Dynamite Shrimps!

Have you ever been to PF Chang's? It's an American-Chinese joint that serves some really fantastic food. I would recommend it for any occasion, honestly! And as always, when I have something I like, I have to try it out, at any cost :D You know, I am obsessive when it comes to food :)

Their signature dish is something called Dynamite Shrimps, which is basically batter dipped shrimp that's deep fried and tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce, served in a martini glass. Hmm, heaven in a martini glass! So obviously, I had to try it out ..he he!

Clearly, it was not the exact recipe from PF Chang's...just my own "copy cat" version, lolz! Whatever said and done though, the end result was really good, and the best part of it all, was it was super healthy! Reason? Because we used an "Air Fryer", details of which I shall post in my subsequent posts. Long story short, this was not deep fried in oil, rather cooked in hot air, without a drop of oil. So, isn't that healthy?

The best part of it all was that I finally got to use the martini glasses that were given to us so lovingly by a friend. So, Anurag, this one is truly for you! Special dedication also to my sis in law Amy, who is a big fan of this dish. So Amy, this one's for you too! Incidentally, do not panic if you do not have martini glasses, you can use ordinary bowls, and they will still look absolutely gorgeous!

RECIPE (Serves 2)

• 250 gms shrimp, de-shelled and de-veined. I used medium shrimp

Marinade for the Shrimp

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup corn flour (corn starch)
• 1 teaspoon paprika (red chilly powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 2 eggs
• Salt to taste

Sauce

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons Sweet Chilly Sauce
• 1 tablespoon Hot Sauce (or tabasco sauce)
• 1 teaspoon honey (optional, I used this)
• Pepper (Optional)
• Salt (A pinch)

Garnish

• Spring onions, cut into small pieces 
• Lettuce

METHOD

• Marinate the shrimp in turmeric, chilly and pepper powders and set aside for about 5 minutes.
• In a separate bowl, mix the flour, corn starch salt and pepper and set aside.
• In another bowl, beat the eggs.
• Dip the prawns, first in the flour mixture, and shake of the excess. Then dip into the eggs, and finally dip again in the flour mixture,ensuring that the prawns are covered completely.
• If using oil, deep fry the prawns till a golden brown. Since I used the Air Fryer, I did not use any oil, and cooked this for 7 minutes.
• While the prawns are cooking, make the sauce. In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients mentioned under "Sauce" and set aside.
• Toss the cooked prawns in the sauce.
• Arrange lettuce leaves in the glass or bowl that you are using. Place the prawns in the lettuce bed and top with spring onions.

Why would you possibly want to go to PF Chang's, when you can cook this in the comfort of your home :) Do try this out and let me know how it turns out! Till next time, take care and God bless!

Meatza~Meat based pizza!

I have mentioned earlier that I consider Nigella Lawson to be one of my biggest inspirations when it comes to cooking...and I still stand by it!I love pizza, but then again, who doesn't :) I am a little biased, I have to be honest, just the name "Pizza Hut" and I go totally gaga!

The idea of making a pizza, quite frankly, has never appealed to me, simply because it involves making  crust, and I am never confident when it comes to making dough of any sort. So, when Nigella showed this particular recipe, for a pizza, minus the crust, I did not think twice..and trust me, neither will you :D. This truly is so simple, that you can get the even the little ones to pitch in for you. And the best part i, dinner is served in 20 minutes flat!

On to the recipe for more details

INGREDIENTS

• Mince meat (1/2 kg)
• Parmesan cheese- shredded (4 tablespoons)
• Red chilly pepper paste (optional- 3 tablespoons depending on the spice level)
• 2 eggs
• Parsley Leaves- Handful
• Canned tomatoes (200 gm jar) or if using fresh tomatoes, 2 small ripe ones
• Oregano- 1 teaspoon
• Back pepper- 1/2 teaspoon
• Extra virgin olive oil- 1 tablespoon
• Salt- A pinch (Bear in mind that parmesan is salty so adjust accordingly)
• Mozarella cheese- A small cube cut into triangular pieces

