Stir-Fried Honey Ginger Chili Chicken

I love how well ginger and chicken work together. They just taste perfect and a dash of honey can make it taste even better. The honey helps to caramelize the chicken. Any food tastes great when it has a perfect balance and this recipe will make you achieve that perfection. The dish doesn’t take much time to cook and tastes brilliant. 

Ingredients:

• 500 gms Boneless Chicken cut into bite size pieces
• 1 tbsp. Oil
• 1 tsp. Chili Flakes
• ½ tsp. Red Chili Powder
• 1 ½ tbsp. Honey
• Juice of 1 Lime
• Salt for seasoning
• ½ Cup finely Chopped Onion
• 1 inch Ginger finely chopped
• ½ tsp. Ginger Paste

Method:

• Heat oil in a Pan.
• Add chopped Ginger and cook for a minute.
• Add the chopped Onion and sauté for a minute.
• Add the Ginger Paste and the Chicken pieces and stir-fry.
• Add the Honey, Chili Fakes and Red Chili Powder and mix well.
• Add salt according to your taste and then keep stir-frying until the chicken is cooked.
• Finally add the lime juice and mix well.
• Serve Hot. 

Spinach and Cottage Cheese (Palak Paneer)

Palak Paneer is one of the first North Indian dishes my mom learnt to cook. I’ve been in love with it ever since. This is the best way to eat spinach. Some people fry the Cottage Cheese until golden brown and then use it in the recipe. However, I feel Cottage Cheese loses its softness when it’s fried. Therefore add the Cottage Cheese without frying. Palak Paneer tastes great with Roti or Naan. Here’s my version of Palak Paneer. 

Ingredients:

• 1½ tbsp. Butter
• 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
• ½ cup Onion finely chopped
• 3 Green Chilies
• 1 Bunch Spinach
• 1 tsp. Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 tsp. Coriander Powder
• 1 tsp. Garam Masala Powder
• 200 Grams Cottage Cheese (Paneer) cut into 1 inch Cubes
• Salt to Taste

Method:

• Blanch the Spinach.
• Drain the water and transfer the Spinach into a blender.
• Also add the Green Chilies into the Blender and blend together to form a fine puree.
• Heat Butter in a Pan.
• Add the Cumin Seeds and allow it to crackle.
• Now add the chopped Onion and sauté till it’s golden brown.
• Add the Ginger Garlic Paste and sauté for half a minute.
• Now add the Coriander Powder and Garam Masala Powder and mix well.
• Add the Spinach Puree.
• Add water if needed.
• Add salt according to your taste and then allow it to cook for ten minutes in medium heat.
• Now add the Paneer and further cook for 5 minutes with the lid on.

Chicken Coleslaw Sandwich

I had a Red Cabbage in the fridge and was wondering what to do with it. I was thinking for a while and finally decided to make Coleslaw. It’s rare for me to have both white and red cabbage together. I had never made Coleslaw with both the cabbages together before. So I thought, why not this time? And the sandwich was ready in a few minutes. There’s no difference in taste using the red cabbage, but visually it looks more attractive. So if you don’t have red cabbage, just double the amount of white cabbage in the recipe.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup shredded White Cabbage
• ½ cup shredded Red Cabbage
• ½ cup shredded Carrot
• ½ cup Onion (Cut into half and finely sliced)
• 1 tbsp. Vinegar
• 1 cup Mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp. Powered Sugar
• Salt and Pepper for seasoning
• 1 cup Boiled Chicken cut into small pieces
• 3 Slices of bread with the sides cut off

Method:

• In a bowl, add the White Cabbage, Red Cabbage, Carrot and Onion.
• Then add Vinegar, 2/3 cup of Mayonnaise and Sugar.
• Season with Salt and Pepper and mix well. (This is the Coleslaw Mixture).
• In another Bowl, add the Chicken.
• Add 1/3 cup of Mayonnaise.
• Season with salt and Pepper and Mix Well.
• Place one Slice of Bred on a Chopping Board.
• Layer the Chicken mixture on top of the Bread.
• Now Place another slice of Bread on top of the layer of Chicken.
• Then layer it with the Coleslaw Mixture.
• Place the third slice of bread on top.
• Cut the sandwich into half diagonally.

Stir-fried Crispy Corn

Every time I go to Barbeque Nation with my husband and order their buffet lunch or dinner, they serve this amazing Stir-fried Crispy Corn. We are not lucky enough for we don’t have Barbeque Nation here in Kutch. It’s only when we go to Ahmedabad we end up going there. But I crave for their Stir-fried crispy corn so often. So I decided to give it a try. It was an experiment. But it turned out to be a hit in the very first try. It tasted exactly the same. So here’s the recipe for my version of stir-fried crispy Corn.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup thawed Frozen Corn
•   Egg Yolk
• ½ cup Cornflour
• Salt for Seasoning
• Pepper for Seasoning
• ½ cup finely chopped Onion
• 1 Green Chili finely chopped
• ½ tbsp. finely chopped Ginger
• ½ tbsp. finely chopped Garlic
• ½ tbsp. Oil
• Oil for deep frying

Method:

• Heat Oil for deep-frying.
• Transfer the Egg Yolk into a bowl and add a pinch of salt.
• Add the Corn and mix well.
• Spread the Cornflour on a plate.
• Roll the egg yolk coated Corn over the cornflour.
• When the Oil is heated, deep fry the Corn.
• Fry the corn till they turn crispy.
• Place the fried corns on a kitchen towel to soak the excess oil.
• Now in a pan, heat ½ tsp. Oil.
• Add the Ginger, Garlic and green chili and sauté for half a minute.
• Add the Onions and stir-fry them.
• Now add the fried corn and toss.
• Season with salt and pepper and toss again.
• Serve immediately.

