Rosemary and Garlic Roasted Brusstels Sprouts

 

Hello my wonderful readers,

How are you all doing today? So today I am here with a simple no fuss snack thats is easy on the waist line and doesn’t feel like a salad at all. So every Friday my husband likes to unwind with a glass of scotch and he insists that I make some thing to go along with the drink. Inevitably I end up making something deep fried. So to change things up and keep it healthy, I decided to make these roasted Brussels sprouts and potatoes and they were a HIT!  They take close to no time to prep and once they are in the oven all you have to do is give them a toss in the half way through the baking time just to make sure they crisp up evenly.

The garlic and the rosemary boost the taste and flavour of the veggies.

 

Ingredients :-

1. Brussel Sprouts – 500 Gms
2. Onions – 2 large ( sliced)
3. Garlic – 10 cloves
4. Rosemary – 4 to 5 sprigs
5. Potato – 2 ( cut to wedges ) (cut them thin so they take the same time to cook as the rest of the ingredients )
6. Pepper – 1/2 tsp
7. Himalayan Pink Salt to taste ( use regular if not available )
8. Olive oil for a generous drizzle

 

Instructions :-

1. Pre heat your oven to 200C
2. Clean and cut the Brussels sprouts. Prep the onions, potatoes and rosemary
3. In a large bowl combine all the ingredients listed above
4. Arrange the same onto a baking tray
5. Drizzle olive oil and pop the tray into the oven. Bake for 40 mins or till the Brussels sprouts are crisp on the outside and the potatoes are cooked well
6. Make sure to turn the veggies around, half way through the bake, to ensure that they cook evenly
7. Once done, serve right away . We like it a little crisp and brown on the outside.
8. You could also grate some cheese on top of the roasted veggies

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Strawberry doughnuts with Honey and Lemon sugar

Hello My dear wonderful readers,

How are you all doing today? So it was cheat day the other day and I had one of these and OMG I had to give them away cause these doughnuts are so so addictive. Strawberry season is here and I think I would use it in everything and anything. This is my second strawberry recipe for the season and let’s be honest, I can never have enough of these ruby red beauties. These doughnuts are baked and not deep fried so they are more cakey than fried but trust me when I say this, one bite and you wont be able to go back evaaaa!! These pink rings of heaven are the perfect mix of sweet, tart, fresh and  “munchy”. Those little red spots on the donuts are the finely chopped strawberries. The key is to dunk them in honey when nice and warm and therefore the lemon sugar melts into the doughnuts and OH MY GOD., the magic is insane!

In fact I baked 12 of these but only 11 got to the photos 🙂 cause these donuts, my friend, are just so awesome!! lol

So while I was baking these my little munchkin decided it was time for him to play in the kitchen as well. So when I was whisking and piping, my little boy was sitting on the kitchen mat, making “rice, mutta (eggs) and cheese ” which is when I was reminded about how I went to the toy store to see if I could get him a kitchen set or a toy oven but to my surprise all the kitchen toys were only in this hideous bright pink with photos of little girls making food. So what I couldn’t understand is – why is that only girls like these kind of games? I mean some of the best chefs in the world are men and they are respected all over the world, then why is it that boys cant be allowed to play with the same kind of toys. Also why is it pink?? I have never come across a pink kitchen my entire life! And no working real kitchen can ever function to its fullest if it where white or pink! Why not have a kitchen that is the same colour as the real thing! Anyway the bottom line is, I decided if he wants to play he can play with the stuff in my kitchen and when he is old enough I will help him learn and understand that there is no job that was either reserved for men or for women. Girl or boy we all deserve equal opportunity and equal respect for the choices we make.

