Vermicelli/Semiya chicken masala upma

Vermicelli/Semiya Upma is a breakfast or snack that I make fo my kids. This version of masala upma that I make is a rescuer at times when my son insists for chicken noodles. Kids just loves it and for adults it is a hand-licking treat. You will never get bored of this dish and an ezee one to prepare when you are in jiffy whether it is for an ezee snack or breakfast. Go for it guys, it is just awesome :)

Ingredients:-

Boneless chicken breast - 2 halves( cut into small bite size pieces or cubes)

Onion - 1 big finely chopped

green chilly - 2 chopped

ginger, garlic - crushed or finely chopped
tomato finely chopped

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
garam masala - 1 1/2 tsp
few curry leaves
coriander leaves chopped

Vermicelli/Semiya - 2 cups
water - 4 cups
salt to taste
Oil

Preparation method:-

1) Dry roast the Vermicelli/Semiya till golden brown.

2) Boil the water by adding a pinch of turmeric powder and salt.

3) Add Vermicelli and cook it till firm but not overly soft and set aside. Drain off excess water if any so that vermicelli do not stick together(If you feel they might become sticky add a tsp of oil while boiling the semiya, this helps them remain separate)

4) In another pan add oil, onion, green chilly, ginger, garlic, salt, curry leaves and saute well on med flame.

5) When onion turns translucent add tomatoes, little coriander leaves and saute till tomato is soft

6) Add the masalas and saute for a min, add chicken and saute well to mix masala and chicken well.
7) Close the pan and let the chicken cook for 10-15 mins or till chicken is soft in a med flame. Open the lid and check for the salt and taste, the chicken masala should be juicy but not watery.(If you feel the masala has excess water keep the id open and cook for a while till water is evaporated)

8) When chicken is cooked well, add the cooked vermicelli and mix gently so that it absorbs all the moisture from the masala and masala gets mixed well with vermicelli.

9) Switch off the flame and move to a serving dish. Garnish with few chopped coriander leaves and serve hot..

Chicken Tikka masala

Ingredients:-

For marinade:

1) Turmeric pdr - 1/4 tsp

2) Chilly powder - 1tsp (cayenne pepper or kashmir chilly pdr gives red color to the gravy)
3) coriander pdr - 1 tsp
4) cumin pdr - 1 tsp
5) dry fenugreek powder - 1 tbsp
6) ginger gralic paste - 1tbsp 
7) Yogurt - 1 cup
8) salt to taste
9) lime juice -2 tbsp
10) Bonless chickn breast :-  4 halves cut into med cubes

For making the gravy:

1) Oil- 2 tbsp

2) cumin seeds - 1 tsp

3) Onion - 1 very finely chopped

4) ginger garlic paste

5) Chilly powder - 2 tsp

6) Coriander powder- 1 tsp

7) Cumin powder - 1 tsp

8) Dry Fenugreek powder - 1 tsp

9) Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

10) Tomato - 2 big chopped roughly(i've made tikka masala once with 1 small tin of canned tomato paste as well, it gave me a nice red colored gravy)

11) Cashews - 1/4 cup(if using canned tomato u do not need cashews, bcse the gravy becomes thick bcse of the tomato paste)

12) Capsicum -  1 cut into med cubes(optional)

13) Onion - 1  big cut into cubes

14) cream - 2 tbsp(optional, i didnt use)

15) Finely chopped cilantro)

16) Bamboo skewers soaked in water for 15 mins

Preparation Method:-

1) In a bowl add ingredients of marinade from 1 to 9 and mix well gently with a whisk or clean hand to make the marinade. Divide this marinade into two bowl, marinate chicken in one bowl and capsicum and onion in another. Set aside for atleast 1 hr.

2) Make a puree from tomato and cashews and set aside.
3) Skew the chicken, onion and capsicum one after the another

4) Grill both sides for 5 mins or till chicken is cooked(if you do not have skewer cook it on grill top. Pan cook the chicken if you do not have a grill). Your chicken tikka is ready. Set this aside

5) Now for making the masala, add oil in a pan and crackle the cumin seeds.

