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Thursday, November 24, 2016

Baked Chicken Tikka (Whole)



I usually tend to bake a whole Chicken during Thanksgiving occasion. Turkey is traditionally roasted during Thanksgiving but is too bland and too big a bird for me, so I turn to my all favorite chicken. Let me tell you one thing, when you bake this bird in your own oven the satisfaction you will get is out of this world :) [ I know, animal right activists better stay away from this post :)]

It is very simple to bake, all you have to do is clean the chicken nicely, make your masala(marination) and stuff it inside out, then say a small prayer and leave it in the oven to work its magic! :) My kid is thrilled whenever I bake a whole chicken! I also like to stuff it with biryani sometimes [ that recipe some other time :)] 


I usually place the roasted bird on a bed of some fancy rice preparation and then serve it with baked beans, brussel sprouts, smashed potatoes, some soup, and a dessert making it a full fledged calorie loaded meal! 

So for now, let us take a look at the Baked Chicken Tikka.

Ingredients:
  • 1 mid-size chicken (whole)
  • 1/2 packet chicken tikka masala (shaan)
  • 5 tbsp lemon
  • 4 tbsp oil( or butter)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder (that gives color like Kashmiri or Byadgi) 
  • pinch orange color (optional)
  • 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • 2-3 tbsp butter (for basting)
  • salt as per taste 
  • 4 tbsp vinegar (for cleaning chicken)

Preparation:
  • Clean the chicken nicely inside out with some water and vinegar. This also takes away the raw smell of the chicken. Make small cuts all over the chicken with a sharp knife, so that when we coat the masala it gets in it and marinates well.
  • Make a mixture of 1 tbsp lemon + 1 tbsp oil/butter + 1 tsp ginger garlic paste + 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder 
  • Coat the inside of the chicken with this paste.
  • Now make a mixture of chicken tikka masala + 4 tbsp lemon juice +3 tbsp oil/butter. Coat the outside of the chicken with this paste nicely. Tie those chicken legs together with a thread.
  • Marinate it for good 4 hours or overnight.
  • Remove it from the fridge and preheat your oven for 400F/200C. Take a baking tray and place cooling or grill rack over it and then place the marinated bird on it.
  • Baste with butter all over it and bake it for 30 minutes. 
  • If you like it nicely roasted, apply butter or oil every 15 minutes. 
  • After 30 minutes, flip the chicken and bake for another 30 minutes. Every oven can have slightly different settings. So after 1 hour of cooking, test it by piercing with a sharp knife, if the knife comes out smoothly that means your chicken is done.
  • Lastly just put the oven on a broil mode for say 3-5 minutes to get those burnt marks. 
  • Take it out and serve with Masala Bhat, Beans, Lemon Wedges, Sliced Onions, Raita etc.


njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Notes:* I like spicy marination on my Chicken as per my taste buds, you can go easy with chili powder and take little less portion of tikka masala as well.


Health Benefits: Chicken is one of the best non-vegetarian sources of protein. It is lean meat, which means that it contains more amount of proteins and less amount of fat. Apart from protein, chicken is rich in several minerals like phosphorus and calcium, that helps keeps bones in mint condition. Also, it has selenium which has been known to cut a risk of arthritis.Chicken has two nutrients that are great for reducing stress – tryptophan and Vitamin B5. It boosts immunity (remember how we eat chicken noodle soup when we are sick?) and promotes good heart health as it is rich in vitamin B6, plays an important role in preventing a heart attack. so I say YAY to chicken!

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Dalimbi Usal (Val/Pavte Usal)



Val Usal or Dalimbi Usal (lima beans, butter beans, some also say field beans) is a very authentic staple curry preparation from the state of Maharashtra. I learnt it from my mother-in-law. My husband is a big fan of dry usal preparation of dry val beans and also moong dal usal. His eyes light up when he sees these dishes on the kitchen counter :) It is a simple preparation more or less like matki chi usal, goes very well with rotis or dal/rice. It has a very nice rustic taste and little bit of bitterness to it which makes me go all nostalgic :) When you add jaggery to it the taste balances just perfectly! Actually, it can be made dry or patal(thin) bhaji as per your liking.



It is just amazing how in Indian cooking we make use of so many lentils and legumes. Of course, from where else will the world's largest vegetarian population bring protein into their diet? right? We truly are blessed- we get to taste and enjoy so much variety, along with so many different styles and methods of cooking. My mom always says, woman who is blessed with good cooking skills, can literally add a fantastic tadka(tempering) to the water and get going :) :)

Let us take a look at this Dalimbi Usal or Val Usal.