Now back to the doughnuts, just like all my bakes, (unless otherwise specified) make sure the ingredients are at room temperature and the baking tray is well prepared. Try not rushing this step cause these doughnuts will just pop out easily if you do so. Now for the recipe

Ingredients :-

1. Butter – 1 tsp
2. Flour – 2 cups + more for dusting the pan
3. Baking Powder – 1 tsp
4. Oil – 1/2 cup
5. Sugar – 1/ 2 cup + more of dusting
6. Eggs – 2 large eggs
7. Vanilla Extract – 1 tsp
8. Apple Cider Vinegar – 1 tsp
9. Salt – 1/2 of 1/4 tsp
10. Nutmeg – 1/4 tsp
11. Butter Milk – 3/4 cup
12. Strawberry – 1 cup ( chopped fine)
13. Red food colour – 1 small drop ( optional)
14. Lemon Zest – from 2 limes
15. Honey 2 tbsp

Instructions :-

1. Pre-Heat your oven to 180 C
2. Prepare your doughnut pan by brushing butter on the inside of your baking pan. Make sure to butter the hole in the centre too . This recipe makes 12 doughnuts
3. Now lightly dust the buttered pan with flour. Invert the pan and shake of the excess flour. Set aside
4. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and sieve twice
5. In another bowl, add the oil, eggs, apple cider vinegar , vanilla, sugar and butter milk. Whisk together till the sugar has mixed well with mixture
6. Then add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in 3 batches. Make sure to mix well at every addition of dry mixture to the wet
7. Once you have all the dry ingredients mixed, add the chopped strawberry and colour
8. Mix well to combine
9. Now pour the mixture into a piping bag. Snip the bottom and pipe the batter into the prepared doughnut pan
10. Fill till 80 % of the hole
11. Pop into the oven to bake for 20 mins or till a toothpick inserted comes out clean
12. While that is baking lets make the lemon sugar
13. In a plate, zest the lemons. Then add 1/2 cup of caster sugar. Now with dry hands, mix the sugar and lemon zest. You will see the sugar turn a light green colour
14. Once the doughnuts are done, let them cool for 5 mins
15. Then when the doughnuts are still warm, using a pastry brush, brush honey on the face of the doughnut
16. Then dunk the doughnuts into the lemon sugar
17. Place on a cooling rack to dust of the excess sugar
18. Your strawberry doughnuts with honey and lemon sugar are ready

 

Green Cucumber Mint Lemonade

Hello my dear wonderful readers,

So I know you are thinking it’s still cold and why on earth would I wanna put up a post with a cold drink. The fact is that it is nice and cold during the nights but the days are getting equally warm. In fact by 2 in the afternoon we have our fans on and my son is usually sweating by then. Also I  realized that it is equally important to stay hydrated during cold times as in summer.

This cucumber mint juice is the perfect way to stay hydrated and cucumber by itself has many healthy benefits. There is always a simple cucumber salad with all our meals and some days we have this drink instead of an aerated drink. We discourage our little one from having soft drinks and beverages so we replace them with juices such as watermelon or lime or even a strawberry milkshake. So this juice was not well received by the little one but we enjoy it every now and then. Its simple to make and it all goes into a single bowl so not much of a recipe per say.

You could also add cumin powder or chilli powder at the end just to give it a different kick. I just use honey cause I love sweet drinks and this is my go to drink when I am in need of a clean refreshing juice.

Ingredients :-

1. Lime – 2
2. Water – 4 cups
3. Cucumber – 3  (sliced and extra for garnish)
4. Ginger – 1 inch knob
5. Honey – according to taste
6. Mint – 1 cup (packed)

Instructions :-

1. In the bowl of your blender / juicer, add the juice of 2 limes
2. Then add all of the above ingredients
3. Blend till the ginger has also blended with the juice. Add more honey if required at this stage
4. Pour into glasses and serve right away

Green Falafel Meal Bowl – with lemon couscous and pita chips (Baked)

Hello my dear wonderful readers!

How are you all doing today? I hope your weekend was fun. We had a quiet time this weekend. A little work but mostly lounging around the house and catching up on lost sleep. After my baking marathon in December, I decided to set new goals for myself with regard to my health. So I woke up early for a run and some work on the elliptical (cross) trainer and oh my god! My body hurts so bad!! hahahaha. Infact as soon as I got out of the gym I felt like I was walking on clouds 🙂 So funny. But on the bright side I could feel the blood rush to my face and now there is pinkish tinge that make me look, lets say “livelier” haha.

