Balsamic Pepper Chicken

Balsamic Pepper Chicken

(image to be posted later)

 

Ingredients:

·         Chicken – 500 gm (breasts, drum sticks or wings)

OR

·         Paneer (for veggie lovers) – cut into 1 square inch pieces and not too thick (approx. 1 cm)

For Paste:

·         Black Pepper Corn – 6-8 tbsp (roasted and ground to coarse powder). You may adjust pepper corns to suit your taste buds

·         Parsley – 1 bunch

·         Garlic cloves – 6-8

·         Balsamic vinegar – 1 tbsp

·         Soy sauce – 1 tsp

·         Lime/Lemon juice – 2 tbsp

·         Olive oil – 4 tbsp (adjust to get a thick paste consistency)

·         Salt

Grind the above to a coarse paste. Make sure that the paste is not runny, but “ketchup like” thickness. Keep the paste color slightly on the green side, use more parsley if needed.

Method:

1.      Marinate the chicken/paneer and leave aside for 10-15 mins.

2.      In a hot griddle drizzle some olive oil and fry the chicken/paneer well.

3.      Alternatively, set up a BBQ and place on the grill.

4.      Serve it the way you like, slice the breasts into chewable chunks or on a skewer with onions, bell pepper, etc. or just with sliced onions.

5.      Bon Appetite.

Fish Curry Masala

Fish Curry Masala

 

Ingredients (for paste):

·         Tamarind paste – ½ cup (soak tamarind in warm water and extract paste. Don’t make it too runny. I personally do not prefer ready-made paste, but you can use it to save time. In which case 2 tbsp). Adjust depending on your preference for tanginess.

·         Green coriander - 1 bunch

·         Green chillies - 3-4

·         Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

·         Jeera powder - 1 tsp

·         Coriander powder - 1 tbsp (preferably use the stems as it has a lot of juice)

·         Ginger - 1/2 inch

·         Garlic - 4-6 cloves

·         Salt

Blend all this in a mixer and keep aside (don’t make it too runny)

 
For curry:

·         Onion - 1 medium chopped

·         Garlic - 2-3 cloves chopped

·         Oil - 2-3 tbsp

·         Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

·         Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp

·         Salt

 

Method:

1.      Marinate the fish using half of this masala.

2.      In a sauce pan heat the oil and saute onions and garlic.

3.      Add turmeric powder and coriander powder. Mix well.

4.      Add salt to taste.

5.      Add 2 cups water and bring to boil.

6.      Add the blended masala and cook for 8-10 mins.

7.      Add the fish. Simmer. Check for salt and spice (add red chilli powder if you wish).

8.      Garnish with green coriander.

9.      Serve with rice or roti.

10.  Bon Appetite.

Stuffed Gnocchi (with Bechamel Sauce)

Stuffed Gnocchi (with Bechamel Sauce)

(recipe to be posted later)

Chicken Tortilla Wraps

Chicken Tortilla Wraps

 

 

Serves 4

 Ingredients:

·         Chicken – 250 gm

·         Onion (chopped) – 1 large

·         Bell pepper (green and red) – ½ ea, diced

·         Frozen Mix  Veg. (Optional) – ½ cup slightly sauted

·         Cooked rice with a few dashes of tabasco sauce – 2 cups

·         Jalapeno Peppers – ¼ cup sliced

·         Tortilla wraps – 4

·         Mozarella cheese (grated) – 1 cup

·         Sour crème

·         Green coriander for garnishing

·         Salt and Pepper

Method:

1.      Cook the chicken slowly (to your desired recipe and don’t make it too spicy) with little sauce (thicken it with crème if needed). Debone the chicken.

TIP: Use left-over chicken if you have.

2.      Spread sour crème on a tortilla.

3.      On one top-half of the tortilla spread chicken and fold the tortilla as a taco.

4.      Now fill this with rice, your veggies, onions, bell peppers, jalapenos.

5.      Season with salt and pepper.

6.      Set aside on a plate and make the remaining 4 to fill the plate up.

7.      Put mozzarella cheese (be generous).

8.      Bake this plate in an oven (120^oC) till the cheese melts.

9.      Garnish and serve.

10.  Bon Appetite.

Jawala Fry

Jawala Fry

 

 

Ingredients:

·         Jawala (Dried shrimp) – 1 cup

·         Onion (chopped) – 1 large

·         Red chilli powder – 1 tbsp (add more if you wish, suit your taste buds)

·         Coriander powder – 1 tsp

·         Garam masala – ½ tsp

·         Oil for pan frying – 1tbsp

·         Green coriander for garnishing

·         Salt to taste (remember jawala will be having a salty taste too)

 Method:

1.      In a pan heat oil and sauté onions (till translucent).

2.      Add jawala and mix well till crisp.

3.      Add chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala and salt. Sauté.

4.      Garnish and serve.

5.      Bon Appetite.

Can be had on a baguette, make a crostini with some chopped bell peppers (red and green), endless combinations.

 

Masala French Toast

Masala French Toast

Ingredients:

·         Eggs – 3 nos.