Banana Walnut Loaf

If you have some overripe bananas, this is the best recipe that you can use. All you have to do is prepare the mixture, transfer it into a loaf tin and forget about it for an hour. After an hour, you’ll end up with a beautiful banana loaf and eating it along with a cup of hot coffee will make the experience breathtaking. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon powder to make it taste even better. Here’s the recipe for Banana Walnut Loaf.

Ingredients:

• 3 Ripe Bananas
• 1¾ cup All Purpose Flour
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• ½ cup Softened Butter
• 1¼ cup Powered Sugar
• A pinch of Salt
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Essence
• 1 cup chopped Walnuts

Method:

• Pre-heat oven at 175°C
• Mash the Bananas using a potato masher.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar and Butter and mix well using a whisk.
• Add the eggs into the bowl and mix it using a spatula.
• Add the Salt and Vanilla Essence and mix with the spatula.
• Add the mashed Bananas and mix again.
• Now add the flour and mix gently with the spatula. (Make sure you don’t mix too much).
• Now add the Walnuts and fold it in gently.
• Grease a loaf tin and then transfer the loaf mixture into the tin.
• Transfer the tin into the Oven and bake for 1 hour or till it’s baked.

Cauliflower and Potatoes (Aloo Gobi)

This is a recipe I learnt from my mother-in-law. It is one of the first recipes I learnt from her. Very easy, not much complications. All you have to do is throw in a bit of spices and toss the blanched vegetables. My mother-in-law used to make it every time we had a family gathering. Never seen anyone cook it better. I still can’t make it as good as her. It’s one of those dishes she could make a hundred times and each time it would turn out just perfect. This dish tastes the best with rotis and parathas. But I like it even with rice. Here’s the recipe for Aloo Gobi.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. Mustard Oil
• A pinch of Asafetida
• 1 tsp. Cumin Seeds
• 1 cup Onion cut into large pieces
• 1 inch piece of ginger finely Chopped
• 1 cup of Potatoes cut into 1inch cubes
• 1 cup Cauliflower Florets.
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp. Red Chili Powder
• ½ tsp. Coriander Powder
• ½ tsp. Garam Masala Powder
• ¼ tsp. Turmeric Powder
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped coriander leaves

Method:

• Blanch the Cauliflower and also the potatoes.
• Once the potatoes are blanched, deep-fry them until golden brown.
• In a Pan heat the Mustard oil.
• Add the Cumin seeds and let them crackle.
• Now add the chopped ginger and sauté for half a minute.
• Add the Onions and Asafetida and sauté of a minute and a half.
• Now add the Red Chili Powder, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, Garam Masala Powder and Salt and mix well.
• Add the cauliflower and potatoes and mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and add chopped coriander leaves and mix gently.

Farfalle with Broccoli and Mushrooms

I like recipes that are really quick. The rewarding part about cooking is the end result. It feels great when you see what you’ve cooked plate up. It’s something that you put together and create. The slightest difference in temperature or timing can make the dish taste so different. What matters is how it looks and tastes at the end. And when you achieve it with the least amount of hassle and time, it can’t get better. This is one such recipe.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups boiled Farfalle
• 1 tbsp. chopped Garlic
• 1 tbsp. Butter
• ½ cup grated Cheddar Cheese
• ¼ cup Milk
• ¼ tsp. dried thyme
• Salt and Crushed Pepper for Seasoning
• 8-10 florets blanched Broccoli
• ½ cup sliced Mushrooms

Method:

• Heat butter in a Pan.
• Add the Garlic and sauté for half a minute.
• Add the sliced mushrooms and cook them for a minute or two.
• Now add the milk and the cheese together. The milk will help the cheese from burning and add texture to the dish.
• Cook on low flame until the cheese melts evenly.
• Now add the broccoli and the farfalle and mix well.
• Season with salt and Pepper.