Anyway so today is Monday and we go meatless and eggless on Mondays. So this seemed to be the right post for today. This meal is so good and so healthy, you wont feel soo full and yet you would have the nutrition of a balanced meal.

The falafel is baked and not deep fried ( cause we did quite a lot of frying last few weeks) and I used a handsome amount of parsley, spinach, corinder and mint in the dish, to give the patty its nice green colour + they just taste really good. Served on a bed of lemony cucumber couscous along with some green salad and pickled beets which makes this dish just the best kind of meal that wont make you feel like you are missing out on anything.

Ingredients :-

 

1. Boiled Chickpeas – 3 cups
2. Spinach – 250 gms ( blanched )
3. Flat Leaf Parsley – 1 cup
4. Mint – 1/2 cup
5. Fresh Coriander – 1 cup
6. Garlic – 6 large cloves
7. Pepper – 1 tsp
8. Coriander Seeds – 1 tbsp
9. Onions – 1/4 cup (finely chopped)
10. Salt to taste
11. Sesame Seeds – 3 tbsp
12. Olive Oil – 1 tbsp

 

 

 

Instructions :-

 

1. In the bowl of your blender, add all the ingredients
2. Now with the speed on medium – blend to form a coarse mixture
3. Scoop out a little and see if it holds shape – If not add 1 tsp of water and grind further
4. Now pre heat your oven to 180
5. Place a baking paper or silpat mat on the baking tray and set aside
6. Using a small ice cream scoop or a table soon, slowly scoop out small balls and place on the prepared baking tray
7. Using the back of a spoon push gently to flatten the tops
8. Drizzle with olive oil just for the perfect crispness
9. Bake for 20 – 25 mins or till they turn golden brown
10. Once done, take them out of the oven and place to cool completely
11. Serve with couscous or pita bread and with a salad of choice

 

 

 

 

 

Strawberry, Thyme and Caramel Brioche Sticky Buns

 

 

Hello my dear wonderful readers!

Is it Thursday already???? Some times I cannot believe how the days go by. My little monkey a.k.a my son 🙂 is also growing up so fast. Let me tell you why I say that. My little boy has a cold and till yesterday what comes so easily to us, was the hardest thing for him. What is that one thing that we often do when we have a cold? we blow our nose! But my little 2 year had no clue how to blow his nose. All he would do is a “kaaaarrkkkkkkkk” sound into a tissue if I ask him blow his nose. Yesterday some how, I asked him to do the same and guess what?? it worked!!! He actually blew his nose!! Now I know you are thinking OMG what is this woman talking about! So here is something, parenting is such a roller coaster, that every single minute you learn and you grow. You do not have to be a parent to a human, it could be a cute little pup or cat or any animal you want to appreciate what i am saying. When they are tiny they are so fragile that once they start showing signs of growing up, every step calls for a celebration. At least I do. Your child is a celebration of your life. The joys I have found as a mum are unparalleled and can never be forgotten.

Now coming back to this recipe. It was actually a test recipe but given that I made quite a few yesterday and only 4 remain, I think it would be apt to share the recipe with you all. So I asked my dear husband to buy some fresh thyme for a dinner I was making and he got this huge packet of thyme so needless to say, you might see a lot of “Thyme” based recipes coming your way 🙂

Strawberries and thyme are a match made in heaven. So if you wanna make a fun snack with fresh strawberry jam or even store bought organic jam then this is just the one. When I was a little girl my mum would always make me have a jam sandwich and a tall glass of milk on the table just before I went out to play. This recipe reminds me so much of those days.

The bread is not just any bread. It is the most fluffiest, softest, tastiest bread ever. Because of the addition of butter and eggs this bread is just delicious just by itself too. The little thyme adds a certain mystical, lemony smell and taste. Winter mornings with a cup of tea and these buns are the perfect breakfast in bed option too.