METHOD

• In a large bowl, add the cleaned mince meat. To this add the eggs, parmesan cheese, red chilly paste (optional) and the parsley leaves and blend using hands. Do not overwork the mixture, else it gets hard and rubbery.
• Spread the mixture evenly into a greased baking dish.
• Separately, strain out the tomatoes from the can so as to remove the liquid from them.
• To the tomatoes, add the black pepper, oregano, oil and salt and mix with a spoon.
• Spread this over the mince meat mixture.
• Cut out the mozarella cube into triangular pieces and place over the mince meat mixture.
• Place this into a hot oven at 200 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

And that's all there was to it! Now,wasn't that easy? Do try it out and let me know how it turns out!

Till next time, adios amigos!

Apple Payasam~Apple Kheer!

I have a really bad habit...I keep buying a whole bunch of fruits, and then leave them for quite some time, without quite eating them...I know, food wastage...not proud of myself. So, as usual, I come home yesterday, and lo and behold, what do I find, but a whole bunch of apples that were just beginning to brown..not a pretty sight!

We had to visit a friend yesterday who was not too well, and coupled with the fact that it is my father in law's birthday, I thought, why waste a whole bunch of apples, why not convert it into a yummy dessert :) Imagine something you can make in 15 minutes flat..now wouldn't that be simply awesome :)

So, there we are...a birthday dedication and a get well soon wish! Oh, but I so cannot forget a dear friend of mine who had requested payasam recipes from  me...so, Danica, Pappa and Vinod, this dessert is especially for all of you :D

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6)

• 4 apples, grated without the skin 
• Full cream milk- 2 cups
• Condensed Milk- 3 tablespoons
• White granulated sugar- 5 tablespoons (depending on how sweet the apples are, you can increase or reduce the quantity)
• Vanilla essence- 1 teaspoon (optional, but I added this for the flavor)
• Ghee/Butter- 4 tablespoons (I used ghee)
• Nuts/Raisins/Almonds- optional, as you like

METHOD

• In a pan, boil milk until it reduces to half the quantity. This should take about 10 minutes.
• While the milk is boiling, separately saute the nuts and raisins in 2 tablespoons ghee till they turn golden brown (a few seconds). I did not have raisins and almonds, so didn't use any. 
• In the same pan, remove the nuts and raisins and saute the grated apples in another 2 tablespoons ghee and the sugar for about 3-4 minutes, till the sugar is caramelized and the apples turn a lovely golden brown. Ensure they do not get burnt.
• To this add the boiled milk and the condensed milk. 
• Stir for another 5 minutes and switch off the flame.
• Once cooled down, keep this refrigerated to thicken.

Tada, yummy payasam is ready!!!

Notes

It doesn't matter what color apples you use, coz you will be removing the skin anyways. I used green

Once the milk is added, it looks like your payasam is curdling, but don't worry, that adds more flavor to the payasam.

The payasam once made seemed watery, but once kept in the fridge, it thickened considerably.

This is eaten best when cold, but, to each his own!

Happy birthday Pappa once again, get well soon Vinod, and Danica darling and everyone else out there, do try this out and let me know how it turns out!

Roast Peri Peri Chicken!

I have this weird habit...if I see someone eating something appealing and that I cannot have at that moment, I need to make it that very same day! I guess we all have our weird little ways..he he!

Just yesterday, in fact, a colleague of mine was the inspiration of this particular recipe, coz she was having this absolutely divine looking roasted chicken leg and I knew, then and there, I needed to have it. Of course, I had to be a bit civilized and not snatch it from her hand (now that would have been something!), so I decided to hold off just an hour longer till I got home and set about making this.

In actual fact, this dish is just a typical one pot meal that takes hardly any time for preparation and just a wee bit time in the oven, but the end result is absolutely succulent, divinely gorgeous chicken...and you've hardly spend any time at all int he kitchen!