·         Milk – 4 tbsp

·         Green Chilli – 1 (chopped)

·         Red Chilli powder – ½ tsp

·         Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

·         Garlic – ½ clove (chopped)

·         Garam masala – ¼ tsp

·         Fresh coriander (chopped)

·         Salt and Pepper

·         Bread (white or bread) – 6 nos.

·         Oil for pan frying

Method:

1.      In a mixing bowl beat all the above (except bread J )

2.      One by one soak the bread in this mix and set aside

3.      Heat little oil in a pan and fry (on medium flame) each soaked bread on both sides till done.

4.      Serve with ketchup/mayonnaise mix.

5.      Bon Appetite.

Polpettine Penne Pasta

Polpettine Penne Pasta

 

(Serves 1)

Ingredients:

·         Meatballs – 4-6 per serving

·         Penne pasta – 1 cup

·         Chilli flakes – 1 tsp

·         Parmesan cheese – to linking (grated)

·         Olive oil – 2-3 tbsp

·         Basil leave – 6-8 (chopped)

·         Tomato sauce – ½ cup

·         Parsley – 2 tsp (chopped)

·         Garlic – 2 cloves (chopped)

·         Broccoli florets – 4-6

·         Bell Pepper – half (diced)

·         Mushrooms – 2 (diced or sliced)

·         Salt and Pepper

 Method:

 

1.      Boil water in a pot and add 2 tbsp. salt. Once water is boiling add pasta and cook (approx. 8-10 mins. Bite to see that it's not over cooking. I prefer pasta which is biteable but not chewy. Drain the water. Don't throw away the pasta water.

2.      Rinse the pasta in running water to stop cooking process. Keep aside.

3.      In a pan, heat 2-3 tbsp olive oil on medium flame.

4.      When hot, add chopped garlic.

5.      Saute and then add meat balls (you can substitute with prawns). Cook till half done. Add desired veggies. Cook. Add tomato paste. If the paste is too thick add the left over pasta water (little-by-little) to make it to a running paste consistency.

6.      Add little salt (remember pasta has salt too) and fresh ground pepper (coarse), saute, add chilli flakes, parmesan cheese, chopped basil. Mix well.

7.      In a serving dish, put the pasta and pour the cooked mix over this. Garnish with more parmesan and basil. Alternatively you can mix the pasta in the pan serve too.

8.   Bon Appetite.

Meat Balls

Meat Balls (Polpettine)

 

Ingredients:

• Mincemeat (mutton/chicken/lamb) – 300 gm
• Parsley – 2 tsp (chopped)
• Garlic – 2 cloves (chopped)
• Ketchup – 1 tbsp
• Dijon Mustard – 1 tsp
• Tabasco sauce – dash
• Worcestershir sauce – 1 tsp
• (Optional) Bread crumbs – 2 tbsp
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Remember not to work the mix too much.
2. Make small meat balls. If the shape does not hold up on making the balls, then add bread crumbs for binding.
3. Place in fridge for half hour for firming.
4. For use, fry in pan using olive oil. OR, Cook in tomato sauce.

Achari Chicken

Achari Chicken

 

Achari Chicken served with Cucumber-Mint relish and Rice

 

Ingredients:

For masala:

• Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 1 1/2 tsp
• Dried red chilli - 2
• Bay leaf - 1
• Fennel seeds (Saunf) - 1 tsp
• Black pepper corn - 4-6
• Cinnamon - 1 in piece

Dry roast the above on medium flame and grind to a medium coarse powder (do not add any water).
 

Other Ingredients:

• Mustard seeds oil - 3 tbsp
• Nigella (Onion seeds or Kalaunji) - 1 tbsp
• Masala elaichi - 1
• Creme or yogurt - 2-3 tbsp (whisk and keep so that lumps don't form during cooking)
• Mango pickle - 1-2 tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Dried red chilli - 2
• Onion paste - 2 medium
• Tomato paste - 2 medium
• Garlic paste - 4 cloves
• Ginger paste - 1/2 in piece
• Salt to taste, Coriander to garnish
• Chicken/Mutton/Mix Veg./Potato - 1/2 kg (use which ever you want, method is the same).

 Method:

1. Heat the oil on high flame in a sauce pan and let it smoke. Let this oil come to room temperature and reheat on medium flame (this is to eliminate the bitterness of mustard seed oil).
2. Add ginger/garlic paste and saute. Then add masala elaichi, nigella seeds and dried red chilli. Continue sauteing.
3. Add Onion paste and cook till translucent. Then add tomato paste (if tomatoes are more acidic, then add a bit of sugar to balance).
4. Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder and salt.
5. Add your chosen meat (or veggie) and continue cooking. Add water to form a gravy base to your desired consistency (don't make it too watery, won't taste nice). Add salt.
6. Let the meat cook. Half way through this add your dry ground masala. Now cook the meat completely.
7. When nearly done, add creme/yogurt. Stir. Bring to a simmer.
8. Add pickle and stir.
9. Serve hot with rice/roti/bread.
10. Taste and adjust the heat of the dish to your desired palette. If it becomes hot with this, add creme/yogurt to dilute.