuring to mix ingredients together. You can also combine ingredients in a food processor if you want the result to be a thick paste.
Form the mixture into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball. Slightly flatten.
Fry in 2 inches of oil on medium flame until golden brown .Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel for a minute or two.

Serve hot. Garnish falafel platter with cut tomatoes, green bell peppers, red onion and turnips. Serve tahini on the side.

NOTE: As an alternative, falafel can be formed into patties and served like a burger.

PEACH SMOOTHIE

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 04:53:00 +0000

Fresh, delicious, healthy and bursting with peach flavor!
There’s nothing like a sweet creamy peach milkshake to cool off those summer nights. A couple days I went to the grocery store and found huge, beautiful peaches for an amazing price. Lucky me!

Ingredients:

Peaches -6
Ice -4 cups
Honey-to taste

Peel the peaches, chop them and place them in a blender with ice, and blend. To serve, pour the glass half way with the smoothie, add a dash of honey, pour the glass to the top, and top it with one more dash of honey.

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Lauki Ke Kofte -Bottlegourd dumplings in a spicy gravy

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 06:59:00 +0000

Lauki (bottlegourd), peeled and grated-4cups
Onion (chopped)-1large
Tomato (chopped)-1large
Gram flour (besan)-4tbsp or more if required
Yoghurt-2tbsp
Garlic cloves, finely chopped-3cloves
Ginger, finely chopped-1tsp
Black pepper powder-1/2tsp
Chopped Green chilies-4
Cumin seeds-1tsp
Coriander powder-1tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Red Chili powder-1tsp
Salt-to taste
Oil-4tbsp

Dry roast besan on low heat for 2-3 minutes

Squeeze water out of the lauki; mix in salt, ginger and black pepper.

Sauté over high flame, to dry up excess liquid and leave to cool.

Add roasted besan, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder,2tsp chopped corriander leaves; mix well and shape into walnut sized balls.

Deep-fry koftas to a golden brown over high flame and keep aside

Coarsely grind green chillies, onion, yoghurt and tomatoes all together in a blender

Add 2 large spoons of oil in a pan.

Add chopped garlic and the coarse masala to it.Once the masala is cooked,lower the flame and continuously stir the masala

Add the dry masala, i.e. red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste

Add 2 cups of water to make the gravy. Boil the gravy for 5mins

Add koftas into the gravy

Garnish with fresh coriander leaves

Serve hot with roti or rice.

Iced Kiwi & Ginger Lime Cocktail

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 07:07:00 +0000

Kiwi fruit, is one of the top healthy fruits.
Kiwi fruit is rich in vitamins, minerals and protective phytochemicals that promote health and longevity of human life.
What more can one ask for? This amazingly tasty drink is an amazing health drink,a heat buster and an excellent cocktail drink for parties.

Ingredients

kiwi fruit, diced with some larger chunks for garnish-1cup
Juice of lime, freshly squeezed-1
Finely minced ginger-1/4tsp
Dash of salt- optional
Sugar syrup-3tbsp
Ginger Ale(carbonated soft drink flavored with ginger)-8 oz.
Ice

In a mixing container, add sugar syrup, dash of salt, minced ginger, diced kiwi, and lime juice; mix well.
Pour ginger ale into a chilled serving glass.
Pour juice mix over soda, making sure to swirl minced ginger and kiwi.
Garnish with kiwi and lime rind. Enjoy!

Caramel Custard

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 06:35:00 +0000

My idea of the perfect dessert involves custard in any shape or form.

This rich custard gets its color and flavor from a caramelized-sugar topping. It's a great make-ahead dessert that's sure to impress any gathering.

The recipe I submit to you today is Julia Child’s crème renversée au caramel–unmolded caramel custard. You line your molds with the caramel, fill it with custard, and then bake in a water bath to ensure slow and even cooking. It can seem a little complicated but crème caramel is actually quite simple to make and it never fails to impress.

for the caramel:

Sugar-2/3rd cup
Water-1/3rd cup

Add sugar and water to a heavy stainless steel saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. When it starts to brown, swirl the saucepan around but do not stir. This will ensure that the sugar turns color evenly and will help wash any crystals off the side. When it is thick and a light, nutty brown, remove from heat and pour directly into molds; swirl each mold to coat evenly with the caramel.