On to the recipe then, am sure you must be hungry already!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 whole chicken, defrosted and cleaned thoroughly. Do not remove the skin, that's where all the taste is!
• 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste (I used store bought, if using fresh, mash half a ginger and a clove of garlic)
• 1 tablespoon red chilly flakes
• 1 tablespoon peri peri sauce (or you can use 1 tablespoon hot sauce)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 potato, sliced into wedges
• 1 carrot, sliced thinly
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil (to apply at the base of the baking dish and over the chicken, approx 3 tablespoons)

METHOD

• Marinate the cleaned chicken with the ginger and garlic paste. red chilly flakes, lemon juice, salt and pepper thoroughly. Apply inside the chicken as well to enhance the taste. Keep this aside for 15 minutes to half an hour.
• Apply olive oil at the base of the baking dish and over the chicken and place into the oven.
• I use a gas oven, so I placed the chicken at gas mark, and this was NOT pre heated. 
• After 25 minutes on one side, turn over and roast the other side.
• 5 minutes before taking the chicken out, place potatoes and carrots in the baking dish. They should take not more than 5 to 8 minutes to roast.
• Switch off the oven, wait for 5 minutes and take out the chicken.

Tada, delicious peri peri roast chicken (or the other way around!) is ready!

Now, was'nt that easy? Try it out and let me know how it turns out!

Coffee Icecream!

An apple a day keeps the doctor away...In my case, an icecream a day keeps my troubles away :)

My house needs to have ice cream..period. I mean, we could run out of milk, bread, tea, coffee and all the other essentials and I really wouldn't care, but no ice cream and I go completely bonkers! It was just one of those days yesterday when I realized there was absolutely nothing in my freezer, and that's when I decided to take matters into my own hands..make my own icecream!

This has to be the simplest ice cream int he world..simply because it uses 3 ingredients..and that's it. It would help if you had a cake beater or a standalone mixer, but if not, just stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until everything gets blended. So on to the recipe!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tin condensed milk (I used Nestle)
• 300 ml double cream
• 2 tablespoons coffee powder (I used Nescafe- Refer notes)

METHOD

In a big bowl, add the condensed milk, double cream and coffee powder, and blend using a cake mixer or egg beater until you get a  thick, creamy mixture. Transfer this to an airtight container for upto 4 hours or until frozen and voila! You have homemade, awesomely gorgeous icecream!

Till next time, take care and God bless!

Vendakka Mezhukkuparatti~Ladies finger stir fry!

This recipe is actually long overdue..something my brother was asking for quite some time now. So, this one's for you, R! In fact, I actually made this for Onam. Normally, cabbage stir fry is the general stir fry but variety is the spice of life, don't you  agree?? :)

INGREDIENTS (Serves 2)

• 1/4 kilo ladies finger, cut into quarter inch pieces
• 1 medium sized onion
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red chilly powder
• 2 teaspoons coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala (all spice) powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons oil (Any type refined oil or coconut oil)
• Curry leaves to garnish

RECIPE

• Heat oil in a frying pan. To this add the onion along with salt and saute.
• Once onion turns translucent, add the ladies finger and fry for about 5-6 minutes or till the stickiness disappears.
• Now add all the powders except for the garam masala.
• Close the pan for about 5 minutes and stir in between to ensure that the ladies finger dont stick to the bottom.
• Finally add the garam masala and garnish with curry leaves.

Easy right? In fact, you dont even need to add onions if you dont want to. So here's the pic...

Till next time, adios amigos!

Naranga Curry ~ Lemon Curry!

O--Ormayude
N--Nanmayude
A--Aghoshangalude
M--Malayaliyude

Onam Varavayi !!!

In simple words, Happy Onam guys!!! . So, I'm sure you are probably busy preparing the sadya, or in my case, eating one..he he!!

