spaghetti carbonara

I love spaghetti carbonara for several reasons. Its simple, takes less ingredients, has creamy texture and mainly it has pork :)

Spaghetti carbonara we used to get in our restos loads it with cream and lot of cheese and its not real carbonara, infact they simply toss spaghetti in white sauce and thats it :|

Authentic carbonara demands "guanciale" which is cured meat made from pork cheeks/jaw, and adding cream is strictly forbidden. I replaced "guanciale" with bacon, other than that I used all authentic ingredients along with authentic way of doing it. But ofcourse this is my way of doing it so I don't call it 100% authentic but its pretty close  for sure. Atleast it does not have loads of cream and cheese.

This recipe is enough for 2 people

Ingredients:
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Bacon strips cut in small pieces
- Spaghetti pasta (fistful)
- 2 eggs + yolk of 1 egg
- Half a cup parmesan cheese/pecorino cheese (grated)
- Fresh crushed black pepper
- salt to taste

Method:
- Bring water to roaring boil and add salt to it (this is for cooking spaghetti). Once its boiling add in spaghetti, do not put oil in it, spaghetti won't stick if we keep stirring.

- In a separate bowl whisk eggs, black pepper, salt and grated cheese together, this is our sauce.

- In a pan, add little olive oil and bacon and keep sauteing till bacon is cooked through.

- Keep check on spaghetti, we need to sync timing of spaghetti and bacon.

- Once bacon and spaghetti are well cooked, turn of flame.

- Drain spaghetti and add it to pan, and toss a little bit to lower its temperature.

- Add in egg sauce in pan and keep stirring without breaking spaghetti and make sure eggs does not
become scrambled.

- This makes spaghetti creamier, once all spaghetti is well coated its done.

- Garnish with some more pepper and cheese and serve :)

chicken in cream sauce

This is a very simple and yet very tasty chicken recipe I came across over Internet. Thanks to my friend Nilesh who tagged me so that I could watch and re-create it.

This is my try to re-create it.


Ingredients:
-2 whole Chicken breast pieces
-1 lemon (cut in 4 pieces)
-Sliced onions Julian style big chunks
-Finely cut leeks/spring onions (original recipe has leeks)
-Salt n black pepper for seasoning

Recipe:
-Apply salt n pepper on chicken breast and put little oil over them,
make sure chicken is nicely coated.
-Add little oil (5ml) in pan and then add lemon pieces, add chicken breasts to pan
and pan grill them 5 mins each side.
-Once nicely golden brown from both sides keep it aside in aluminium foil.
-In same pan add onions along with spring onions and saute well, add 1 cup of white wine
and transfer chicken breasts back in pan and cover it to ensure chicken is cooked through.
-Uncover pan, make sure only half wine has left in pan adjust seasoning and remove lemons from tongs (Else it makes cream curdle)
-Now add warm/hot cream to pan and give a nice stir and turn off gas. Its necessary not to cook after adding cream, just keep it covered after giving a stir, else cream gets curdles and ruins texture of sauce.

Serving:
-prepare rice bed
-Carefully put chicken breast on it/or you can cut in thin  slices
-Pour nice creamy sauce over it

Chicken hotdog

One of friend Sushil tagged me on FB for a post of cheese filled hotdog, as I watched video and way cheese was oozing out of hotdog. I immediately went out and bought stuff needed to make them.

Ingredients:
500 gms minced chicken
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp chaat masala
1 tsp black pepper powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chilly powder
1 tsp tamarind paste
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 egg
1 medium sized onion finely chopped
4-5 cheese stripes (cut cheese block into stripes of 10x10 mm thick)
1 cup bread crumbs


Method to prepare marinade masala:
- In a frying pan saute onions over medium heat with ginger-garlic paste.
- Mix garam masala powder into mixture and saute till onions are cooked/tendered.
- Turn heat off and let it cool to room temperature.

