Chili Chicken

Chili Chicken Recipe

Ingredients forchilli chicken:

500 -600 gms      Boneless Chicken

2 tbsp                  Soya Sauce

1                         Egg

2 tbsp                 Corn Flour/Corn Starch

5-6                     Chopped Green Chilies

2                        Green Onion Chopped

1 tsp                   Garlic Paste

  Salt to taste

1/2 tsp               White Pepper Powder

1 tsp                   Sugar

  A pinch of ajinomoto

2 cups                chicken Broth/ Water

1 tbsp                 Oil

  Oil to fry

Preparation:

• Cut the boneless chicken pieces into1 " cubes.
• Take 1tbsp. Soya sauce, 1tbsp. corn flour, salt, egg in a bowl and marinate chicken pieces in the the mixture for about 10-15 minutes.
• Heat oil and deep fry the marinated chicken pieces till golden brown.
• Now in a separate wok / kadhai heat 1 tbsp. oil and add garlic paste and green chilies and sauté for few seconds.
• Add 2 cups of chicken broth or water. Bring to boil and add sugar, pepper powder, salt , ajinomoto and remaining Soya sauce.
• Add fried chicken pieces to it and cook for few minutes.
• Dissolve the remaining corn flour in 1/2 cup water and add to the curry stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Serve chinese chili chicken hot garnished with chopped green onion tops.
• Chinese chili chicken goes well with steamed / boiled rice.

Chicken Fried Rice

Instructions

Things You'll Need

2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast

3 scallions

2 carrots, peeled

1 cup pea pods or broccoli spears

2 cloves garlic

1-inch chunk fresh ginger root, peeled

½ teaspoon chili powder

6 cups cooked rice

1 egg

3 tablespoons soy sauce

chili sauce

salt and pepper to taste

lime wedges (optional)

chopped cilantro (optional)

MARINADE

¼ cup soy sauce

¼ cup vegetable oil

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 clove garlic

1 teaspoon dried or fresh ginger root

¼ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1

Mix marinade in a bowl. Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks. Put chicken chunks into bowl with marinade. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.

2

Cut carrots and broccoli into bite-size pieces. Peas can be left whole in pod. Set aside in bowl. Mince or press garlic and grate ginger. Set aside on separate plate or bowl with chili powder.

3

Heat one tablespoon oil over medium-high heat in wok or skillet until hot, but not smoking. Add chicken plus ¼ cup of marinade, cooking until flesh is no longer pink inside. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.

4

Clean pan, add one tablespoon oil and reduce heat to medium. Add scallions and vegetables, stirring frequently. Cook two to four minutes, or until vegetables are slightly softened. Add ginger, chili powder and garlic, stirring constantly for one minute. Do not let garlic burn or brown.

5

Add in the rice and mix well. Push vegetables and rice to sides of the pan, making a small well in the middle of the pan. Add another tablespoon of oil if needed. Crack egg directly into pan, stirring vigorously to mix egg. Stir egg into rice and vegetable mixture, coating thoroughly. Cook, stirring constantly, for about three minutes until egg is cooked. Add chicken and any juices, and soy sauce.

6

Serve immediately, garnishing with chili sauce, lime wedges or cilantro if desired.

Image and Article Credit: www.ehow.com 

Mango Cocktail Recipes

Belvedere decided to shake things up this summer with a search for the best mango-flavoured cocktails in Mumbai. At a stylish drinks evening recently, the luxury vodka brand revealed its top three favourite mango cocktail concoctions, created by bar tenders from Mumbai's top restaurants and bars.

Here are the winning recipes for you to try out.

Summer of '69 by Olson Pereira, China House Lounge, Grand Hyatt
What you need: 60 ml Belvedere vodka, 60 ml raw mango puree, 25 ml home-made vanilla syrup, 3ml ginger juice, 30 ml botanical foam with ripe mango. 
Method: Shake together all ingredients other than mango foam. Pour into an old-fashioned cocktail glass. Layer the glass with mango foam. Serve garnished with a raw mango fan. 

Indian Spice by Zafar Shaikh from Indigo      
What you need: 60 ml Belvedere vodka, 80 ml mango pulp, 3 corriander sticks, 1tsp chilli flakes, 30 ml sweet and sour flavor, 3 pieces chopped ginger. 
Method: Shake together all above ingredients and serve in martini glass. 