My all time must have accompaniment with practically anything has to be pickle. This infact is a pickle too, but not with all the preservatives involved. Nevertheless, it's a must have for an onam sadya. So here we go...
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INGREDIENTS (Serves 6-10 people)

• 1 big lime (vadagapuli naranga) or 2 small lemons, cut into small pieces and remove the seeds
• 2 garlic pods, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoons red chilly powder
• 1 teaspoon hing/kayam/asafoeteda
• 2 green chillies finely chopped
• 1 lime sized tamarind ball soaked in 1/2 cup hot water
• 1 teaspoon jaggery (optional)
• Coconut oil/Gingelly oil- 1 tablespoon
• Salt to taste

For garnish

• Mustard seeds- 1 teaspoon
• Dry red chilies- 2
• Curry leaves- 1 or 2 sprigs
• Coconut oil- 1 tablespoon

METHOD

• Heat a tablespoon of oil. To this add the green chilies and lime pieces on a low flame till the juices ooze out from the lime.
• Now add the turmeric, chilly and hing powders and fry for a few seconds.
• Add the tamarind water and salt. Let this boil for a minute.
• Now add the jaggery. This is purely optional, but highly recommended. Boil for another minute and switch off the flame.
• For the garnish, heat a tablespoon of oil and splutter mustard seeds.
• Add the dry red chillies and curry leaves and fry for a minute.
• Switch off the flame, pour this over the lime curry and cover immediately.

Notes

• Always prepare the lime curry a day in advance so that all the flavors set in. 
• This does not need to be kept in the fridge, however, if you do so, ensure that you do not heat  it before serving, else it will get spoilt.
• Normally, people prepare lime curry using gingelly or sesame oil (nalla enna). I did not coz mom told me that it was not necessary. The curry tasted good even after using coconut oil.
• Do not cook the lemon for long, else the curry will turn bitter.

Time for the pics...

And a top view

How does it look? Do let me know your thoughts and feed back. Once again, here's wishing you all the happiness, joy and prosperity this harvest festival brings you!

Onashamsakal!

Ulli sambar!

I know this is going to sound really weird, but this is the sambar that I made for Onam...and it actually turned out good! In fact, this is the very first time I made sambar..ever!!! And I didnt hear too many complaints, in fact I can proudly say that it finished pretty quickly :). The only tough part would be peeling each of the shallots individually, but if they are big enough, it should'nt take too long. I was intending to make the sambar the day before, but mom told me to do it on the day we were serving the sadya because sambar tends to get thick as time flies. So, here we are! This recipe is courtesy Easy Cooking which is now officially one of my all time fave blogs! I have made a few changes though, not too many. Do check out her semiya kheer and pal ada payasam recipes..they are simply the best! For now, please don't ignore poor old me...On to the recipe!

INGREDIENTS (Serves 6-9)

• Shallots/Pearl Onions/Kochu ulli- 1 cup (approximately 25- 30), peeled and slit into 2 or 3 slices through the middle
• Toor dal- 1/2 cup
• Green chillies- 3, slit through the middle
• Tomato- 1 medium sized, chopped roughly into cubes
• Tamarind/Valan puli- 1 lime sized ball soaked in a half cup of hot water for 15 minutes
• Sambar powder- 3 teaspoons
• Turmeric powder- 1/4 teaspoon
• Asafoeteda/Hing//Kayam- A pinch
• Jaggery- 1 teaspoon (optional)- I did not use this
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves- For garnish

For tempering

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil/1 tablespoon ghee
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• A pinch of fenugreek seeds/uluva
• 2 dry red chillies
• Curry leaves- A sprig or 2

METHOD

• Add the toor dal along with the tomato, green chilies, a few curry leaves, a few coriander leaves, turmeric powder, salt to taste and a cup of water to a pressure cooker. Pressure cook this for up to 4 whistles.
• Ina  saucepan, heat 2 teaspoons of coconut oil and a teaspoon of ghee. Alternatively, you can use just the oil.
• Saute the shallots for about 5-7 minutes till they start to change color and the raw smell disappears.
• Add the sambar powder, hing and salt and saute fora  few seconds.
• Add the tamarind water and the cooked dal mixture.
• Bring this to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes or till you reach the consistency of your choice.
• If adding jaggery, add at this stage.
• In a separate pan, heat the oil/ghee, splutter mustard seeds followed by the fenugreek seeds, chillies and curry leaves.
• Pour this over the sambar, garnish with coriander leaves and cover immediately. 