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup val (dry lima or butter beans, some say field beans too)
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 2 tbsp dry coconut grated
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tsp jaggery
  • 2-3 kokum petals
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • pinch of asafoetida (hing)
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp goda masala (garam masala pwd)
  • handful cilantro finely chopped
  • 1-2 tbsp fresh coconut for garnish
  • salt to taste

Preparation:

  • Soak the val beans in the water overnight or for 8 hours. If you want to make sprouted val beans usal (which is more nutritious) then drain the water and keep it to sprout for 8 hours in a muslin cloth tied up. 
  • In a saucepan add enough water till val beans is immersed and on med heat cook for 15-20 minutes. Keep a close eye after 15 minutes. It must be just soft. ( It gets mushy quickly and we don't want that). Switch off the gas and drain the water out. Keep cooked val beans dal aside.
  • In another pan, dry roast- dry coconut and cumin seeds- cool it and make a coarse powder. Keep aside. 
  • In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, once it starts spluttering add cumin seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, turmeric powder and red chili powder. Add cooked val dal and very gently mix everything. 
  • Add water sparingly if you want a dry dish or add little more to get gravy. After a couple of minutes add kokum petals, jaggery, salt, dry coconut+cumin powder, goda msala and mix the usal with a light hand. 
  • Cover the lid and let it cook for few minutes.
  • Once Usal is done sprinkle some fresh grated coconut, cilantro and serve hot with roti or rice.
  You may also like Matki chi Usal, Methichi chi Bhaji, Misal Pav, Mooli Pachadi etc


njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Health Benefits:


Val or Lima beans (butter beans), like any other beans, are rich in dietary fiber. It is a slow burning complex carbohydrate. Val Beans gives you much energy to burn while stabilizing blood sugar. Also, has a good amount of Iron which is very crucial for the body. It is a power packed protein. A good source of manganese and folate along with potassium and has low sodium content.

Friday, November 18, 2016

Lemon Pound Cake


 My first memory of baking a cake is with my aunt, she is one patient lady who loved to teach me baking and gave me an opportunity to work with eggs, butter and flour without being a Hitler :) ( like how I am with others now) I have fond memories of baking it on stove top without using an oven. She had a container where she used to place the sand at the base and then add cake batter container on top of it. That's how she made it. That pound cake was "the cake" I absolutely loved. In fact, even on my last visit to India, I had requested for a cake and she lovingly had made it for me! Love her so much for that.


My Son, My Husband and Me - can gobble this Lemon pound Cake straight up in no time and I am not even kidding! We can knock each other out for a slice :) We are a 'Pound Cake' family :):) It is so freakin ADDICTIVE!!!!

I am so so glad that my kid loves this particular pound cake just like how I used to enjoy devouring it. He loves that lemon frosting more than the pound cake itself. It gives a citrusy sweetness coating to the cake which in turn gives a nice kick to the whole bite! I instantly get transported to one of the Starbuck's shops (lol), because that is what I enjoy, a lemon cake more than the coffees and lattes :)


Let us take a look at this Lemon Pound Cake recipe which I am sure you will be saving it in your recipe folder :)


Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/3 cups granulated white sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1  lemon zest grated
  • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup  unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 4 ounces full fat cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
For Lemon Frosting:
  • 2 cups confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar
  • 3 - 4 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice


Preparation:
  • Preheat your oven to 350 F (180C). Butter and flour a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. 
  • In a large bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • In a small bowl rub the lemon zest into the sugar.
  • In the bowl of your electric mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment), or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and sugar and beat on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy for about 5 minutes. 
  • Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. 
  • Add the flour mixture, in two or three additions, and mix just until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
  • Bake for about 60 -65 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 20 -30 minutes. Then remove the cake from the pan to finish cooling before frosting.
  • For lemon frosting, place the confectioner sugar in a medium sized bowl. Add about 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice and whisk until you have a thick and smooth glaze. Add more lemon juice or powdered sugar if needed to get the correct pouring consistency. 
  • Slowly pour the frosting over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides. Let the frosting dry before covering and storing. 
  • This cake will keep about 3 to 4 days at room temperature or about one week in the refrigerator. Can also be frozen.




njoY!! happY bakinG!!

recipe adapted from Joy of Baking site.