For the custard:

Milk-2 1/2 cups
Sugar-1/2cup
Eggs-3
Egg yolks-3
Vanilla extract-1tsp

Bring the milk to just below a simmer in a saucepan.

Gradually beat the sugar into the eggs and egg yolks in a bowl until well mixed, light, and foamy.

Continue beating while pouring in the hot milk in a thin stream of droplets.

Add vanilla extract.

Strain the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into the caramel-lined molds.

To bake the molds, set them in a pan and pour enough boiling water around them to come halfway up the sides. Place in the bottom third of an oven preheated to 350F.

After five minutes, turn down the heat to 325F. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the center is firm but slightly wobbly. Cooking it too long will result in a tough rather than tender custard.

Chill in the refrigerator. To unmold, run a knife between the custard and edges of the mold. Place a serving dish upside down over the mold and quickly reverse the two, and remove the mold from the custard.

Baked Chicken Spring Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 12:44:00 +0000

have been longing to try baking spring rolls insted of frying them.Finally,I tried it and they turned out to be perfect.

Delicious and crunchy without deep frying!"

Filling:

Chicken boiled and shredded-2cups
Carrot cut into juliennes-1cup
Capsium cut into juliennes-1cup
Cabbage shredded-1cup
Sliced onion-1cup
Black pepper powder-to taste
Salt-to taste
Ajinimoto- a pinch
Soy sauce-1tsp
Oil-to brush rolls

Heat 2tsp oil in a pan.

Saute onions o high flame till translucent.

Add shredded chicken and saute.Now add carrot and capsicum and saute.

Add salt,soy sauce,ajinomoto and pepper powder to taste.

Finally add shredded cabbage and toss.Switch off flame.

Let it cool.

Filling the spring rolls:

Thaw the spring roll pastry as per the instructions in the package.
Carefully remove a sheet and cover the rest with a moist cloth to prevent drying.

Keep the filling in the bottom and wrap .

Grease the baking sheet and place the wrapped spring rolls.

Brush them with oil and bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes or until they are golden brown.
Flip the rolls after 15 minutes and flip them back again after 30 minutes.
The spring rolls were very crispy and tasty.
You would never deep fry your spring rolls again, once you taste this.
These spring rolls can also be made using phyllo pastry sheets,but the fat content is more.

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Rich Bread Halwa

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Mon, 31 May 2010 04:19:00 +0000

This amazingly delicious sweet is very simple to make. Surely we should have the luxury of indulging ourselves, once in a while, to savor such sinful temptations!! -:)

The halwa can be served either warm or cold. I prefer my halwa to be warm. But the taste is heavenly either way.

Ingredients:

Unsalted bread-1 loaf
Sugar-1cup
Condensed milk-1 small tim
Red food colour-a pinch
Crushed Cardamoms-6
Milk-1/2liter
Rose water-2tbsp
Ghee-2tbsp
Chopped cashewnuts,almonds and rasins-1/2cup
Oil-for deep frying

Dry the slices of bread in bright sunlight for a day till crisp.This process prevents the bread from absorbing lot of oil when fried.The slices can be cut into two triangles before drying.

Heat oil for deep frying.Add the dried bread pieces and fry them till they turn golden brown.Drain on paper towels.

Prepare sugar syrup by boiling 1cup water with 1cup sugar.Add food colour and crushed elaichi to it and boil for 3mins.

In a heavy bottomed pan,pour in the milk and boil.Simmer flame and layer the fried bread slices over the milk.Now pour the condensed milk,rose water and sugar syrup.

Reserve 1/4th of the sugar syrup.It can be added towards the end if required after checking the sweetness.

Let it simmer for about 15 mins till the bread pieces turn soft and cook in the milk mixture.

Exess milk/water shoul have been absorbed by now.
Heat ghee in a small pan and fry the nuts till golden in colour.
Add the ghee and nuts to the halwa and gently mix.So that you have a soft halwa with crisp bits of fried bread in between.
It tastes good both warm and cold.

