Soy Sauce Chicken

            This quick and easy chicken curry recipe is perfect for students, bachelors or anyone looking for fast yet satisfying meal.

Ingredients

• Chicken pieces : 1/2 kg
• Soy sauce : 4 tbsp
• Chilly powder : 1 tbsp
• Oil : 2 tbsp
• Garlic cloves : 4 chopped
• Onion : 1 big ( cut in to square pieces )
• Capsicum : 1 ( cut into square pieces )
• Vinegar : 1 tbsp
• Corn flour : 1 tbsp
• Sugar : 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste

Method

             Combine chilly powder, 3 tbsp of soy sauce and chicken in a pressure cooker and cook up to one whistle. At the same time heat oil in a kadai and add garlic, saute it. Then add onion, when it becomes transparent and add capsicum, saute for few minutes then pour cooked chicken with the sauce in it. Add salt to taste and cook for few minutes. Add little water and 1 tbsp soy sauce into corn flour, mix well and add to the curry. If you want more gravy add more water. Now add vinegar and sugar. Sweet and tangy soy sauce chicken now ready to serve!

Today's menu... BHINDI DHAHI, CHEERA THORAN AND SALAD WITH MAYONNAISE

    Trying to decide what to eat can be the most difficult decision of the day! Here is a menu for today's lunch. Easy to make vegetarian side dishes. Goes well with rice. If you are a non vegetarian you can add a fish fry also.

Bhindi Dahi

Ingredients

• Ladies finger(okra or bhindi) : 250 gms
• Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal: 1/2 tsp
• Red chilies: 2 whole
• Curry leaves: 6
• Onion chopped: 1 small
• Tomato chopped: 1 
• Chilly powder: 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
• Yogurt: 2 tbsp
• Oil: 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste

To be ground into a paste

• Coconut scrapped : 4 or 5 tbsp
• Cashew nuts : 1 tbsp

Method

• Cut the bhindi (okra) into 1 1/2 pieces.
• Deep fry in oil until crisp.
• Remove from oil, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and urad dal and fry. After a while add the red chilies and curry leaves and cook again until the seeds begin to crackle.
• Add the onions and saute until brown.
• Add the tomatoes, chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt.
• Add the coconut paste and fry until oil separates.
• Add 1 cup of water into the yogurt and churn. Add to the mixture then add okra and cook for a few minutes. Serve hot.

Cheera (spinach) thoran

Ingredients

• Cheera (Spinach) leaves: 3 cups
• Coconut (scrapped): 3 tbsp
• Green chilies: 2 nos
• Shallots: 2 nos
• Garlic cloves: 2
• Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
• Coconut oil: 2 tbsp

Method

• Clean the leaves well and chop it finely
• Grind together coconut, green chilies and shallots into a coarse form. Do not add water while grinding.
• Heat oil in a pan, splutter mustard seeds and add chopped garlic. When garlic turns brown add chopped spinach and saute for few minutes.
• Add coconut mixture and saute for 2 minutes. Do not cover the pan.
• Healthy and nutritious cheera thoran is now ready to serve. Make sure you don't overcook it.

Salad with mayonnaise

Ingredients

• Cucumber: 2 small
• Apple: 1 
• Tomato: 1
• Capsicum: 1 small
• Black olives: 7 or 8
• Parsley leaves: 2 tbsp (optional)

For the dressing

• Mayonnaise: 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice: 1 tbsp
• Olive oil: 1 tbsp
• Chaat masala: 1 tsp
• Pepper powder: 1 tsp
• Salt to taste

Method

• Chop all the ingredients finely except olives
• Add whole olives into it
• Make the dressing by mixing all the ingredients( for the dressing )
• Combine all with a spatula
• Garnish with apple and olive

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Redefining Interiors

A unique piece of dining set gives your home the ultra modern style.

Serve In Style

A dinner with the guests or a special occasion with the family, whatever you are celebrating, do it in style. Pretty patterned plates make everything more appetizing, and warm colors and soft textures make everyone feel at home.

A creative and charming table setting does not have to cost a bundle

Here,  the arrangement of glasses is the main attraction.

Green and blue colors, along with the green apples, give way to a casual and cool setting.

Ambalapuzha Palpayasam (Rice Kheer)

     Ambalapuzha Palpayasam, the king of all payasams. The best thing is its simplicity, just three ingredients: Rice, Milk and Sugar. We can make this in home in a simpler way. Here I added Cashew and Raisins because I like it. It is not necessary. The exact taste, texture and the pinkish color of the Payasam comes from thickening of the Milk. There is absolutely no added flavors like cardamom. If you prefer you can add.

Ingredients:

• Rose Matta Rice (Payasam Rice) : 1/2 cup
• Sugar : 1 1/2 cup
• Milk : 4 cups
• Cashews : 50 gms
• Raisins : 50 gms
• Pure Ghee : 2 Tbsp

Cooking Method :

      

    Wash the rice and add into a pressure cooker with milk and sugar. Cook for one whistle and lower the flame and cook for another 15 minutes. Open the lid only after all the steam escapes. Fry cashews and raisins in the ghee and add into the payasam. Allow to rest the payasam for sometime in the same vessel. Delicious Palpayasam  now ready to serve, Enjoy....