Method to prepare marinade:
- In a big bowl, add all dry ingredients along with tamarind paste and mix well till smooth paste is formed.
- Now add prepared onion masala and mix well.
- Mix in minced chicken and egg to this mixture and knead mixture with hands to mix it nicely,
so that all chicken is nicely get marinated.
- Add bread crumbs to this mixture and knead mixture well.
- Add more bread crumb as needed till mixture starts holding well when pressed in hand.

Method to prepare hotdogs:
- Make 5-6 round shape portions of above mixture and start rolling them into cylindrical shape
- Make sure it is not very thin so that else they will tend to break while wrapping them.
- Place cheese stripe at one end of rolled out mixture and start wrapping like a roll.
- Use little oil to seal off edges from both side and smooth out outside edge.
- Our hotdogs are ready.


Grill them till they are cook Or they can be finish on frying pan as well. They are ready to eat when cheese starts to ooze out of it a bit. Serve with hotdog bread.


Tips:
Do not make very thin mixture for wrapping else cheese will ooze out while grilling, or hotdgos might break in half while transferring to/from grill or pan.
One can use same recipe to make burger patties/chicken cutlets as well :)

 

Grilled chicken burger

It was Wednesday and I had super craving for eating a nice non-deep fried burger which is hard to find where I live. So I decided to make one for myself.  After putting little efforts I was happy to realize its so simple to put a juicy chicken burger. Here is my version.

Ingredients:

Marinade:
chicken thighs 1 piece
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp salt
1 tsp crushed black pepper
1 tsp oil
2 tsp mix herbs

Spicy caramelized onions:
1 tsp melted butter
1/2 tsp cumin seed powder
1/2 tsp coriander seed powder
1 tsp red chilly powder
1 medium onion cut in julienne style

Sauce mix:
Mayonnaise + Worcestershire sauce  + chilly sauce (as per taste)

Topping:
cheese slice, jalapenos and as per choice.
and most important burger buns :)

Recipe:
Preparing marinade:
- rub salt, black pepper powder, garlic paste and herbs nicely on entire chicken thigh, I often prefer to puncture chicken thigh with knife tip many times so that marinade sticks nicely to eat and makes its way in deep chicken muscle. Also helps cooking faster.
- sprinkle oil on top and coat chicken nicely and kept aside.

Cooking:
- Take a frying pan and put it on medium high heat. Cook chicken nicely till flesh separates from bone.
- take out chicken and cover in aluminium foil.
- In same pan add all ingredients for spicy caramelized onions, and saute them nicely until they are nicely coated and becomes little tender.
- Take off from pan and keep aside.
-Warm up burger buns in this pan, so tat they will soak up all this good flavor nicely.
- Put aside burger buns.
- Shred chicken using forks and knife. Take a portion of this shredded chicken and put in pan,
add cheese slice on top.
- Apply sauce mix generously on burger buns
- As soon as cheese melts, carefully transfer chicken+cheese on burger bun (don't worry melted cheese helps shredded chicken stay together)
- Add your favorite topping, add caramelized spicy onions and enjoy your burger.

You may choose to put more sauce mix on top of chicken, one can adjust hot level by varying chilly sauce and chilly powder.

Cashew chicken creme

Its was lazy sunday and i was just back from night journey from kolhapur. Although I decided earlier to get some food delivered at home, but suddenly my craving for chicken took over :)

To be honest, I came up with recipe on my own and on the fly, since we were on holiday for couple of days,we had almost no veggies at home, so I came up with recipe which has less ingredients.

Recipe is enough for 1 chicken whole leg, one can increase ingredients as per need. Chicken leg was almost about 250gms with bone in. And this chicken taste best with bone in.

chicken creme

Ingredients:
10 -15 cashew nuts (soak in warm water for 2-3 hrs)
1/2 medium sized onion finely chopped
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tsp grated garlic
1 green chilly finely chopped
pinch of garam masala
1 tsp all purpose flour
2 cups of milk (read note below)
Salt and black pepper as per taste