Microwave Masala Peanuts

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Sat, 29 May 2010 10:27:00 +0000

This is really a simple, quick,healthy and tasty treat that makes a great tv time/ movie time snack.
I have been making this in the microwave and find that it tastes just as good and is just as crunchy as the deep fried ones without the guilt associated with frying and minus the calories of course.

Raw Peanuts – 1 cup
Besan – 2tbsp
Rice flour – 2 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Asafoetida-a pinch
Crushed garlic-3cloves
Salt
Oil – 4-5 tsp

Wet the groundnuts completely, by smearing water on them, very lightly.

Mix all dry ingredients well.
Sprinkle over the moist groundnuts & mix well for them to get a uniform coating.
Add oil and mix well.

Carefully transfer the coated groundnuts to a flat microwave safe container.

Seperate the peanuts from one another and spread evenly.

Microwave on Hi for 4 mts(time may vary in different microwaves).Break peanuts apart if stuck together.
Mix peanuts with a spoon every 2 minutes for even roasting.

Allow to stand for 5 mts.
Remove onto absorbent tissues for the oil to be absorbed completely.
Cool.
Enjoy the crunchy & tasty gultfree peanuts!

Oven Baked Potato Wedges

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Wed, 26 May 2010 06:38:00 +0000

I like potatoes in all forms, but if I had to pick a favorite, this healthy baked version would easily be it.
Potatoes are good for you as long as they're cooked in a healthy manner. For those longing to indulge on potato wedges and not feeling guilty,this is a must try.

Ingredients:

Medium sized potatoes, peeled and washed-5
olive oil-3tbsp
Garlic powder
Chilli flakes
Salt
Pepper
Mixed herbs(optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Slice the potatoes with the skin on into even wedges toss well with the other ingredients.
Spread in a single layer on lined baking tray and bake at 375 degrees F until lightly browned and tender.

Turn the wedges upside down after 15mins for even browning.

The baking process takes about 35-40 minutes.

Serve hot.

Butter Chicken

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Mon, 24 May 2010 05:41:00 +0000

Butter Chicken is among the best known Indian foods all over the world.

Marinate

Boneless chicken-1kg
yoghurt-400gms
lemon juice-2tbsp
garam masala-1tsp
Red chilli powder-2tsp

Mix all of the above together and marinate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight in the fridge.

Grind together:

Cinammon stick-2 inch
Chopped toamatoes-3 big
Green cardomom-3
Black pepper-1/2tsp

Place all of the above in a saucepan and simmer gently for 30 mins. Cool slightly and then pass through a sieve to remove any seeds.

Oil-1tbsp
Finely chopped ginger-2 tsp
Finely chopped garlic-2tsp
Salt-to taste
Tomato puree-2tbsp
Butter-4tbsp
Cream-1cup

Heat the oil and gently fry the ginger and garlic for one minute.
Add the marinated chicken and stir fry until the chicken is slightly browned.
Add the tomato puree and butter and cook for 5 minutes
Add the sieved tomato sauce and bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes
Add the cream, mix well and continue to simmer for around 10 minutes
Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh cream and chopped corriander leaves.
Serve with roti,rice or bread.

If you like it a little spicier just add some more garam masala and chilli powder.

Pancakes !!!

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Sun, 23 May 2010 04:22:00 +0000

Light, fluffy and fruity, these pancakes are the perfect special breakfast. Serve them stacked high, with fresh/dry fruits and honey/maple syrup.
In Ramadan, the best and most nutritious "Sohour" is a plate of pancakes with honey and a cup of milk

Ingredients

All-purpose flour-1 1/2 cups
Baking powder-2 1/2 tsp
Salt-1/2 tsp
Sugar-1tbsp (optional)
Milk-1 1/4cup
Egg-1
Melted butter-2tbsp

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.

Make a well in the center and pour in the milk, egg and melted butter; mix until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the pan, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot.