Zyrardow Divine by Kevin Oommen from Aer, The Four Season 
What you need: 60ml macerated vodka (citrus), 4-5 chunks lemon grass, 2-3 pieces ginger, 60 ml fresh mango puree, 20 ml passion fruit puree, 15 ml lime Juice, 2 drops Angostura Bitters. 
Method: Shake and pour over crushed ice in a long-glass.

Image and Articel Credit: http://luxpresso.com

Snacks

Summer holidays are around the corner and the kids are going to be home all the time. They're always going to be hungry, not to mention hot, once they rush in after they've played long hours in the sun. Here are some healthy summer snack ideas for kids, for fun, and to beat the heat. And since they're so healthy, all the hard-working mommies can indulge in them as well!

Frozen Orange - All you need are oranges and orange juice.
Cut tops off oranges and remove insides. Place insides with orange juice into blender and pour mixture into empty orange shells. Freeze. This is a refreshing snack that adds fluid to help meet hydration needs!

5 minute Chocolate mug cake - Keep your 5 year old occupied by letting her help you with this easy recipe. Add 4 tbsp all-purpose flour, 4tbsp sugar, 2 tbsp cocoa to a coffee mug and mix well with a fork. Add 1egg and mix thoroughly. Pour 3 tbsp milk, 3 tbsp oil, and 2-3 drops vanilla extract and mix well, being sure to scrape the edges of the cup. Add 3 tbsp chocolate chips and mix again. Place the mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes. Allow cake to cool. Serve with ice-cream.

Banana Ice-cream - All you need are bananas, crushed peanuts in bowls, dark chocolate chips in bowls. Peel bananas and freeze. Remove from freezer and blend. Place in containers and add colourful sprinkles. This is a fun and healthy ice-cream sundae without tons of sugar that will make kids bounce off walls.

Peanut butter banana bites - All you need are bananas, peanut butter, crushed whole grain cereal.Cut banana into bite size pieces. Spread peanut butter over each piece and dip in crushed cereal. Can use celery sticks or pretzels for sticks to put pieces on. 

Colourful Fruit Smoothie - Put yoghurt, fresh fruits of the season, oranges, papaya, strawberries, grape juice and ice in a blender. Serve in colourful plastic glasses with funny straws.

Image and Recipe Credit: www.healthmeup.com 

Eggs

Devilled eggs are delicious and healthy party appetizers, not to mention attractive. Serve these at get-togethers so that your guests will enjoy these party snacks without laying on the guilt at having cheated their healthy diets. You can either make devilled eggs with the ingredients mentioned below, or you can make things a little more interesting by experimenting with your favourite flavours. These party appetizers are neither too high on fat or carbs, nor do they require too much oil. Put a spicy spin on this appetizer staple with this recipe.

Ingredients
12 large eggs
1/4 cup mayonnaise (preferably homemade!)
1 jalapeno pepper (seeded and chopped)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (Lal mirch)
Paprika and salt to taste
Cilantro (finely chopped)

Method
Place eggs in a saucepan of cold water with a splash of vinegar (this is to prevent egg whites from escaping if there is a crack in any of the eggs.) Bring to boil and then cook (at boil) for 10 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and run cold water over eggs. Let sit in cold water until cooled.

Once cold, peel and then cut in half, lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the yolks and mash up in a bowl with the mayonnaise, jalapeno pepper, cumin, mustard and cayenne pepper. Fill egg whites with mixture, add paprika and salt to taste and garnish with cilantro (optional).

Image and Recipe Credit: www.healthmeup.com

Pamcakes

Banana & Coconut Pancakes

Low carbs, high protein and high in energy, this can easily become a very healthy and delicious breakfast choice for you on Sundays when you want to indulge your tastebuds without compromising on your health goals. These Real Food Banana  & Coconut Pancakes are extremely healthy with all the bananas, eggs, flaxseed and cinnamon goodness. Add to that the ease with which you can whip these out, and you have a healthy breakfast option (and I’m pretty sure you won’t miss the flour).

Ingredients:

• 4 large ripe bananas
• 2 eggs + 1 egg white
• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 2-3 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 2-3 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 tbsp cinnamon

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl -

• Peel the bananas and break into large chunks. Mash banana into a pulp. You can use a masher if you like, but I just use my hands.
• Add eggs, protein powder, and cinnamon. Mix thoroughly.
• Add in flax and coconut. Usually, I'll start with less and add more if the batter is still too runny. You want a fairly thick batter but not so much that it won't spread on the pan (just like regular pancakes).
• Meanwhile, heat pan on medium heat. When warm enough, grease it, (I use coconut oil).
• Cook for a few minutes on one side until you see bubbles forming. Flip and cook a few minutes more.
• Top with honey, maple syrup or fresh fruits. (yummy strawberries).