Method:
- Cut chicken thigh in 2-3 pieces and keep drumstik as is. Make slits on drumstick. Rub salt and black pepper powder nicely all over the chicken with some oil. Keep this aside for hour or 2.
- Make a fine paste of cashew nuts, ginger, garlic and green chilly and set aside.
- Take a deep, thick bottom but narrow mouth pan. Add some oil and place chicken pieces one by one in it. Grill them till they become golden brown from both sides.  or about 5 mins on each side.
- Remove chicken pieces and wrap them in aluminium foil till we prepare gravy.
- In same pan add little oil and start saute onions till they are translucent or turns pink in color.
- Add in cashew paste and saute well, add in garam masala powder add in dash of water and scrape of any paste that might have stick to pot.
- Add 1 tsp all purpose flour to this mixture and create smooth paste.
- Add in chicken pieces and make sure,they get coated well with this paste.
- Add in 2 cups of milk or add in milk till all pieces are submerged in milk.
- Bring to boil on medium heat, and then put lid on and cook on lowest flame for about half hour.
- Chicken is done when flesh starts separating from drumstick bone.
- Indulge in your creation :)

Notes:
1. Milk amount depends upon chicken qauntity and pot size. Rule of thumb is chicken should be completely submerged in milk.
2. This recipe receives hotness from pepper and green chilly, increase quantities as per your taste, but it taste great with less hot,else hotness shall overpower cashew flavour and that we don't want to happen.
3. Use same pan for saute chicken and cook,so that all goodness of chicken juices are retained.
4. Slow cooking involves lowest flame setting, a higher flame will change chicken texture to rubber like substance. Turn off heat as soon as flesh near leg starts pulling away. Thats the best sign of perfectly cooked chicken.
5. After adding milk, it appears to be curdled,but don't worry as it starts thiken up,that effect shall go away.
6.We have used salt in marinade so adjust salt in gravy accordingly.

Chicken Cutlets with classic onion sauce

 

How about having steamy cutlets made with flat wheat bread and chicken sausages, topped with melted cheddar cheese and classic onion sauce? Well here is recipe for the same :)

Cutlets:

Ingredients:

1 Chapati (finely grinded)

1 egg

1 chicken sausage

1 tsp vegetable oil of choice

Salt and pepper to taste

Spices of your choices as per taste (1-2 Tsp)

1/2 cup Breadcrumbs

Cheese slices

Method:

- Mix all ingredients except breadcrumb very well and knead with hands for about 3-4 minutes.

- Take a small portion and press in hands, if it holds shape then your mixture is ready.

- Start adding breadcrumbs and mix again and check whether mixture is holding shape.

- Once mixture starts holding shape, stop adding breadcrumbs and prepare small balls of mixture.

- Flatten them with hands, dust them with all purpose floor and then shallow fry till golden brown on one side.

- Once first side is golden brown, flip it over and spread cheese slice on top, and fry till other side becomes golden brown.

- They are ready to serve

Cutlets served with onion sauce

Classic onion sauce:

1 cup onion (chopped in long strips)

3 tsp butter

1 tsp all purpose floor

1/2 cup water

salt and pepper for taste

Method:

- In thick bottom pan, melt butter.

- Add in onions and saute till they get caramelized and turned into nice brown color.

- At this stage add in all purpose floor and make sure its mixed well.

- Start adding water 2 tsp at a time, each time making sure nothing stick to pan and mixture is well combined.

- Once all water is in, stir well and add salt, pepper, chilly powder (optional) and bring to boil.

- Once mixture starts thicken up, turn off flame and sauce is ready.

Fish shaped stuffed bread

I had seen these amazing fish shaped stuffed bread on facebook community Chef at Large. So I wanted to try them ever since. As my bread recipes were failing miserably due to lack of patience and good yeast, I was not keen on wasting good stuffing on failed bread :P

I believe I can bake an acceptable bread now, so I gave it a shot. I am just going to refer recipe for standard basic bread, and so not going to write it down again. But going to post recipe for stuffing and how to achieve desired shape.