6) Add ginger-garlic paste and stir for a min. Add the onion and stir till light brown color.

7) Add salt, turmeric pdr, cumin pdr, coriander pdr chilly powder and stir well. Add 1/4 cup of water and cook till the masala absorbs the water.

8) Add the tomato-cashew puree, some more water and stir well. Close the lid and get it to boil.

9) Add the leftover fenugreek powder, chicken tikka, simmer the flame with lid on and cook it for 4-5 mins so that chicken absorbs the nice aroma of the gravy and gets cooked nicely.

10) Add the cream if necessary( i didnt add it bcse the gravy was very nice without the cream and i felt the spiceness will be reduced if i add it).

11) Move into a serving dish, garnish with cilantro and serve hot with Roti/Naan/Rice..

Note:- I have kept aside some skewed chicken tikka without adding them in the gravy. This ended up being another side dish on our dining table.

Tofu Masala curry

Tofu is a very nutritious food rich in vegetarian protein, calcium, and iron. It is a low fat and cholesterol free paneer looking cheese that is made almost the same way as paneer except that it is made from soymilk. I have been making Tofu dishes a lot and we have started developing a better taste for Tofu, the so called 'tasteless' food. I have tried Tofu paratha, tofu manchurian, tofu masala curry, tofu Omlette, tofu scramble masala and many more and we felt you just have to develop the taste of Tofu and it will be in your favorite food list for being ezee to cook, healthy and being tasty. So this is an ezee recipe of Tofu masala curry which can be served with Roti/Naan/Rice. I made it with Appam instead of egg curry or any other non-veg curry since I didnt wanted to start the day with non-veg. Friends try it out, it is a very good alternative for panner if you are trying to cut down calories.

Ingredients:-

Tofu Firm - 2 slices(8 oz each) cut into small cubes

Onion - 1 finely chopped

Tomato - 1 finely chopped

ginger,garlic- 1 tbsp each, finely minced

green chilly - 2 chopped

Bell pepper green - 1/2 cut into small cubes(optional)

green peas - 1/2 cup( you can add other veggies as well)

salt to taste

turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

chilly powder - 1/2 tsp(optional, I didnt use)

Garam masala - 1 1/2 tsp

Coriander leaves  few chopped

oil- 2 tbsp

Jeera/Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Water - 1 cup(you can add or reduce according to your gravy requirement)

Preparation Method:-

• Heat oil in a pan, crackle the jeera. Add onion, ginger-garic, green chilly, salt and saute till onion is light golden brown.
• Add green peas, bell pepper and saute for 2-3 mins, add the tomato and saute till tomato become soft.
• Add turmeric powder, chilly powder, garma masala powder and saute well till masala mixes with onion-tomato mixture.
• Add water and get it to boil keeping the pan covered. Add the Tofu pieces and stir slowing without breaking the tofu pieces.
• Close with a lid and let it cook in med flame for about 6-8 mins ill the gravy thickens and the tofu absorbs the masala well.
• Switch off the flame when the gravy reaches your requireed consistency.
• Garnish with chopped coriander/cilantro leaves. Serve hot with Roti/Naan/Rice or even with Appam..

                                                   

Chellamani Snack - With leftover Idli/Dosa batter

                             

Ingredients:-

1. Fermented Idli Batter - 1½ cup
2. Raw rice - 1 cup
3. Butter milk/Moru ~ ¾ cup
4. Salt to taste
5. Oil for deep frying 

Seasoning:-

1. Oil - 2 tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
3. Ginger finely chopped ~ 2 tsp 
4. Few curry leaves chopped
5. Shallots/Kunjully finely chopped - 2 small
6. Green chilies finely chopped ~ 2 (adjust according to the spiciness required)
   
   

   

   
   

Preparation Method:-

• Wash and soak the rice for 4-5 hrs. Drain the water and grind the rice by adding buttermilk to make a smooth batter.
• Add this to the Idli batter, add salt and mix everything well together. Reserve
• Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds, add curry leaves, ginger, shallots, green chillies and saute till shallots turn transulent.
• Add this seasoning to the prepared batter.
• Pour oil in an Unniappam vessel, pour a scoop of batter into it. fry till light golden brown color.
• Turn it over and fry for few mins till other side also turns golden brown.
• Remove from the oil using a skewer
• Repeat the  process using remaining batter
• Serve hot as it is or with any Coconut Chutney, Tomato Chutney, Sambhar or Ketchup.
  