Oreo Dessert

Ingredients:

• Oreo : 20 nos
• Chocolate Pudding Mix : 10 oz
• Milk : 5 cup
• Cool Whip : 24 oz
• Cream Cheese : 8 oz
• Sugar : 1/2 cup

Crush Oreos, and place in the bottom of a baking dish (Reserve about 1/2 cup for topping)

Put Cream Cheese and Sugar in a mixing bowl and mix until creamy.

Add 1/2 cup of Milk to Cream Cheese and continue to mix.

Add Cool Whip to Cream Cheese mixture, mix until smooth and creamy.

Pour (or) spoon 1/2 of Cream Cheese mixture over Oreos, and spread carefully. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, put Chocolate pudding mix and milk. Mix until smooth and pour over Cream Cheese mixture. Put in fridge and allow pudding to set (About 30 minutes)

Remove from fridge and top with remaining Cream Cheese mixture, sprinkle reserved Oreos over the top and return to fridge until serving time.

Chicken Biriyani In A Hurry

 

      If you are in a hurry, you may not have too much time to spend in kitchen. Then also you can make this biriyani. No need of soaking or frying rice.

      Ingredients:
     
      For Rice:

• Basmati rice: 4 cups
• Ghee: 2 tbsp
• Oil: 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon: 3 sticks
• Bay leaves: 2
• Cloves: 3
• Cardamom: 4 crushed
• Onion: 1
• Water: 6 cups
• Salt: To taste

      For Chicken Masala:

• Chicken medium size pieces: 1 kg
• Ghee: 2 tbsp
• Oil: 1 tbsp
• Onion: 3 big
• Ginger&Garlic Paste: 2 tbsp
• Green chilly: 10 
• Tomatoes: 2 big
• Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp
• Mint leaves: 2 tbsp
• Coriander powder: 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
• Garam masala: 1 tsp
• Pepper powder: 1/2 tsp
• Yogurt: 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice: 1

      For Layering (Dum):

• Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp
• Mint leaves: 2 tbsp
• Garam masala: 1 tsp
• Onion: 1
• Cashew nuts: 10 slitted
• Kismis: 1 tbsp
• Pure ghee: 2 tbsp

     Preparation Method:

     Cooking Rice: Heat ghee+oil in a pressure cooker. At the same time you can slice the onion. When ghee become hot, first add cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and cardamom following by sliced onion. Saute for one minute then add water and salt. When water is being boiled you can wash the rice. After adding the rice close the lid and cook up to one whistle. Off the flame. Open the lid only after all the steam escapes.

     Cooking Chicken masala: In a biriyani pot heat oil+ghee, meanwhile make one onion (for layering) thin slices and add to the pot. After a few seconds, add cashew nuts followed by kismis. After onion become golden color remove  and drain in a paper towel. Keep it aside for layering.

     In the same pot we can make the chicken masala, add 3 onion (chopped) in to the same ghee and saute for few minutes. You can add salt in this stage for saute the onion quickly. Add ginger garlic paste followed by chilly paste. When the raw smell leaves, add turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala and pepper powder. Saute again, chop the tomatoes and add in to it. Then add chopped coriander and mint leaves followed by yogurt and lemon juice. Then add chicken pieces and cook for 8 minutes.

      Layering: Place one layer of rice above the chicken masala, then sprinkle pure ghee, garam masala, chopped mint leaves, coriander leaves and fried onion cashew kismis mixture on the top. Make two or three layers like this. Close with tight fitting lid and keep in low flame for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with Raitha or Salad.

      Note: You can use a hot cast iron skillet instead of the lid.

                 If you like to serve masala and rice separate you can place an aluminium foil between the rice and                  masala.

The Stunning Starter

                                        Stuffed Squid

Things you need:

• Squid: 10 (small)
• Oil: For frying

For the batter:

• Gram flour (besan): 2 Tbsp
• Maida: 1 Tbsp
• Salt to taste

For the filling:

• Sunflower oil: 2 Tbsp
• Garlic: 2 pods
• Onion: 1 Big chopped
• Capsicum: 1 small
• Celery: 1 Tbsp chopped (optional)
• Spring onion: 1 Tbsp (optional)
• Chicken breast: 1 Piece
• Ginger: Chopped 1 Tsp
• Bay leaves: 2
• Cinnamon: 1 Stick
• Cloves: 3
• Pepper powder: 1 Tsp
• Mayonnaise: 1 Tbsp
• Salt

    Clean and wash the squid, place in a steamer and steam for 10 minutes (Do not exceed the time otherwise the squid will shrink). Keep it aside.

    Cook the chicken breast with ginger, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves and little salt. Shred the chicken breast.

    For the filling, heat oil in a pan and add garlic, when it turns light brown, add chopped onion and saute it. When the onion becomes transparent, add capsicum, celery, spring onion and saute for few minutes. At last add shredded chicken, pepper powder and salt. Saute again, remove from fire and mix well with mayonnaise.

   Fill each squid with the above mixture.

   Make a thin batter of gram flour, maida and salt with enough water. Dip each squid in the batter and deep fry.

Note: Do not overcook the squid otherwise it will shrink.

         Cover the pan while the squid is being fried.