Sambar tends to thicken as time passes. Prior to serving the sambar, in case you feel it's too thick, pour some water from the kettle to loosen it a bit. Remember to use only hot water, else the taste changes.

Delicious onion sambar is ready!! Ready for the pics? Here we go...

And another...

So, what do you think? This is an easy breezy sambar with absolutely no veggies, but that is still scrumptious. So do try it out and let me know it turns out.

Onashamsakal!

Kalan~ Raw banana in a yogurt based gravy!

So, my very first Onam recipe for you guys. Kalan is normally made using raw banana and elephant yam, however, here, I have used only raw banana. You can use also use a medium ripe banana to get a  sweeter taste. Incidentally, I made this the night before and did not even keep it in the fridge, coz mom told me not to, and the curry tasted just as good. Am very happy to say that there were no leftovers :P. Not so bad for a first timer, he he..!! It is Onam, I am allowed to blow my own horn. By the way, this was the first dish I made for Onam.

Enough with the chit chat, on to the recipe...

INGREDIENTS (Serves6-9)

• Raw banana (pachha kaya) or medium ripe banana- 1
• Freshly grated coconut- 6 tablespoons
• Curd- 6 tablespoons
• Green chilies- 3, slit through the middle
• Pepper powder- 1 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder- 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds- 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Ghee- 1 teaspoon
• Hot water- 1/2 cup

For tempering

• Mustard seeds- 1 teaspoon
• Dry red chilies- 2
• Curry leaves- 1 or 2 sprigs
• Shallots- 2 (optional)
• Coconut oil- 1 tablespoon

METHOD

• Cut the raw banana through the middle and then chop into cubes. In order to preserve their color, put them in water to which a pinch of turmeric has been added. If you are going to cook this immediately, avoid this step.
• Cook this with water, turmeric powder and pepper powder. Do not add salt else the vegetable will not get cooked. This should take 15-20 minutes on a low flame.
• In the mean time, grind the coconut, green chilies and cumin with the curd. Do not add any water.
• After the banana is cooked, add the salt and ghee. Ensure that all the water is evaporated.
• Now add the coconut-curd mixture. Ensure this does not boil, just heat it through for a couple of minutes, else the curd will curdle. Switch off the flame once done.
• In a separate pan, heat the oil and splutter mustard seeds, followed by the dry red chilies and curry leaves. 
• Pour this over the kalan and cover it instantly so that it does not lose it's smell or flavor.

Tada, the kalan is ready!! On to\the pictures...

And another one...

Thank you so much Naveen for the lovely clicks..!! So what do you guys think? Do try it out and let me know how it turns out!

Onashamsakal!

Happy Onam~ Onashamsakal!!

Hello darlings!! Here's wishing you all the blessings and happiness that the beautiful festival of Onam bestows upon us! For those of my non Keralite friends, a little bit of background information.

Onam is the "harvest festival" of Kerala, India. During this festival, we celebrate the homecoming of the mythical king, Mahabali. The festival lasts a total of 10 days, and during each of these 10 days, there are different activities and events performed. One of the most significant parts of Onam is the traditional "Pookalam" or the "Flower carpet" that the ladies of the house design in front of their houses, as a welcome to the king.

And of course, another perhaps even more important aspect is the traditional meal, the "Ona sadya". This meal is served on a traditional banana leaf and is made of vegetables freshly harvested.

This Onam was very special to me because for the very first time, together with my sister in law, the 2 of us made a full fledged traditional meal. And trust me, no one had complaints!

 So, I shall be posting the recipes in the next few posts. I know Onam is only on Monday but here's wishing all you advance Onashamsakal!!

God bless!

Green gram (Cherupayar) curry!

For some reason, healthy food and me have never gone hand in hand, lolz! Thanks to A, who insists on having at least one veggie daily, I have begun to change from my "spoiled brat" ways, hee hee..However, not all veggies are bad, you know. For instance, this green gram curry is super healthy and super tasty.