Cherry and Raisin Sponge Cake Truffle

By now I think you should know that I’m crazy about chocolates. I try to make quick chocolate goodies all the time. Bite size treats are the best, because it’s easy to stop yourself form eating a whole lot of charming treats. Always works for me. Truffles are one such bite size treats. Unlike the regular truffle, this one is quite different. Every time you have a small piece of vanilla or even chocolate sponge cake left, you could make a truffle out of it. You can also use crumbled brownies. It is up to you. So here’s another recipe that is super easy and quick.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups crumbled Vanilla Sponge Cake
• ½ cup deseeded and chopped Cherries
• ½ cup Raisins
• 2 tbsp. Condensed Milk
• 400 gms. Chopped sweetened Dark Chocolate
• ¼ cup grated White Chocolate (for garnish)

Method:

• Add the vanilla sponge cake crumbles in a mixing bowl and break them into finer crumbs using your hand.
• Add the chopped cherries.
• In a microwavable bowl, add the raisins and add enough water to submerge the raisins and microwave it on high for a minute. This will help the raisins get soft. Then add them into drain the water.
• Add the raisins to the mixing bowl.
• Now add the condensed milk and mix well with your hands. The mixture will get a bit doughy.
• Now make truffle size balls out of the mixture and keep them aside.
• Transfer the chopped Dark chocolate into a microwavable bowl and microwave it for 2-3 minutes or until the chocolate melts.
• Take a fork and mix the chocolate well and see that it’s not lumpy.
• Place a parchment sheet on a tray.
• Now pick each off the balls with the help of a toothpick and dip it into the melted chocolate. Cover them with chocolate and place them on the sheet.
• Now sprinkle the grated white chocolate on top of each truffle and keep the tray in the fridge until it sets.

Spiced Baby Watermelons

Ajay’s aunt came over yesterday and gave me some beautiful looking raw baby watermelons from the farm. First I thought they must be ripe watermelons just small in size. I had never seen such tiny watermelons. So I took them to the kitchen and cut one of them open. I found that it was white inside. I didn’t know what to do with them. It was more like a Mystery Box Challenge! It looked something like Bottle Gourd from the inside, with more seeds. So I finally cut them into small pieces and with the help of my spice box, I was able to achieve this nice spiced side dish. It tasted wonderful with rotis. I had never ever imagined eating watermelons with Rotis!!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Baby Watermelons cut into small pieces
• 1½ tbsp. Mustard Oil
• 1 tsp. Carom Seeds
• ¼ tsp. Asafetida
• 1 cup diced Onion
• 1 tbsp. Chopped Garlic
• 1 tsp. Ginger Garlic Paste
• ½ tsp. Garam Masala Powder
• 1 tsp. Red Chili Powder
• 1 tsp. Coriander Powder
• ¼ tsp. Turmeric Powder
• Salt to Taste
• Chopped Coriander Leaves for Garnish

Method:

• Heat Mustard oil in a Pan.
• Add the Carom Seeds and let it crackle.
• Now add the Garlic and the Asafetida.
• Add the Onion and cook till it’s golden Brown.
• Add the Ginger Garlic Paste and cook for a minute.
• Add in the Red Chili Powder, Salt, Turmeric, Coriander Powder and Garam Masala Powder and Mix well.
• Now add the Pieces of Baby Watermelons and mix and coat them with the spices.
• Cover the lid and cook in low flame for 5-8 minutes until the watermelon is done.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

I love baking. It always ends up making me happy. It’s probably because of the end result, for it always looks perfect at the end. After a lot of trial and error, this is the recipe that worked perfect. That’s the best part about baking. Once you get it right, you can never go wrong. Note that this cupcake mixture recipe works just perfect but the only problem you could face is the timing. The timing always differs depending on the size of the mold. So when you are working with any baking recipe for the first time, just keep checking often. The ‘toothpick’ is gonna be your best friend. When the toothpick comes out clean, you’re done. Here’s the recipe for Vanilla Cupcake and Buttercream Icing.

Ingredients for the Vanilla Cupcake:

• 1½ cup All Purpose Flour
• ½ cup Softened Butter
• 1 cup Powered Sugar
• A pinch of Salt
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• 2 Eggs
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Essence
• ½ cup Milk

Method:

• Pre-heat the oven at 175°C.
• In a mixing bowl add the Sugar and Butter and mix using a hand blender.
• Then add the Eggs and Vanilla Essence and mix again.
• Add the Milk and mix.
• Now add the Baking Powder and Flour and mix well until you get a smooth mixture.
• Place the cupcake shells on a muffin tray and transfer the mixture into each of the shells.
• Do not pour excess mixture; cover the cupcake shells up to 60%, as the cupcakes will rise.
• Place the cupcakes in the oven and bake for 12-14 minutes. (Note: the time taken to bake depends on the depth and width of the cupcake mold. I had used small silicone molds and it took me around 12 minutes).
• Allow the cupcakes to cool before doing the icing.

Ingredients for the Buttercream Icing:

• 2 cups softened unsalted Butter
• 2 cups Icing Sugar
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Essence
• 3-4 drops food color of your choice
• Cupcake Sprinkles for decorating (Optional)

Method:

• Add the Icing Sugar, Butter and Vanilla Essence and mix well using a hand held beater.
• Add the food color and fold it in using a spatula.
• Transfer the Frosting into a piping bag and cover you cupcakes with the icing.
• Decorate the cupcakes with the cupcake sprinkles.