Image and Recipe Credit: www.healthmeup.com

Dum Aloo

Ingredients for dum aloo:

                

900gms Aloo (Potatoes)

33/4th cups water

Salt To Taste

Ghee or oil for deep-frying

1 cup ghee

1 large Onion (finely chopped)

4 tbsp tomato puree

140 ml curd

4 tbsp hot water

1 green pepper (seeds removed and sliced)

1tsp garam masala powder

Spices

4 cloves

4 bay leaves

6 black peppercorns

4 green cardamoms

1 brown cardamom

1piece cinnamon stick

Paste

1 large onion (chopped)

12 flakes garlic

2 tbsp ginger

6black peppercorns

1 tsp poppy seeds

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 dry red chilies

1 tsp turmeric powder

A pinch of ground mace

A pinch of ground nutmeg

How to make kashmiri dum aloo:

Scrape the aloo (potatoes), prick all over with a fork and soak in the water with little salt for 2 hours.

Dry the potatoes on a cloth and heat the ghee or oil.

Deep fry the potatoes until golden brown. Drain and set aside.

Heat the measured ghee in a flameproof pan and fry onions with all the spices until golden.

Grind the paste ingredients to a fairly smooth paste and stir into the onions.

Cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato puree, curd and salt.

Add the aloo (potatoes) and hot water and stir over a low heat for 5 minutes.

Sprinkle the dum aloo with pepper and garam masala and cook for few minutes.

Recipe Source: Indianfoodforever.com

Image Source: Nandyala.org

Aloo Sabzi

Ingredients for potato curry recipe:

               

250gms Aloo (Potatoes)

2 tbsp Oil

1/4 tbsp Turmeric powder

2 nos. Green chillies

4-5 nos. Curry leaves

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

Salt To Taste

How to make aloo subzi:

Boil, peel and cube the potatoes. Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds, slit green chillies, curry leaves, fry till the seeds start spluttering, add salt and turmeric powder and cubed aloo (potatoes), add little water so that the aloo (potatoes) absorb the masala and simmer for 4-5 minutes till well blended. Serve the aloo sabzi hot with roti or paratha.

For a different taste in aloo sabzi , you can substitute mustard seeds with cumin seeds.

Image Source: shutterstock.com

Aloo Dum

Ingredients:

• 4 medium size russet potatoes
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed (jeera)
• 1/8 teaspoon asafetida (hing)
• 1 tablespoon gram flour (basen)
• 6 whole red chili
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon coconut powder
• 1/4  inch of ginger
• 1 green chili adjust to taste
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder (dhania)
• 1 tablespoon funnel seed powder (saunf)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder adjust to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika (dagi or kashmiri mirch)
• 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
• 1/2  garam masala
• about 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro
• oil to fry

Method:

1. Peeled and cut the potatoes into ½” cubes.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.
3. Frying pan should have at least 1inch of oil. To check if the oil is ready, put one piece of potato in the oil. The potato should sizzle right away. If potatoes are fried on low heat they will be very oily.
4. Fry the potatoes till they are cooked through; turn the potatoes few times while frying. Take out potatoes with a slotted spoon (this allows excess oil to drip back into the frying pan) and place on a paper towel. Keep aside.
5. Heat the pan on medium heat and stir-fry the sesame seeds for about a minute until seeds lightly change color. Take them out and keep aside.
6. Blend sesame seeds, coconut, ginger, green chili, and make it into a paste. Use water as needed to blend into paste.
7. In a small bowl mix, sesame paste, yogurt, ginger, green chili, coriander powder, funnels seed powder, paprika, red chili powder, and turmeric into a paste. Keep aside.
8. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if seed cracks right away oil is ready.
9. Add the cumin asafetida and cumin seeds. After the cumin seeds crack, add whole red chili and besan (gram flour). Stir-fry for about half a minute until the besan (gram flour) is golden-brown.
10. Add the spice paste and stir-fry for about 2 minutes on medium heat until the spices starts to separate from the oil.
11. Add the potatoes, mix it well and add about 1cup of water. After the gravy boils, let it cook on low-medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Adjust the water in gravy to your liking.
12. Add the cilantro and garam masala cover the pan and turn off the heat. Let it sit for few minutes before taking of the cover. This helps bringing the color on the top of the dish.
13. Serve with any bread.