  Note:- If you don't want the green chili bites(unlike grown ups sometimes kids have problem biting green chilies) you can add a tsp of chilly powder in the batter instead of chopped green chilies
  
  Recipe Source: Vanitha

Kothu Parotta with Shrimp

'Kothu Parotta'  - the name itself says it all. In malayalam kothu means pieces, so this is pieces of parotta's made in Shrimp Masala. It is really an awesome street food in Keala, especially in malabar region, I would rather say best of all street foods. I'm sure if you had ever eaten this before, at least once in a lifetime, you might be having your mouth watered while reading it. Back in malabar region it is made with the Kerala Parotta and spicy Chicken or Beef masala. Have it with a cup of hot tea or Coffee, trust me it is a heavenly experience. It can be your breakfast, brunch, evening snack or even dinner. You can make it with store bought frozen Kerala Parotto or Singapore Parotta. I made it with some left over Roti's I had at home.  Always remember never throw off any leftover food, you always have an option off remaking it with some simple tricks and it will taste yumm. There are billions of people around the world who are starving of hunger, so I feel very guilty to waste even a grain of Rice!!

Ingredients:-

1. Parotta/Leftover Chappathi - 5 (cut roughly into small cubes)
2. Shrimp - 1 1/2 cup(cleaned and marinate for 20-30 mins)
3. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp
4. Chilly powder -  1 tsp
5. Salt to taste
6. Oil- 2 tsp
7. Mustard seeds
8. Curry leaves - few
9. Onion - 1 big (finely chopped)
10. Ginger,garlic - 2 tsp(crushed in a mortar)
11. Green chilly - 2 chopped
12. Tomato - 1 small(finely chopped)
13. Garam Masala - 1 1/2 tsp
14. Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
15. Chopped coriander/Cilantro leaves to garnish

 Preparation Method:-

• Clean and marinate the Shrimp with 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, chilly powder and salt for 20-30 mins.
• Heat a pan or tawa, pour oil and crackle the mustard seeds, add curry leaves and stir for few secs
• Add Onion, crushed ginger-garlic, green chilly and salt and saute well till light brown.
• Add tomatos and saute till soft. Now add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, pepper powder and garam masala and stir well to mix. 
• Add in the shrimp and saute well till everything get mixed well. Close the pan with a lid and cook for 4-5 mins in medium flame(don't add water, shrimp releases moisture by itself and will have enough water to cook it without burning if you keep the flame in low-med flame)
• Now open the pan and check if the shrimp is cooked(do not over cook the shrimp, it should be soft, juicy and pink not hard and rubbery). Add the parotta pieces to this shrimp gravy and stir well  for 2-3 mins till everything gets mix well. (do not wait to add parotta till the shrimp absorbs all the gravy, it is easy for parotta to mix well in little bit of gravy)
• Switch off the flame and move it to a serving dish. Garnish with Cilantro/Corriander leaves and serve hot with a cup of tea/coffee.

Note:- You can use egg, Chicken, beef, any other meat or even veggies like panner, tofu or anything of your choice instead of Shrimp.