Ingredients for the bread :-

1. Flour – 2 cups
2. Sugar – 5 tbsp
3. Yeast – 2 tsp
4. Salt – 1/4 tsp
5. Milk – 2/3 cup (warm)
6. Water – 1/3 cup
7. Eggs – 2 (lightly beaten)
8. Butter – 105 gms (softened and at room temp)

Instructions :-

1. In a bowl combine milk, sugar and yeast. Set aside till frothy and bubbly
2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add the flour and butter. With the hook attachment mix till a bread crumb consistency is achieved
3. Then add the eggs and mix well
4. Next add the yeast mixture and milk in a steady stream with the mixer on low
5. Once you are done, add the salt and let the dough mix for 10 – 12 mins on medium speed
6. Mean while oil a glass bowl with 1/2 tsp of oilve oil and set aside
7. Now you will notice that the dough is quite wet but that’s ok, continue mixing till the dough is nice and elastic
8. Finally tip the elastic dough into the prepared bowl
9. Cover with a cloth and set in a warm place till the dough doubles in size ( 1 – 3 hrs)
10. During that time. Lets assemble the ingredients for the filling

Ingredients :-

1. Strawberry Jam – 2 cups ( depends on how thin you roll out the dough)
2. Fresh Thyme – 4 tbsp
3. Caramel – 3 tbsp ( or as required)
4. Egg – 1 (whisked well)
5. Butter for greasing

Instructions  :-

1. Pre Heat your oven to 200 C and grease a cupcake tray with butter. Set aside
2. Flour your work counter with flour and dump the flour into the counter. Make sure to deflate the dough in the bowl first
3. Slowly knead for 1 min till it forms a ball. Divide the ball into 2 equal halves
4. Then using a rolling pin, roll out a rectangle 40 cm x 20 cm
5. The using a pastry brush, evenly spread the jam over the rolled out dough ( if it very thick pop it into the microwave for 30 sec)
6. Once you are done with the strawberry layer, sprinkle the thyme leaves
7. Then drizzle the caramel over it
8. Now slowly starting from the longer side roll inwards. Flour your hands, if you find the dough is sticky
9. Once you have a nice long roll, cut into equal circles. I used a thread for this. Slip a thread under the log, come around it from both side, make a tiny knot just once and pull tight through
10. As you make the circles place it in the prepared cupcake tray
11. Once you are done with all of the dough in the same manner, using a pastry brush, lightly coat the tops of the rolls, with the eggs wash
12. Pop into the oven for 30 Mins or till golden brown. Once done, remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack
13. Allow to cool till warm to touch, then pop them out of the cupcake molds and place on a cooling rack to cool completely
14. Serve with hot milk or tea

Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti

Hello my dear readers!!

How have you all been? The seasons greetings to you and I hope you all are enjoying the holidays. This is a quick post and I apologize for not having the time to write a nice long post about what has been happening. For now I shall leave you with this recipe and I hope you guys love it as much as we did during this festive season. Lots of love guys :*

Ingredients :–

1. Eggs  – 2
2. Flour – 1 + 1/4 cup
3. Baking powder – 1 tsp
4. Orange Zest – 2 tbsp
5. Caster Sugar – 1 + 1/4 cup
6. Pistachio – 100 gms
7. Cranberries – 50 gms
8. Nutmeg – 1/4 tsp

Instructions :-

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180 C
2. In a large bowl whisk sugar and egg till light and pale
3. Then add the orange zest and nutmeg
4. Slowly fold in the rest of the ingredients using a spatula (try not to deflate the volume of the eggs)
5. Once it all comes together, flour your work surface and drop the dough ball
6. Slowly make a long log with the end tapering
7. Then transfer the log to a baking tray and bake for 25 mins
8. After 25 mins take it out of the oven and put to rest till cool enough to handle
9. Then cut into thin slices
10. Lay it flat on the baking sheet and pop it back into the oven for another 10 mins till golden brown
11. Bring it back out of the oven and set to cool
12. Store in an air tight container

 

Adapted from Nigellissima 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thai Style – Galangal and Lemongrass Chicken Soup

Hello my wonderful readers!!