Khara Pongal

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Thu, 20 May 2010 03:04:00 +0000

Pongal – a savory pudding made with beautiful combination of lentils and rice tempered with spices and nuts sauteed in Ghee

It is also one of the simplest and healthiest dishes to make which does not need constant attention and gets done in matter of minutes

Moong Daal -1 cup
Rice -1 cup
Cashewnuts -10
Cumin Seeds- 1 tsp
Pepper Powder -1tsp
Curry leaves-5-6
Chopped Green Chilli -2
Grated coconut- 3tbsp
Salt to taste
Water -4 cups
Oil/ghee-2tbsp

Take a cooker and heat oil/ghee in it.
Wash moong daal and the rice and keep it separately.

Roast cashew in the oil and keep aside.
Now, add mustard seeds and cummin seeds and curry leaf.
When the mustard seeds start to crackle, add green chilli and fry for a few seconds.
Now, add the moong daal and fry for a minute.
Add water and the washed rice.
Also add coconut, salt and turmeric powder.
Close the cooker and allow it to whistle thrice.
After the cooker cools down, add the pepper powder, cashews and chopped cilantro leaves.
Add more water if required to get a pudding like consistancy.
Serve hot as it is or with coconut chutney/onion chutney/sambar

Chapli Kabab

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Tue, 18 May 2010 07:47:00 +0000

Chapli kebab is a patty made from mutton/ beef mince. It is very popular in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is prepared flat and round and served with green chutney,yoghurt sauce (raita), salad and naan or bread.

Mutton or beef mince -1/2kg
Green chillies finely chopped -2
Chopped coriander -1/2cup
Original corn flour/wheat flour -2tbsp
Coriander seed (half crushed)-1tbsp
salt to taste
Dried pomegranate seed (Anar dana)-1/2tsp
Ginger and garlic paste -1tsp
Red chilli powder-1/2tsp
Finely chopped tomatoes with out seed-1
Finely chopped onions -1
slightly beaten egg -1

Take half the amount of minced meat and boil with half a cup of water till softened and water is dried.
Combine all the spices and ingredients along with raw and cooked mince.
Marinate for 2hrs.
Mix them well, make palm size cutlets.
Then take 5 table spoon of oil, pour it on frying pan.
Fry the kebabs on medium or low flame.
Each side of kebab should be cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
Serve the hot kebab with raita or green chutney.

Rich fruit cake/Plum cake

noreply@blogger.com (Anjum) — Sun, 16 May 2010 09:48:00 +0000

Plum cake is integral part of any Christmas celebration.My husband and myself decided to bake this scrumptious cake for our wedding anniversary.This delicious and moist cake goes really well with a hot cup of tea.

Ingredients:

Raisins – 1 cup
Chopped Dates – 1 cup
Candied fruits– 1/2 cup
Lemon/Orange peel-1/2cup
Chopped Cashewnuts – 2 cups
Orange juice – 1 cup
Maida – 4 cups
Baking powder – 3 tsp
Butter – 4cups
Sugar – 4 cups
Sugar – 1 cup (to make caramel syrup)
Eggs – 12
Garam masala/all spice powder-3tsp
Salt – /2tsp
Vanilla essence – 4 tsp

Soak all the dry fruits in orange juice for atleast one day.
Preheat the oven to 350 degree F.
Place 1 cup of sugar in the saucepan and add 2 tbsp of water.Turn the stove to high and place the pan on the stove and let it boil.When a dark brown colored caramel forms,remove the pan from the stove and very carefully add 1 cup of water to the caramel for it may splash.
Stir the contents well to dissolve the caramel. Keep this aside.
Sift flour and baking powder, a couple of times and keep ready.
In a large container, whisk butter first and then add 4 cups of sugar and whisk again, until it is creamy.
Add eggs and whisk well.
Pour in the caramel syrup, the spice powder, salt and vanilla extract and mix everything together.

Add the flour-baking powder mix and fold this in with a wooden or plastic spatula or spoon.

When they are well mixed, add the candied fruits and nuts and mix again.
Spoon this into a greased baking tray
Bake for about 1 hour at 350 degree F.
Check by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the pan. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done. If not, bake for another 10 – 15 mins and check again.
Remove the cake from the oven and cool.