Mint & Coriander Rice

Recipe Ingredients:

1 cup mint

1 cup coriander

2 cups rice

1/4 chopped onions

6 green chillies

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tbsp cumin seeds

4 cardamom pods

4 tbsp oil

salt (according to taste)

How to Prepare:

Wash rice in several changes of cold water untill the water runs clear. Leave to soak in fresh cold water for 20 minutes, then drain the water.  Cook rice by adding 4 cups water for 20-30 minutes.

In the meanwhile blend mint leaves, coriander leaves and 4 green chillies into a slushy paste by adding little water. Heat oil in a large heavy based pan. Add onions and cumin seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-6 minutes untill light golden brown in colour.

Add ginger garlic paste to the frying pan and fry for 3-5 minutes over a low heat. Slit the remaining green chillies into two (length wise), add green chillies to onion mixture.

Now add mint & coriander paste and cardamom pods, quickly followed by adding cooked rice and salt. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Mix well to combine. Serve immediately.

Serving Suggestions:

It goes well with raita and non-veg dishes.

Cake Pudding

 Recipe Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup sponge cake, chopped into small cubes

1 cup whipped cream

3-4 tbsp chocolate syrup

1 apple

8-10 strawberries 

1/2 cup grapes

2-3 tbsp honey

How to prepare:

Chop apple, grapes and strawberries into small pieces. Mix them with honey.

Thaw the whipped cream for few minutes. Whisk whipped cream and chocolate syrup to get a smooth chocolate cream.

In a glass, put some cake pieces as the bottom layer. Add the fruits on the top of cake cubes.  Then add the chocolate cream on top of it.

Repeat the layers until you reach the top of the glass. The top layer should be fruits. Serve Chilled.

Coconut & Tomato Chutney

Recipe Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup freshly chopped coconut cubes

1 cups chopped tomatoes 

4 dry red chillies

2 tbsp oil

salt (according to taste)

How to prepare:

Heat oil in a pan over a medium high heat. Add dry red chillies and cook for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and stir for further 2 minutes. Cover the lid and let it cook untill tomatoes are well cooked and pulpy.

Transfer the contents in the saucepan to blender, add chopped coconut cubes and salt and blend into a fine paste, transfer the coconut & tomato paste into a bowl.

Serving Suggestions:

It goes well with idly's or with dosa or vada.

Vermicelli Idli

 Recipe Ingredients:

 

1 1/2 cup vermicelli

1 cup yogurt

1/2 cup grated carrot

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

5-6 curry leaves chopped

1 inch ginger chopped

3-4 green chillies chopped

1/4 cup shredded coconut

1 tsp oil

salt (according to taste)

How to prepare:

Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds. Add ginger, green chillies and curry leaves, saute for a minute. Add carrot and saute for a couple of minutes until raw smell goes. Keep this aside to cool.

Beat the yogurt well and add it to vermicelli. Mix well. Add little water if necessary so as to make the batter. This batter will be thick unlike the usual idly batter.Now add the carrot mixture, coconut and salt to this and combine everything well. Keep this aside for 15-20 minutes, half an hour would be best.

Grease the idly stand with a little oil. Pour the vermicelli batter into each mould. Spread it a little using the ladle. Steam cook it for 10-12 minutes. Serve hot with sambhar or chutney.

Banana Dates Milkshake

Recipe Ingredients:

2 ripe banana

5-6 pitted dates 

1 cup soy milk

Honey to taste

How to Prepare:

Soak the dates in warm soy milk (about 1/4 cup) for 15-20 minutes so as to make them soft. Now add these to a blender and blend until you get a paste. Then add the chopped banana and rest of the milk. Blend again until smooth. Add honey if necessary. Serve chilled.