Its December already!! Can you believe how fast this year has gone by!! I mean the amount of things that have happened and the pace at which things have changed is just incredible! Do not get me wrong. Every moment in it be it sadness or happiness has been an adventure and I do not intend on changing it one bit. But I fear that time moves too quickly when you have a little 2 year and you are hitting 30.

Before getting into the recipe, there was a little thought I wanted to share with you. Last month I turned 30. And oh boy that was a sucky day. I hate birthdays. I do not see the point in celebrating the fact that your skin is getting wrinkled, you hair is losing its lushness, you bones are getting brittle and your patience is running at a low. But that is when my husband sat me down and asked me – what where the highlights of the year and some how I had more reasons to be happy than sad. That is when I realized that your birthday is just a celebration of the number of memories that you have made for so many years and the opportunity to make new ones as time progresses. The number does not really matter for what really matter is how many times you closed your eyes to sleep wearing a smile on your face, or how many times you laughed like no one was watching. How far did you push your self to do the right thing and actually make a difference in someones life. More importantly a birthday is day you treat your self for the champion that you are for all the fears you overcame and all little things you did for your self to make you stronger today. Ok now I am done about that!!!

This recipe is as easy as it gets and oh my god it is so full of flavour. If you are looking for a mild, creamy, aromatic soup then this is it! It reminds you of summer days spent on beaches after a massage at a spa. Soft and delicate, this soup is the perfect winter soup for when the heart yearns for summer time.

Ingredients :-

1. Chicken – 1 kg ( breast pieces cut into bite size chunks)
2. Coconut Milk – 2 cans
3. Pepper Corns – 1 tbsp
4. Lemon Grass – 10 cms stick
5. Lime Leaves – 5
6. Shallots – 8
7. Cherry Tomatoes – 8
8. Galangal – 2 tbsp ( chopped fine)
9. Fish Sauce – 4 tbsp
10. Coconut sugar – 3 tbsp
11. Chicken stock – 1 cup
12. Button Mushroom – 250 gms
13. Lime Juice – juice from 3 limes
14. Green Chillies – 5 ( chopped fine)
15. Salt to taste

Instructions :-

1. In a large pot, add the coconut milk, pepper corns, shallots and galangal
2. Bruise the lemon grass with the back of a knife and add to the pot and bring to a boil. Then add the chicken stock
3. Add the fish sauce, chicken and coconut sugar. Stir occasionally
4. Once the chicken has cooked add the mushrooms, green chilies, lime juice and lime leaves
5. Add salt to taste
6. Bring back to a boil and add the cherry tomatoes. Cook only for another 1 min
7. Serve right away with fresh lime leaves

Parsley, roasted garlic and Lime Garlic Knots

 

Hello my Dear Wonderful Readers!

How are you all doing today? As the weather changes and the cold sets in, I find myself pulling out my blankets, fuzzy socks and jackets out. So in anticipation of soup season, I also have a feeling we will have a lot of bread making in the house too. Did i mention I ruined my oven? Yes, so while I was getting the house ready for Diwali, last month, I cleaned the oven and when I turned it back on, the whole house lost power!!! Yeah I managed to destroy my favorite kitchen apparatus and I havent gotten around to getting the company guys to come take a look at it either (talk about being lazy) :-).

So this time I made my bread in the “convection” mode of my microwave oven and to my pleaseant surprise in really does work! how awesome is that. Now did I mention that this recipe also incorporates, whole wheat? Yes, sir it does!! So I added equal amounts of bread flour and whole wheat flour to make these babies so that they are not all that unhealthy and make a perfectly wholesome meal when paired with a big bowl of healthy soup.

Do you guys love the small bread baskets that they serve in Italian restaurants? With the flavoured butter? I am a sucker for them. While my husband refuses to have it cause he says its a distraction from the main food. I say I love it all.. hahaha..