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Pasta Carbonara (with Shrimp)




Let me first gulp my saliva before I start describing this creamy Carbonara dish :) Very much Italian and loved by everyone around the world. Easy to make and one can get this on the dining table in no time. Authentically it calls for pieces of bacon strips and veggies (of your choice), but I made it with shrimp. Gotta give a twist with whatever you have at hand, right? :)

Pasta is generally eaten with nutrient-dense food partners, such as fiber-filled vegetables and beans, heart healthy fish and monounsaturated oils, antioxidant-rich tomato sauce and protein-packed cheeses, poultry and lean meats. I like Italian but not a very big fan, especially when it comes to tomato base and sauces. I will take cheese sauces any darn day. I think my favorite so far is mushroom ravioli from Macaroni Grill. It is just so super yum! Well, I don't want to divert the topic from my Carbonara today :)



So, first time I watched the making of Pasta Carbonara was on TV by Giada or Rachel (I don't quite remember), then I tasted it at Olive Garden and liked it. Later I had it at Vapianos and loved it even better (sorry olive garden folks :)). After that I had to make it at home. Checked my recipe books, it didn't get me excited. Finally I came across Pioneer Woman's Carbonara recipe and there bang!! she got my juices flowing and I made it with the shrimp (of course)!! And it did not disappoint me. Loved it! I ain't changing anything from the main sauce. It's awesome! It is one of my regular pasta dish that my kid looks forward to eat :)


Let us take a look at the Pasta Carbonara recipe:

Ingredients:
  • 12 oz pasta (I made with spaghetti, you can use any variety )
  • 1/2 medium onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 whole eggs
  • 3/4 cups finely grated parmesan
  • 3/4 cups heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp pepper powder
  • salt as per taste
  • 1/2 cup peas - optional
  • few cherry tomatoes halved (optional)
  • 1 tbsp chopped parsley

Preparation:

  • Cook pasta according to package directions. 
  • While the pasta is cooking, 
  • Sprinkle salt and pepper on shrimp and shallow fry the it in a pan for just a couple of minutes on each side. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels. 
  • Return the pan to the stove over medium-low heat and throw in the onions and garlic. Cook until golden brown. Set aside. 
  • In a bowl, mix together eggs, parmesan, heavy cream, salt and pepper until smooth. 
  • When the pasta is done, reserve a cup or two of the pasta water. 
  • Drain the pasta and place it in a bowl. While the pasta is still really hot, slowly drizzle in the egg mixture, stirring the pasta the whole time. The sauce will become thick and should coat the pasta. Splash in a little hot pasta water if needed for consistency.
  • Halfway through, add sauteed shrimp, add the peas(if using), add tomatoes (if using) and sauteed onion/garlic. Finish adding the sauce, stirring until it's all combined. 
  • Serve immediately with garnish of extra grated parmesan and parsley.
njoy!! happY cookinG!!


Health Benefits: Pasta provides beneficial carbohydrates and fibre that our body needs. Both white and whole-wheat pastas serve as excellent sources of selenium, a mineral that activates antioxidant enzymes tasked with protecting your cells from molecular damage. Pasta also contains manganese, a mineral that helps you metabolize carbohydrates and regulate your blood sugar. Eat white pasta as a source of folate or vitamin B-9 or opt for whole-wheat pasta as a source of the carotenoids lutein. Pasta is a perfect foundation for healthy, nutritious and satisfying meals.


Thursday, November 10, 2016

Idli Sambar



Idli Sambar is the most delicious and slurpicious breakfast that is out there, originally from south of India. Now it is a well known dish all over the country and the world. It is a known fact that it has very low calories and it is a very metabolic friendly dish. Hot steaming idlis are soft in nature and fluffy in character with pure look (cotton soft white :))

Getting soft idlis depends on lots of factors. For Idli batter to ferment, it needs warm temperature. In tropical region, one need not think about temperature, which is a big advantage. In cold countries, one has to get creative and keep the batter in warmer places overnight to ferment like in the oven with the lights on or in microwave with a glass of hot water or near the vent where it is usually hot when heater is on :) etc. etc. Idli has basically 2 parts, black split gram dal and either rice or idli rava (also known as rice rava) My recipe has Idli rava and making idli is a breeze. When you make with rice, one has to rinse it, dry it and then grind it. Long process..:( Also if you grind it using a stone grinder (wet grinder) the batter ferments more nicely than when one grinds it in a regular blender.  I use a regular grinder and have no complaints :)


Idli's cannot be had alone (because it is bland), it is not a standalone dish :) it needs company, yes! Sambar or Chutney are the best accompaniments an idli can have. My personal favorite is ginger chutney to go with the idli's :) But I enjoy it with sambar and other chutneys too.
Sambar is again a staple curry from south India. It is a blend of mix vegetables cooked and then mixed with sambar masala (few spices), tamarind, jaggery etc and then finished with an aromatic tempering.