Green gram has many benefits. It's perfect for hair loss and attaining beautiful hair. All you need to do is have sprouted green gram daily..which I guess is a bit of a chore, especially for people like me. But green gram is also the perfect food for weight loss and for people with cholesterol issues. So, keeping all that in mind, I decided to make my first ever green gram curry, and it tasted pretty good actually, if I do say so myself. This is something that can be cooked in a jiffy, coz it requires hardly any ingredients, and if you have a pressure cooker, even better! So, on to the recipe..

INGREDIENTS (Serves 4-5)

• 1 cup green gram (soaked overnight or at least 5-6 hours before)
• 1 1/2 cups hot water (I use boiled water from the kettle)
• 1 medium sized onion, sliced thinly
• 1 tomato, chopped into cubes
• 4 green chillies, chopped finely
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilly powder
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 dried red chillies (optional)
• Curry leaves- plenty!
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon oil (You can use coconut oil for the traditional taste, refined oil or extra virgin oil as a healthier option)

METHOD

• Cook the green gram with the water in a pressure cooker for 5 whistles on a medium heat. If using the normal saucepan, this would take a minimum of 1 hour.
• Once the green gram is cooked, in a separate saucepan, heat the oil and splutter the mustard seeds followed by the dried red chillies and a few curry leaves. Reserve the remaining curry leaves for the end. 
• Now add the onions, green chillies and salt. Salt is added to cook the onions faster. Cook the onions and chillies till they lose the raw smell and turn a slight shade of brown.
• Now add the turmeric and chilly powders and add some of the green gram stock left behind in the pressure cooker. If there is no water left, add a few tablespoons of hot water from the kettle. 
• Add the tomatoes and cook till they get mashed.
• Finally add the green gram along with it's stock. If you want more gravy add an extra 2 cups of hot water.
• Check salt levels and cook for another 5 minutes or till the green gram curry gets it's required consistency.
• Garnish with the remaining curry leaves.

This was how the final product looked like...

And another one..

Do let me know your feedback. so till next time, take care darlins and God bless!

Healthy veg stir fry with cocktail shrimp!

Hello my darlins!!! Did u guys miss me? I hope u did,coz I'm back with another delicious, easy breezy recipe, that you can whip up in a jiffy, especially when you're in no mood to slave in the kitchen...then again, I have always been lazy, which I'm sure my dear husband would vouch for, lolz!

This recipe is actually a personal favorite of A, coz it involves all of his fave vegetables (green beans, ladies finger and spinach), and as an added bonus, I added a few cocktail shrimps. Incidentally, these shrimps are ready to eat once you defrost them, but all my pure veggie friends, fear not, you can completely avoid this step. The beauty of this dish is that you could add any vegetable to this, including corn and bell peppers, which I didn't have in my pantry, but feel free to be creative! So enough with the blabbing, on to the recipe!

INGREDIENTS (For 2-3)

• Green Beans- 1/4 kilo (a handful)
• Ladies finger- 1/4 kilo  (a handful)
• Green Spinach- A bunch
• Onion- 1 medium, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic- Roughly chopped
• Red Chilly powder (optional)- 1 teaspoon
• Black pepper- 1 teaspoon
• Salt to taste
• Olive oil- 1 tablespoon (I used extra virgin. In case you don't have olive oil, use the normal refined oil)
• Ready to eat cocktail shrimp (Optional)- 5 pieces. (You can replace this with cocktail sausages)

METHOD

• In a pan, heat oil and add garlic cloves followed by onion. Saute till they turn transparent and the raw smell disappears.
• Add the chopped beans and stir for a  few seconds. Close the lid for about 3-4 minutes on a low flame.
• Add the chopped ladies finger and stir again for a few seconds. Close this for about 5 minutes on a low flame. Ensure the flame is low so as to not stick to the bottom of the pan. 
• Now add the chilly powder, pepper and salt and stir for a few seconds. To this, add the cocktail shrimp followed by the spinach. Let the flame continue to be on low.
• Switch off the flame after 2 minutes and serve hot.

Now wasn't that easy breezy? These veggies have very minimum cooking time, so all their nutrients are intact when served. Using olive oil is a healthy option, and the extra virgin version contains zero cholesterol, so all you calorie conscious people, ensure you buy a bottle asap! On to the pictures..