What is required:
1. Basic white bread dough => http://vinitsjoyofcooking.blogspot.in/2015/07/basic-white-bread.html
2. Stuffing

Stuffing:

Ingredients:
1 chicken sausage finely chopped
1 medium sized onion finely chopped
1 small tomato
1 tsp garam masala
salt and black pepper for taste
1 tsp oil/butter
1 tsp all purpose flour

Method:
- Saute onions till they become brown.
- Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, garam masala and saute well
- Add chicken sausage and make sure chicken is cooked through
- At this point add all purpose flour and make sure all mixture has gone dry
- turn of flame and let this be cooled down to room temperature.
- Make sure stuffing is dry, else it will make bread dough saggy and ruin everything


Preparing fish shapes:

- Divide bread dough in equal shaped balls and roll them out on nicely dusted surface
- Now cut flatten dough in angular stripes as shown in pic

- Put mixture in the center, I applied little tomato sauce, but then I realized its making dough saggy,

so avoided it later. 

- Start folding  stripes in alternate fashion as shown in pic

- Now your fish is ready, transfer it carefully on dusted baking tray
- Let it rest and rise again for hour.

 - Lightly brush with milk/egg white, put sesame seeds/herbs on top
- Bake in 180 degree celsius pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes or top becomes brown

-  Take out from oven and let it cool on rack.
- Garnish and serve while its warm

Basic white bread

Here is recipe for basic white bread

Ingredients:
2 cup flour (216 gms)
1 cup milk (2 tbsp milk powder + warm milk)
1.5 Tsp dry yeast (bluebird brand)
1 Tsp white sugar
1 Tsp Salt
2 Tsp vegetable oil
1 Egg yolk (For brushing) (optional)

- Mix warm milk, yeast, sugar and set aside till it matures. (about 15-20 minutes, it should be frothy/bubbly)
- Sieve together flour & salt
- Add yeast mixture from step 1 to flour and mix well to form a sticky dough.
- Knead well for about 10-15 minutes, till dough becomes nicely stretchy and bounces back on light presses.
(use lightly floured surface, don't put too much flour though)
- Coat well with oil and keep aside for 2 hrs or till doubles in size (1st rising).
- Punch down after 1st rising and knead for 2-3 minutes.
- Prepare tin to bake bread and shape dough as per tin and set aside for 2nd rising (about 1 hr)
- Brush top of bread with egg white/milk
- Bake this bread in 180 degree Celsius pre-heated oven for 25-30 minutes.


Enjoy :)

Focaccia

Focaccia is an Italian flat bread, many times confused with Pizza, but its not. Confusion arises as it is highly customizable toppings same as pizza. However this is bread is really like crispy from outside and spongy from inside, with lots of goodness from olive oil.

Here is my recipe:

Ingredients:
2 cup flour (216 gms)
1 cup warm water
1.5 Tsp dry yeast (bluebird brand)
1 Tsp white sugar
1 Tsp Salt
3 Tbsp Olive oil (any vegetable oil shall do)

Toppings:
de-seeded tomatoes, green bell peppers, onion, herbs

Method:
- Mix well warm water, yeast, sugar and set aside till it matures.
- Sieve together flour, salt, mix yeast mixture and 2 tbsp olive and knead into sticky dough
- Knead well for about 10-15 minutes, till dough becomes nicely stretchy and bounces back on light presses.
- Coat well with olive oil and keep aside for 2 hrs or till doubles in size (1st rising).
- Don't punch and knead vigorously. Just start spreading dough in rectangle shape.
- Poke dough generously with fingertips and spread little olive oil with brush
- Add toppings, herbs and set aside for hour for second rising
- Sprinkle some salt on top
- Bake in 200 degree Celcius pre-heated oven for about 25 minutes or till bread top becomes brownish.
- Once bake is finished apply little more oil with brush on top and let it cool on rack.
- Serve when bit warm.

Tip:
Coat your toppings+herbs in some oil for better taste.

Chicken sausage rolls

I had seen these in many fat food centers, and I absolutely love them. They are perfect for quick snacks, not much heavy on stomach. I was reluctant to try it out as I fail miserably in read making.
But ever since I got my hands on good quality yeast (Bluebird brand) I am back in bread baking :)
So here is my try for the same, I have referred several recipes and combined them to create one for me. My sincere thanks to many internet chefs out there for this recipe.