Goan Prawns Curry with Hard-Boiled Eggs

Recipe Ingredients:

700 gm raw peeled prawns, cooked

4 tbsp sunflower oil or olive oil

1 large onion finely chopped

2 tbsp ginger puree

2 tbsp garlic puree

2 tbsp ground coriander

1/2 tbsp ground fennel

1/2 tbsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp chilli powder

1/2 tbsp pepper powder

2-3 tbsp water

125 gm tomatoes, finely chopped,cooked

200 ml coconut milk

4 hard boiled eggs

juice of 1 lime

salt (according to taste)

How to Prepare:

Heat oil over in a medium saucepan over a medium-high heat and add the onion. cook untill the onion is soft but not brown. Add the ginger and garlic purees and cook for 2-3 minutes.

In a small bow, mix the ground coriander, ground fennel, turmeric, chilli powder and pepper. Add the water and make a paste. Reduce the heat to medium, add this paste to the onion mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add half the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining tomatoes and cook for further 2-3 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, bring to slow simmer and cook, uncovered, for 6-8 minutes, stirring regularly.

Mean while, shell the eggs and using a sharp knife, make 4 slits lengthwise on each egg without cutting them through. Add the eggs to the pan along with prawns. Increase the heat slightly and cook for 6-8 minutes.

Stir in the lime juice. Remove from heat and transfer the curry to the serving dish and serve hot.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve with hot rice.

Spicy Capsicum Dip Chicken Curry

Recipe Ingredients:

1 kg chicken

2 tbsp oil

2 onions finely chopped

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

2 tbsp chilli flakes

2 x 200 gm spicy capsicum dips

100 ml water

salt (according to taste)

How to Prepare:

Put chicken in to a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and lift out the chicken and set aside to cool. Remove and discard the bones. Cut the flesh into bite size pieces.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add onions and ginger garlic paste, cook, stirring for 3 minutes, or untill softened. Add the chilli flakes and salt and cook for further 5 minutes. Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes.

Stir in the capsicum dips, cover and simmer for further 10 minutes. Add water, bring to boil, stirring, cover for further 25 minutes. Serve hot.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve with hot rice/Chapati/Naan.

Peshawar-Style Prawns Curry

Recipe Ingredients:

4 tbsp olive oil

2.5 cm cinnamon stick

5 green cardamom pods, bruised

5 cloves

2 bay leaves

700 gm raw prawns, peeled

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp ginger puree

2 tbsp garlic puree

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tbsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tbsp ground cumin

125 gm thick set natural yogurt

2 tbsp gram flour

150 ml warm water

2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

1 tbsp chopped fresh mint leaves

salt (according to taste)

How to Prepare:

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over a low heat and add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and bay leaves. Let them sizzle for 20-30 seconds, then add the prawns, increase the heat to medium-high and cook untill all the natural juices have evaporated.

Add the onion and ginger and garlic purees, cook for 5-6 minutes, stirring regularly, then add the tomato puree, turmeric, ground coriander and cumin. Continue to cook for 3-4 minutes.

Whisk together the yogurt, gram flour and chilli powder and add to the prawns. Reduce the heat to low, add the warm water, cover and simmer, stirring to ensure that the sauce does not stick to the base of the pan, for 40-45 minutes, or untill prawns are cooked, if necessary, to thicken the sauce to a desired consistency.

Stir in the fresh mint and coriander, remove from the heat and serve.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve with hot rice/chapati/naan.

Chicken Korma

Recipe Ingredients:

1 kg chicken

225 gm ghee/butter

3 onions, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 inch fresh ginger, grated

1 tbsp mild chilli powder

1 tbsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp ground coriander

1/2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tbsp ground cardamom

1 tbsp gram flour

125 ml milk

500gm double cream

Fresh coriander leaves to garnish

Salt (according to taste)

How to Prepare:

Put the chicken into a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, lift out the chicken and set aside to cool. Reserve 125 ml of the cooking liquid. Remove and discard the bones. Cut the flesh into bite-sized pieces.

Heat the ghee in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until softened. Add the ginger, chilli powder, turmeric, ground coriander, cardamom, cinnamon and salt and cook for further 5 minutes. Add the Chicken and reserved cooking liquid. Cook for 2 minutes.

Blend the flour with a little of the milk and add to the pan, then stir in the remaining milk. Bring to the boil, stirring, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for a further 15 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve with hot rice.