One more thing I like about it is that, it is kind of mess free. Kids take an immediate liking to it as it is bland and we can feed them with sugar and ghee or plain ketchup. Since it is very soft in texture, they will not know how many idli's go in their tummies without making any fuss. Easy to carry while taking road trips and going to picnics.


Let us take a look at the Idli recipe and Sambar recipe:

Ingredients:
Idli
  • 1 cup black split gram dal (urad dal)
  • 2 cups idli rava
  • salt as per taste
Sambar:
  • 2 cups vegetables chopped/cubed (beans, okra, potato, onion, carrots, drumsticks, eggplant etc- any 4 vegetables should be good enough)
  • 1 cup cooked tovar dal
  • 1 tsp tamarind pulp
  • 1/2 tsp jaggery
  • 2-3 tsp sambar powder (I use mtr brand a lot)
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • salt as per taste
for tempering:
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 2 sprigs of curry leaves
  • 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
  • 2 dry red chillies
  • 1 tbsp oil or ghee
  • for garnish - grated coconut (optional)

Preparation:

         Idli:
  • Soak urad dal overnight or for 6 hours. Wash and drain the water out. Transfer to the blender and add just enough water till the dal is immersed. Grind it in a blender with addition of little water if needed and make a smooth paste (shouldn't be a running batter). If you have a stone grinder, even better :). Transfer the paste to a bigger steel ( if possible) container.
  • Now take 2 cups of idli rava in a bowl, add some water till it is immersed. Scoop the idli rava in your palms, squeeze the water out and add the idli rava in the urad dal batter. Repeat the process till all the idli rava is in the batter. Mix the batter nicely, it should have thick consistency. Now add salt, mix it with the batter.
  • Leave the mixture in a warm place to ferment for good 6- 8 hours. If the temperature is 90F and above you can do a happy dance :) as the batter will explode after fermentation like this

  • If the weather is not cooperating, you can place it in oven, turn the heat to 200F, switch it off and place your batter utensil in the oven overnight or 8-10 hours. 
  • In todays' time you can also make it in instant pot very easily too, get the mode on yogurt and keep your batter inside the pot for say 8-10 hrs.
  • You will see that the fermented batter increases in volume and becomes very airy and fluffy.
  • Now take an idli mould stand and grease it with oil, scoop batter and fill the moulds (do not overfill). Steam it for 12 minutes on med-high heat. 
  • Take the mould stand out, let it cool for 2 minutes and then scoop the idli's out. Yeilds around 24-25 idli's.
  • Serve hot with Sambar and chutney.

           Sambar:
  • In a pan add oil and dump all the chopped vegetables. Saute it for few seconds, and add little water, cover and cook for about 6-7 minutes till they are 3/4 done. Stir in between.
  • Add sambar powder, mix with the vegetables and then pour cooked tovar dal, adjust the thickness of the sambar as per your liking by adding water. Stir everything gently.

  • Add tamarind pulp, jaggery, salt, and bring to a quick boil. Then simmer the sambar for few more minutes. Taste and adjust tamarind and jaggery as per your liking.
  • Make a tempering by heating oil, add mustard seeds, after it splutters add curry leaves, red dry chillies and hing. Pour it over the sambar and cover the lid. Let the steam get infused in the sambar. Serve hot with steaming Idli's or Dosas.
You may also like, Ragi Iddiyapam, Potato Stew, Instant Poha Idli, Plain Dosa, Cilantro Chutney, Ginger Chutney etc.


njoY!! happY cookinG!!



Health Benefits:
Idlis are a great source of carbohydrates and proteins. The fermentation process increases the bioavailability of proteins and enhances the vitamin B content of the food. As it is steamed, fat content is low and it is easily digestible. Use of dal and rice in idli is a good combination as the amino acids in them complement each other. An idli fills you up with fewer calories. 1 idli contains only 50-65 calories only. Some foods burden your digestive system whereas some get easily digested. Idli-sambar is a dish which can easily be absorbed by your body. Also, some foods don't make you feel lazy or sleepy after consuming and this dish is one of them.
Shown here are the pics of Idli rava and its packaging, just to give an idea :)





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