Ingredients:
2 cup flour (216 gms)
1 cup milk (2 tbsp milk powder + warm milk)
1.5 Tsp dry yeast (bluebird brand)
1 Tsp white sugar
1 Tsp Salt
3 Tbsp butter (Butter of your choice, adjust salt accordingly)
1 Egg yolk (Fro brushing)
Herb mix + chilly flakes
Chicken sausages (4)

This recipe shall make 4 chicken sausage rolls.

Method:
- Mix well 2 Tbsp milk powder, 1 Cup water, 1 Tsp sugar and 1 Tsp salt.
- Add yeast to above mixture and mix well, keep still in warm place for about 15-20 minutes or till it becomes frothy
- Add herb mix of your choice, along with chilly flakes to the flour (I used oregano, thyme and chilly flakes)
- On kneading surface, mix together frothy yeast and flour mix till its well combined.
- Add 3 Tbsp butter to this, and knead dough well.
- Coat with little oil and let dough rest till it gains double size.
(I allowed my dough to be cold rise for almost 48 hrs, as mentioned in some recipe. Cold rise means just wrap and keep in fridge. As I planned to make bread next days, I gave it a try and it was good).
- Punch down dough and knead dough, so that it becomes smooth and stretchy.

- Divide in four equal parts and and shape them as of rolling pin, i.e. thick in center and thin on sides, of length a bit bigger than sausages.
- Now wrap every sausage with rolled out dough and keep aside for 10-15 mins/till it rises again.
- Brush with egg yolk on top and bake them for about 25 minutes on 170 degree Celsius.

Enjoy. :)

Granola bars

I love these granola bars as they are healthy and pack lots of flavors. Plus they are good for little hunger as well :)  It is super easy to make, and plus one can make as per his/her taste as well.

Ingredients:
200 gms Oats (Quaker oats)
50 gms Corn flakes (Unflavored)
25 gms black resins
25 gms almonds
25 gms cashews
25 gms dried dates
100 ml honey
50 gms brown sugar
50 gms butter (One can use desi ghee i.e. clarified butter as well)
2 tsp vanilla essence
2 tsp water

Method:
- Mix water, honey, sugar, butter and bring to boil, and keep aside till it comes to room temperature. Then add vanilla essence and mix well. This will make a sticky syrup.
- Mix all dry ingredients, and then add syrup and mix well so that mixture is well coated.
- Spread on baking sheet, and pack them firmly (Min was 9" square tin)
- Bake for 20 minutes on 180 degree Celsius pre-heated oven. (Or till top side becomes golden brown)
- Make cuts after 5 minutes or so, while cutting they appear bit soft, but they get hardened later.

Granola bars

Enjoy :)

Chicken reshmi kabab

Chicken reshmi kabab

Besides tandoori chicken other dish I like, rather my daughter likes is chicken reshmi kabab. I believe its bit underrated kababs. People often ignore white kababs but I believe they are more flavorful and aromatic. 

As main base is on aromas not spice level my daughter loves them :)

Here is my version for the same.

Ingredients (for 4 drum sticks)
1 tsp coriander seed powder
1 tsp cumin seed powder
2 tsp salt
Pinh of garam masala
1 tsp white pepper powder/fresh cracked peppers are even awesome
2 tsp hung curd
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp garlic paste (fresh)
1 tsp ginger paste (fresh)

2 tsp coriander+green chilly paste (De-seed green chilies before making paste)

1/2 cup grated cheese

2 tsp fresh cream

Recipe:
-Mix all ingredients in hung curd and make nice smooth paste.
-Make cuts on chicken drum sticks and nicely coat in marinade.
-Make sure marinade sets well in cuts, so that moisture retains inside chicken.
-Now apply oil on chicken thigh and let it seat in fridge for about 2 hrs minimum.
-Bake in oven on 230 degree celcius for about 30 minutes and then on 180 degree celcius for 5 minutes.
-If flesh is separated from bone, Thats the sign of perfect time and 100% cooked chicken.
-Let it rest in oven till you prepare side salad etc and then enjoy.
- Sprinkle some lime juice just before serving.