 

Kiddie snack - Coconut wrap

Ingredients:-

1. wheat flour - 1 cup
2. Water - as required to knead the dough
3. salt - 1 tsp
4. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
5. Sugar or powdered jaggery - 3 tbsp
6. Ghee - 2 tsp
7. Cardamom powder - 1tsp (optional)

Preparation Method:-

Mix first three ingredients and make chappathi dough out of it.
Roll out small rotis like poori's from chappathi dough.
In a tbsp of ghee, stir fry the grated coconut for a while in med flame till nice smell of coconut comes.
Add sugar and cardamom pwdr mix well, switch off the flame. Fill the rolled roti with a tbsp each of this filling, fold into half and close the edges. Either deep fry it(i remember eating it deep fried in my school days) or add a spoon of ghee to the non-stick pan and cook both sides till done.
I used ghee for my kiddos and made it without any oil and ghee in a non-stick for myself and husband...
I swear this is really an awesome snack for kids, they will love it...

Apple-Nuts cake with caramel topping

Ingredients:-


All purpose flour - 2 cups
Baking Pdr - 1 tsp
Salt - a pinch
Cinnamon pdr - 2 tsp
Oil - 1 cup
Butter - 1/2 cup
Eggs- 2 large
Sugar - 1 1/2 cups
Organic Apple - 2 Med size(chopped into small cubes)
Chopped Nuts - 1 cup( i used chopped cashews and Almonds)
Pure Vanilla Extract - 1 tsp

Preparation Method:-

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a baking pan, set aside.
2) Take a bowl and sift together flour, cinnamon powder, baking powder, salt and set aside.
3) In a mixing bowl whisk together the vegetable oil, butter, sugar, and eggs till lemon yellow.
4) Gradually add in the flour mix and mix until just incorporated.
5) Add apples, mixed nuts to the batter, mix to combine.(u can add milk if the batter is thick)
6) Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until a tooth pick or a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean (40-50 mins)


                              

7) Remove from oven, and move to a cooling rack. Pierce all over the cake gently with a fork. Pour hot Caramel(Recipe follows) over the cake and top it with slices of Apple.
8) Serve warm or at room temperature.

For Caramel Topping:-

4 tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 cup skim milk(u can use any milk)
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a pan add brown sugar, milk and butter and bring into boil by stirring in med flame. Stir for 3-4 mins till it become little thick like a syrup. Switch off the flame and add vanilla and mix well. Pour over the cake...

Black Forest cake

Black Forest Cake is a Chocolate layered cake made rich with whipping cream, cherries and chocolate shavings, looks so temping and great yet so simple to make. This cakes needs just few basic cake ingredients, and the process is less complicated. So friends, lets go through the process of this great looking Black forest cake and Enjoyyy!!!



Ingredients:-

• All purpose flour - 1 1/2 cups
• Dark cocoa powder - 3/4 cup (I used dutch processed dark cocoa powder which I bought from Costco, u can use dark chocolate as well which contains 60% cocoa content and melt it by double boiling method and mix it with the beaten egg yolk)
• Sugar - 3/4 cup + 1/4 cup
• Eggs - 4
• Heavy whipping cream - 2 1/2 cups(Refrigerate the whipping cream and the bowl you are gonna use to whip the cream before you start to whip it) 
• Maraschino cherries - 1 small tin, few chopped + few whole for decorating and finishing(I used normal cherries since I did not get maraschino cherries)
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Baking powder - 1 tsp
• Oil- 1/2 cup
• Butter - 1/4 cup
• Powdered Sugar -1/4 cup(to whip the cream)
• Vanilla essence -1 tsp + 1tsp
• Water -1/2 cup + 2-3 tbsp sugar(to make sugar syrup or use cherry syrup of maraschino cherry while layering the cake)
• Chocolate bars -4 oz(Make chocolate shavings out of it with a veg peeler) 

Preparation Method:-

Make the chocolate cake:

• Separate the egg yolk and white in two different bowls taking care, no traces of yolk gets into white.

Beat the york well to get a thick creamy texture. Add 3/4 cup sugar and beat again.

Egg york in the process of beating

• Add the butter, cooking oil, 1tsp vanilla essence and beat in low speed till everything mixes evenly.
•  Beat egg whites by adding 1/4 cup of sugar gradually to get a white cream. Make sure the egg whites do not have any traces of yolks and the beater is clean and dry.