 And another one!

So there we are. Do try this and let me know how it turns out. Till next time, take care and God bless!

My second award!!!

Yaaay!!! My second award guys!!! Thank You so much Sini's Menu for having considered me for this award. I know I have been pretty lazy since the new year started to put up new recipes, but this sure is an incentive for me. I promise I shall definitely try harder and put up even better recipes. Now, there are some rules for receiving this award. They are as follows:

1. write 11 random facts about yourself.
2. answer the 11 questions provided by the award giver
3. select 11 bloggers who have less than 200 followers in their list for presenting the award and mention them in your post.
4. create 11 questions that the bloggers will need to answer.
5. tell the person who nominated you  along with the 11 persons you have nominated.

 So, 11 random facts about me, huh....Hmmm, ok, brace yourselves darlins!!

• I am afraid of 2 things, animals and the dark..:P
• When I drink water, I always hold up my index finger...weird huh?!?
• I love hugging people...it's free, might as well give it away..:)
• I cry at the drop of a pin..then again, that's not really random..anyone who knows me knows that already!
• I love surprising people! Gives me a kick to see their happy faces!
• There's no greater joy than seeing people enjoy my food. I wouldn't mind cooking for a million people so long as they are content after my meals.
• Someday, I would like to start my own restaurant. 
• Someday, I would also like to have my own TV show, provided I can keep a straight face when i present it!!
• I love smiling! Like hugs, smiles are absolutely free and come at no extra cost. In fact they light up a person's life. My dear husband thinks I'm a nut though coz I keep showing my teeth all the time!
• I cant think of a 10th point....:P
• The last point has to be special right...I would like to thank my ear husband who has put up with me for the last 4 years and who had encouraged me to go ahead with this blog of mine. He is my best critic and there's no one I trust more than him. Love u A!!!

There, 11 facts. That was tougher than writing this blog! Now, answers to the 11 questions by Sini. Here goes....

• My love for good food and my passion for experimenting.
• City
• Anything mom cooks.
• This one's really tricky..I love both their food equally. Now, that's diplomatic!!
• I am not a dessert person actually, but I love ice cream any day.
• When my little nephew was born.
• If you're happy and u know it, clap your hands! I guess that's not a real quote right>?
• Love me or hate me, you can never ignore me.
• Grapes
• The Maldives
• My grandmother's fish curry.

On to the questions for my 11 blogger friends..

• What is the best dish u have ever cooked?
• What is the biggest cooking disaster you have ever had?
• Describe yourself in one word.
• Which chef do you consider as your role model?
• What is the best gift you have ever received?
• What is the one ambition that you will do anything to achieve?
• What would you consider "comfort food"?
• Given an opportunity to meet someone who rose from the dead, who would that be? 
• What's your mom's fave dish?
• What would be your dream destination?
• Who inspired you to start your blog?

Okay, award time. And the award goes to..........

• The Art of Cooking by Malu Simith
• Sherly's Micro Kitchen by Sherly Aji
• Sini's Menu..the kitchen magic
• Food Lovers
• The Junkie Book
• Easy South Indian Recipes
• EZ Cook Book
• Experiments in the kitchen
• Spice India
• Cakeology
• Flavours from my Kitchen

There we are! These are some truly amazing blogs which I just stumbled up on by chance. So take care guys, and winners, U know the rules!!

Take care and God bless darlins!

Cream of broccoli soup!

I know I posted a similar recipe for Carrot Soup , but I had to post this one too, coz Broccoli is a fave, both of A and his sister too. So this is a dedication to both of them!! This soup is actually for all those broccoli haters, coz once you have this, I can guarantee you, broccoli will definitely be on your must have veggie list! The only thing to be careful of though is to ensure that you wash it thoroughly, which I shall explain in the recipe. For now, let's go ahead and find out how to make this lush, creamy soup.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium sized broccoli
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• Handful of chives (optional- you can also replace with spring onions)
• 1 cup low fat milk (replace with skimmed milk for a healthier option)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (you can also use 2 tablespoons butter)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• Salt to taste
• Pinch of turmeric
• Coriander leaves- Garnish (optional)