oeufs en cocotte

oeufs en cocotte is a french way of making baked eggs.
Its super easy and super yum. Here is how I prefer to make and eat them :)

Ingredients:

2 tea spoon creme fraiche

1 egg 

little bit dill for garnish/finely chopped coriander
oregano, thyme, chilly flakes
salt and black pepper for taste

Recipe:
-Put 1 teaspoon creme fraiche in a oven proof cup/ramekin
-Crack egg and drop straight on top of creme
-put salt and pepper for taste
-Add herbs and dill
-Put 1 teaspoon creme fraiche on top
- Take boiling water in oven tray, and keep cup in it. Bake on 180 degree celcius for about 20-30 minutes.

Note:

- French prefer to keep yolk little runny (just a tip)

- It can also be baked in double boiler.

- Creme fraiche is nothing but yogurt/dahi made of full fat/double cream. 

Tangadi kabab

Nothing I mean no other cuisine can beat a beautiful, moist, tender tangadi kabab. All time favourite starter for most of the Indians and I am no different than them :)

Here is my version for the same.

Ingredients (for 2 chicken thighs)
2 tsp coriander seed powder
2 tsp cumin seed powder
4 tsp salt
2 tsp garam masala powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
1 tsp black pepper powder/fresh cracked peppers are even awesome
2 tsp hung curd
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp garlic paste (fresh)
1 tsp ginger paste (fresh)

Recipe:
-Mix all ingredients in hung curd and make nice smooth paste.
-Make cuts on chicken thighs and nicely coat in marinade.
-Make sure marinade sets well in cuts, so that moisture retains inside chicken.
-Now apply oil on chicken thigh and let it seat in fridge for about 2 hrs minimum.
-Bake in oven on 230 degree celcius for about 20 minutes and then on 180 degree celcius for 5 minutes.
-If flesh is separated from bone, Thats the sign of perfect time and 100% cooked chicken.
-Let it rest in oven till you prepare side salad etc and then enjoy.
- Sprinkle chat masala and lime juice just before serving.

Chicken tangadi kabab served

Note: One can change level of hotness with adding more chilly powder or adding green chilly paste in marinade. But key thing is aroma of masalas.

Fish in exotic coconut sauce with lemon-herb rice

I had tried my hands in chicken, but never in fish before. Finally I was able to move on and got my hand fishy. So cooked fish fillets in rich, thick, creamy coconut sauce

Here is my journey for the same. I have used basa fillets for this recipe
1. I had them already
2. It has nice firm flesh and no smell at all.
3. It melts in your mouth :)


Ingredients for sauce:
1 medium size onion (finely chopped)
1 carrot finely chopped
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp herb mix (Oregano, basil ,thyme)
1 tsp red chilly flakes
1 tsp all purpose flour
2 cup coconut milk (medium thickness)
4-5 Fish fillets chunks (you may season it with salt and pepper or whatever you like)
salt and white wine to taste

Ingredients

Method:
- Heat oil in pan and saute onions until they turn pink
- Add carrots and saute them til they are tender
- Add ginger, garlic paste with flour and saute for minute or two
- Add in 1-2 tsp of white wine and let it all evaporate.
- Add fish fillets to pan, and saute them for 2 minutes each side
- Add in coconut milk, and give a nice stir.
- Bring it to boil and add herb mix with chilly flakes.
- Give a nice stir and then cook through for about 10-15 minutes on low heat.
- Its ready to serve with rice

Fish in coconut sauce

Herb-Lemon rice

Ingredients:
1 cup raw long grain rice
1/2 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp herb mix
lemon food color

Method:
- Soak rice for about 20-30 minutes.
- In a pot start boiling water, add in salt, herb mix and lemon zest
- On a roaring boil add in rice (be careful)
- cook till 90% done
- Drain and cover with muslin cloth for about 10 mins, this will allow rice to cook through in its own steam

Herb-Lemon Rice

Serve fish with rice, its a excellent flavorful meal :)

Served.