• In another bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder.
• Now Incorporate the york mixture and flour mixture. Fold in the beaten egg white and mix everything gently to get a thin batter. If the batter goes thick add a bit low fat milk.
• Pre-heat the oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit.
• Grease a 9 inch round cake pan and use a cooking spray to grease the pan.(since you have to get cake layers either make a big cake and cut horizontally into three or four by running a knife carefully or make cakes in two or three separate pans. I baked two separate cake out of this batter and sliced each cake into two to get four layered cake.)

•  Pour the batter and bake the cake for 25-30 mins or until a knife or toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Set aside to let it cool. Slice the cake horizontally into 3-4 slices and keep aside.
• Boil the water and add 2-3 tbsp of sugar to it, keep stirring it till it become like a syrup not too thick but just reduce a bit.
• Insert the fork slowly all over the sliced cake make o make small holes. Sprinkle the syrup over the sliced cake and set aside

Preparing the whipping cream:

• In a clean and refrigerated bowl add the whipping cream and beat from low to medium speed for 4-5 mins.
• Once the cream starts to thicken add the powdered sugar gradually and whip for a minute or two.
• Add the vanilla essence and low speed just to mix it well with the cream. Set aside. The cream should be firm not runny

Layering the cake:

• Place a sliced cake on  a plate, top with 2-3 scoop of whipped cream, spread it evenly, top with some chopped cherries.
• Top it with another cake slice and repeat the process till you top up with the last slice of cake.
• Spread the top and sides of the cake with whipped cream nicely and evenly.
• Decorate with chocolate shaving on the top and sides of the cake.
• Garnish with  few whole cherries. Your black forest cake is ready to Serve..

Ras Malai

Rasmalai is a great North Indian dessert served after lunch or dinner especially for parties and is one of my favorite. Rasmalai is made with cottage cheese(paneer) dumplings soaked in sweetened and light cardamom flavored milk garnished with sliced pistachios or almonds... This sweetend milk is generally known as 'Ras'(means juice) and cheese dumplings known as 'Malai'(means cream). Hence the name Rasmalai.

The process of making Rasmali includes two steps:- 1) Preparing the cheese dumplings. 2)Preparing the Ras.

So let us prepare the Rasmalai and Enjoy!!!!!!

Ingredients:-

For Paneer/Cheese dumplings

Milk - 4 cups

Lemon Juice - 2 tbsp

Water - 1tbsp

Preparation Method:-

Pour the milk in a heavy bottom pan and bring it to boil. Dilute the lemon juice with 1 tbsp of water and add slowly to the milk stirring occasionally. When the milk starts curdling switch off the flame. Keep a muslin cloth on top off the colander and strain the paneer. Run some cold water over the panner so that no lemon juice remains. Fold the edges of the muslin cloth and squeeze out all the water from the panner. Knead the paneer well with the hands till it becomes very soft. Roll it in your palm and make small lemon size balls out of it. Press each balls gently to flatten out. Pour some water in a bowl and put this panner in it till the Ras is ready.

Ingredients for Ras:-

Milk - 3 cups

Sugar - 4 tbsp

Condensed milk - 2 tbsp(optional, add bit more sugar to milk if not using condensed milk)

Saffron - 1 tsp

Cardamom pwdr - 1tsp

Chopped Pistachios/Almonds - 2 tbsp(to garnish)

Preparation Method:-

1. Pour the milk in a heavy bottom pan preferably non-stick pan and bring it to boil stirring in between.
2. When the milk starts boiling reduce the flame to medium and add saffron. Keep stirring till the milk get reduce to half and milk starts thickening.
3. Add the sugar, condensed milk and cardamom powder, stir well for 2 mins.
4. Add the paneer to it and boil it again for 4-5 mins in med flame till the sweetness of sugar and flavor of cardamom is absorbed well by the paneer.
5. Switch off the flame and let it rest for sometime. Move to a serving dish
6. Garnish with sliced pistachios/Almonds and serve chilled...