METHOD

• Remove the florets of the broccoli and insert into boiling water with a pinch of turmeric for 3 minutes. This is to kill any germs present.
• Heat oil and saute onions and chives. Add a little salt at this stage to cook the onions faster.
• To this add pepper powder and saute for a few seconds. 
• Now add the florets along with the milk and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Switch off the flame and set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.
• Grind this in a blender or use a hand blender.
• In a pan, heat a tablespoon of oil and saute the flour in this. Immediately add the broccoli mixture to this and warm for another 5 minutes.
• Garnish with salt and pepper. You can also use coriander leaves or fresh cream for an extra creamy flavor.

Tada!! soup is ready. Serve immediately with bread or crackers.

That's it from my end. Do try out the soup and let me know your thoughts! Take care and God bless! Happy cooking!!

Vegetarian stuffed bell peppers!

So, let me guess what must be going through your mind....Bell peppers...and that too stuffed? I was a bit skeptical myself when I first saw the recipe. Off late though, A wants to go on a veggie diet, and I thought of jazzing things up a bit lolz! After all, variety is the spice of life, na? I was getting fed up of making the same old beans and ladies fingers, so, for a change, so  as soon as I saw this on you tube, I had to go for it. The original recipe is from Hema Kundargi who has a lovely channel on you tube titled the Indian Vegetarian. Thanks once again Hema aunty!

Bell peppers are a beautiful vegetable, coz they look so vibrant and full of life. When cutting a bell pepper, always cut through the middle in order to retain the stem. I actually trimmed the stems to make it look better. I have made a few variations to the original recipe I saw, but then again, no one can go wrong with this one. So, let's see how easy breezy it is to make this wonderful, healthy and colorful dish!

INGREDIENTS

• Six bell peppers, cut through the middle. You can scoop out the membrane inside to give more room for the stuffing.
• 1 medium sized can chickpeas or garbanzo beans. I used the brand "California Garden". 
• 6-7 baby potatoes. You can also use the medium sized potatoes, in which case, you will require 3.
• Yogurt- 4-5 teaspoons
• 1 garlic pod, roughly chopped
• Bunch of coriander leaves (you can also replace with mint or pudina leaves).
• Bunch of chives (optional).
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds.
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• Garam masala (All spice powder)- A pinch (optional)
• Red chilly powder- 1/4 teaspoon (optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (I use extra virgin)
• Salt to taste

METHOD

• Drain out all the water from the canned chickpeas. Wash them under tap water at least thrice to get rid of the sodium content. Place these into a large bowl.
• Boil baby potatoes along with a pinch of turmeric powder and some salt for 10-15 minutes till they become soft. Mash the chick peas and potatoes together. You can mash potatoes with their skin.
• To this, add yogurt, coriander leaves( you can replace with mint or pudina), chives (optional), the powders and salt.
• In a pan, heat oil and saute garlic followed by cumin seeds till they give out a nice aroma.
• Add this to the chickpea potato mixture and blend thoroughly.
• Scoop enough into each of the pepper halves. Refrigerate the ones that you will not be using.
• Set aside the ones to be used for at least 15 minutes.
• Brush some olive oil at the base of the oven dish. Place the stuffed peppers facing upwards, so that the mixture is on top.
• Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If using a gas oven, bake it gas mark 5 for about 10 minutes. I baked both sides for 10 minutes each, so a total of 20 minutes.

Serve immediately. Garnish with chickpeas or coriander leaves (optional).

And voila! Colorful, tasty stuffed bell peppers are ready!! So, here's the final product.

And another one..

So, what do you think? Easy breezy right? Doesn't it look nice and toasty?This can be served as the starter at a meal, or it can be a meal in itself. If you want, you can drizzle some ketchup or hot sauce on top, though I don't think there's a need to. It contains potatoes which give you your daily dose of carbs, yogurt for calcium, leaves for your general health...So, do try this out and let me know how it turns out! Until next time, take care and God bless darlins!