Enjoy.

Chicken chettinad

Honestly people, I have never ever tested chicken chettinad before, but have seen its images and from them I could tell this must be very tasty and juicy stuff. So I decided to prepare in home.

This recipe does not belong to me, I thanks for many contributors from Internet for sharing their own recipes. I have referenced few recipes and have come up with my own.

So here it is Chicken Chettinad, we are going to use custom spice mix than store bought spice mix, a fresh spice mix always brings out best flavors.

Marination:
1/2 kg chicken (with Bone)
2 tsp sambhar masala
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oil

Marinated chicken

Mix both masalas, salt with lime juice and apply this marinade to chicken. Make sure chicken is coated nicely in marinade. Next add oil and just coat chicken, this will help marinade to stick to chicken.


Spice mix:
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
2 Red whole chilly
1" cinnamon stick
2 green cardamom
3-4 cloves
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup grated coconut
1 bay leaf
1 piece of star anise

Spice mix 

Roast all above spices till aromatic, ground them in fine powder.
Next grind grated coconut along with spices and keep aside.


For chicken gravy:
I preferred thick gravy over thin gravy, but one can add more water as needed to make thin/runny gravy as well.

2 medium size onions (finely chopped)
2 medium size tomatoes (finely chopped)
chopped coriander
10-15 curry leaves

For gravy

Final showdown:
- Add little oil in frying pan, and once its hot sear off chicken over high heat from both sides (2-3 mins each side) and set aside, keep juices as is in pan

Seared off chicken 

- Now saute onions till they are cooked and then add spice mix that we had made earlier, saute well.
- Add in tomatoes and saute till everything has been cooked.
- At this point add in chicken and saute for 3-4 minutes.
- Add a cup of water, mix well and bring it to boil.
- Put lid on and let it on simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
- chicken should be done by now, if you prefer thick gravy, turn on high heat and let water get evaporated.
- If thin gravy is preferred then just check for doneness and turn off heat.
- Garnish with coriander and lime wedge

1 Chicken chettinad served :)

Enjoy :)

Swiss roll

I had attempted making swiss roll once before, however I had failed miserably. So I tried again and atleast sponge wise I got successful. Since my oven is small I was not able to make beautiful long cake, ended up, cutting perfect square cake in rectangular shape and then divide in 2 sheets LOL :D.

So it appear bit mess but it was perfect sponge and delicious. Yeh I admit pattern is mediocre, but given I was very afraid of trying it again, I used my lucky charm, yeah my daughter's name :) I know there are lot expert bakers out there who can mend this recipe more perfectly.

Enough talking here is what I followed:

For pattern:
1 egg white
30 gms granulated sugar, need little more if using powdered sugar
40 gms all purpose flour
20 gms butter

- Mix sugar in egg white with wire whisk or spoon, till its nicely glazed.
- Add in butter and mix well, here you can add any food color.
- Mix in flour to make smooth batter.
- Fill it in piping bag, and make pattern over parchment paper
(If you are choosing some writing as I did, then make sure your writing should be mirror imaged.)
- You can get pattern templates online as well, so you can put them below parchment paper and then simply trace them over parchment paper, make sure parchment paper is greased a bit, this avoid pattern stick less on paper while baking.
- Put tray/paper in freezer for atleast hour before baking. So that pattern shall become hard.