Recipe Sources: manjulaskitchen

Sweet Recipes

Besan ke ladoo

Ingredients
½ cup ghee
2 cups of besan
1 cup powdered sugar 
1/4 cup chopped almonds & raisins 
1/2 tsp powdered cardamom

Method
1) Keep the kadhai on low heat.
2) Mix the besan and ghee in the kadhai and stir constantly to avoid lumps. 
3) Once slightly brown, allow to cool. 
4) Add cardamom and sugar and mix thoroughly. 
5) Make small balls of the mixture and serve.

Gujiya

Ingredients
Ghee or oil to fry 

For the Cover 
500 gms maida 
6 tbsp oil / ghee 

For the Filling  
500-600 gms khoya 
1/2 tsp green cardamom powder 
25 gms chopped almonds 
25 gms raisins 
25 gms dried coconut (grated) 
350 gms powdered sugar to taste 

Method
1) Mix maida with the 6 tablespoons of oil to make a soft but tight dough. Cover with damp cloth.
2) Take khoya in a frying pan and roast it till light brown in colour. Let it cool and add dry fruits, coconut, sugar and cardamom powder. Fry for two minutes and remove from the heat. Allow it to cool.
3) Divide the dough into small balls and roll each ball into a small flat round.
4) Take the khoya mixture and put it in the rounds and seal them using some extra dough. Make sure the filling doesn't ooze out.
5) Heat ghee in a kadhai and deep fry the gujiyas on a medium flame. Fry till golden brown in colour; then drain and remove. Store in an airtight container.
 
Shakkar para

Ingredients
1 cup  maida
1/4 cup fine sooji 
2 tblsp oil 
1/2 cup water 

For syrup
3/4 cup sugar 
1/2 cup water 
1/2 tsp coarsely grounded cardamom 
3 tbsp coconut powder 

Method
For the syrup
Put the water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Continue stirring. Heat the syrup till its about half thread consistency. Add cardamom to the syrup and mix it well.

For the paras
1) Take maida, sooji and oil and make a stiff dough adding water slowly as needed. Cover the dough and keep aside for 15 minutes or more. 
2) Make a big chapatti of the dough and prick it with a knife or fork so that they don't puff while frying.
3) Cut the dough into several small one-inch squares (paras). 
4) Heat oil in a kadhai and fry the paras till golden brown in colour. Allow them to come to room temperature and make sure they are crisp.
5) Put all the paras into the syrup and mix but make sure all of them are coated with syrup. 

Monthal
 
Ingredients
2 cups besan (coarse) 
1 cup ghee
1½ cup sugar
100gm mawa/khoya
Elaichi powder 
Chopped almonds & pistas
 
Method
1) Fry the besan in ghee till it turns dark brown. Take it off the flame and mix in the mawa/khoya.
2) Melt the sugar in water to make a thick syrup. To check consistency, stretch a drop to 1.5 strings between your thumb and forefinger. 
3) Mix the sugar syrup with the cooked besan (make sure only one of the two mixtures is hot) and cardamom powder; set in a decorative plate to cool.
4) Once the mixture has set, garnish with almond and pista and cut into bite-size squares.

Badam ka halwa

Ingredients
1 cup of wheat flour 
1½ cup of blanched almonds 
1 tsp cardamom powder 
¼ tsp crushed kesar 
1 tbsp of warm milk 
8 to 10 blanched almonds finely chopped in to slivers 
1¼ cup of ghee 
3 cup of water 
1 cup of sugar 

Method
1) Take the kesar and dissolve in warm milk. Keep it aside. 
2) Dry and powder the blanched almonds. Keep aside 10 almonds for garnishing.
3) Melt ghee in a pan and add some flour to it. Stir and fry mixture for a couple of minutes. Then add almond powder to the mixture and stir again. Fry the mixture till it becomes golden brown and you can smell the aroma.
4) Stir the mixture continuously. Add some water and again stir. Add some sugar too. When the ghee froths, add cardamom and kesar to the mixture and stir.
5) Serve with garnishing of chopped almonds.



Article and Image Source: Idiva