Cake with pattern

For Swiss roll:
5 eggs yolks
5 eggs whites
2/3 cup granulated sugar (Divided in 2 equal portions (i.e. 1/3rd )
1 tsp - orange juice (lemon juice can be substituted)
1 tsp - orange zest (lemon zest can also be used) (If you don't have orange flavor put more zest)
2/3rd cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 tbsp melted butter
1/4 tsp salt


- Whisk egg yolks with orange juice and zest, add sugar slowly and whisk until nice and fluffy.
- Whisk egg whites till soft peaks are formed. At this point start adding sugar slowly and continue whisking till hard peaks are formed. At this point whipped mixture shall not fall even if bowl is inverted :D
- Now fold in yolks to egg whites, make sure to fold it gently so that egg whites are not much deflated. Fold in melted butter at this stage.
- Fold in half of flour at a time, till all flour is folded in.
- Bake on flat tray for almost 10-12 minutes on 375 F or 190 C.
- Once baking is done, slowly flip the cake, and take out parchment paper very very slowly, so that pattern shall separate from paper.
- Again flip the cake and let cake cool down a bit, once its cooled down. Put any stuffing you want, I used simple whipped cream, you may use butter frosting or cream cheese etc. and roll cake sheet nice and tight, from the opposite end of pattern, so once you are finished pattern will be on top.

Rolled cake with whipped cream filling 

Enjoy your cake and be creative in patterns :)

Mushroom cream sauce

Mushroom cream sauce is on of my most favorite and easy preparation. Here is how i do it.

Ingredients:

1 cup sliced mushrooms (use any mushroom of your choice)

1 cup cream

dash of white wine

1/4th cup mixture of finely chopped onion, celery and carrots 

1 tbsp butter

1 tsp basil, oregano, rosemary each

salt and pepper for taste

Method:

Saute onion, celery and carrots on butter along with mushrooms till they are cooked.

Add dash of white wine and cook through till it evaporates, this will infuse wine's flavor in all mixture. 

Add cream and mix well, add in herbs, salt and pepper and mix well.

Bring to boil and let it become bit thicker. 

Your sauce is ready, enjoy with your favorite dish or with some meat preparation. 

Enjoy :)

chicken meat loaf

I had watched some recipe for meatloaf on TLC channel, so I wanted to try out something similar but with chicken. So here is my try for the same

Ingredients for meatloaf:
500 gms of boneless chicken / minced chicken.
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumb
1/2 cup diced cheese cubes
1/4th cup cream
1/4th cup spring onion finely chopped
1/4th cup finely chopped carrots
1/4th cup finely chopped celery (optional)
1/4th cup finely chopped tomatoes
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp red chilly powder
1 green chilly in 4-5 small pieces
salt and pepper for seasoning, feel free to add

Method:
- Saute together onions, carrots, celery, tomatoes with ginger garlic paste and rest of ingredients, till they are cooked.
- let it come to room temperature and then make fine paste of it in grinder.
- Mince chicken along with cooked paste.
- Add diced cheese cubes (Once baked cheese just oozes out and taste delicious :) )
- Add egg along with cream to mixture and knead well
- Start adding breadcrumbs to this mixture, here mixture shall start to become thick. Add enough breadcrumb so entire mixture gets bread dough kind of consistency.
- preheat oven to 180 degree Celsius or 350 degree F, grease up loaf pan with little oil
- Put mixture in loaf pan and make sure to spread mixture evenly.
- Bake for about 30-45 minutes until its done, check for internal temperature of 160 F or 70 degree Celsius.
- Meat loaf is done. Cut thin slices and serve with garlic bread and mushroom cream sauce or any other sauce.

Here is my version or how I served it:
Meat loaf slices with mashroom cream sauce with garlic toast and sangria and fruity leafy salad.

Tip:
For a moist meatloaf, put loaf pan in water bath while baking.
If you don't have breadcrumbs, use all purpose flour or corn flour.

Enjoy :)

Sangria cocktail

I tested Sangria first time during a visit to Hyatt regency for a lunch party, and I fell deeply for it.
Here is my version to recreate it.

What you need:
90 ml red wine
15 ml brandy
15 ml orange juice
1 tsp powdered sugar
1 cup small pieces of apple, pear and orange.

How to conjure this tasty potion:
Cut small pieces of apple, pear and orange (with peels) .
Mix all ingredients with fruit pieces and give it a nice stir.
Let is seat in your fridge covered for 12 hours (for best results).
serve with in glass and keep some fruit pieces as is.

Enjoy fruity sangria.

Don't drink and drive though :)