Ingredients :-

 

1. Bread Flour / Maida – 1 + 1/4 cup
2. Whole Wheat Flour / Atta – 1 + 1/4 cup
3. Sugar – 1 tbsp
4. Salt – 1 tsp
5. Oil – 2 tbsp
6. Yeast – 1 tbsp
7. Water – 1 cup (warm)
8. Garlic – 9 cloves
9. Lime – 1
10. Parsley – 1/4 cup (chopped fine)
11. Butter – 50 gms (at room temperature)

 

 

 

Instructions :-

1. In the bowl of your stand mixer, add sugar, water and yeast. Set aside to rest for 10 mins. In 10 minutes it should have become nice and frothy
2. Into the same bowl, add the flour, salt and oil
3. With the hook attachment on, turn on the mixer to a medium speed for 7 – 10 mins
4. It will form a nice sticky dough
5. Grease a big glass bowl and tip the dough mixture into the bowl
6. Let it rest for 2 hours or till the dough has doubled in size
7. Meanwhile, drizzle a little oil over the garlic cloves and put them into an oven at 200 C for 15 min or till they are golden and almost black on the outside. Once they have cooled down, with the back of your spoon, press them to form a nice paste
8. Now take a bowl and add the melted butter, zest the lime, chopped parsley and garlic paste. Season with salt and mix well and set aside
9. Peheat your oven to 200 C and line a baking tray with baking paper
10. Once the dough has doubled in size, tip the dough onto a floured surface.
11. Slowly knead the dough for 2 mins
12. Then make a large ball and cut it into 2. Then cut them into 5 each. You should have around 10
13. Slowly roll out the dough into long rolls
14. Then just like you tie a shoe lace, tie the knot with the rolled out dough
15. Once you have made the knot, place on the prepared baking tray. Do the same with the remaining dough
16. Dip a pastry brush in some olive oil and brush the tops of the knots lightly
17. Place the tray in the pre heat oven and bake for 15 – 20 mins or till lightly golden on the top
18. During this time, melt the butter mixture in a microwave
19. As soon as the knots are ready take them out of the oven and dip them into the melted butter
20. Use a mitten while you dip the knots as they will really hot!!
21. After dipping them, place them back on the tray
22. Just before you serve them, brush again with the flavored butter!!

 

 

 

 

Pumpkin Khao Soi with sweet sticky Pork and Egg noodles – (soup)

Hello my dear wonderful readers!!

How are you all doing today? I cannot believe its already November and the year is coming to an end. The air is a little chilly and I pulled out my baby’s jackets and I realized I have to buy him new ones 🙂 . How time flies.

Anyways, so this time I am back with a lovely creamy, bold soup. Now traditionally it is made without the pumpkin and usually it goes with chicken. But this time I decided to make the soup creamy and thick and give it a new dimension.  Hence the pumpkin.Trust me this soup is a meal in itself. You can make it completely vegan my omitting the pork but I wanted that little extra protein and so the addition of pork.

We absolutely love noodles at home. May it be rice, buckwheat, whole wheat, egg any sort, is always welcome. So the recipe calls of egg noddles but if you cannot get a hold of them then go ahead and use any noodle that you like. Just make sure that you add them just before you serve them in a bowl, or else they tend to absorb all the moisture from the soup and then just turn mushy. No one wants a mushy bowl of noodle soup right? This is not your typical noodle in a broth.

 

Preparing the Pork :-
Ingredients

1. Pork – 400 gms ( lean fillet)
2. Oil – 1 tsp
3. Garlic – 1 tbsp ( choppped)
4. Oyster Sauce – 1 tbsp
5. Soya Sauce – 1 tsp 
6. Brown Sugar / Palm Sugar – 3 tsp 
7. Salt – to taste ( 1.2 tsp)
8.  Pepper – 1.2 tsp 

Instructions :-

1.  In a non stick pan, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and cook till soft
2. Then add the rest of the ingredients and cook on high for 2 min
3. Then cover and cook for 5 min on medium heat
4. Finally open the lid and cook till all the moisture is out 
5. Remove the cooked pork from the pan and toss out any excess fat on the pan

To Prepare the Pumpkin

 

Ingredients :-

1. Pumpkin – 4 cups (skin peeled, innards removed and chopped)
2. Potato – 1 cup ( chopped)
3. Ginger – 1 tbsp ( choppped)
4. Salt – 1 tsp
5. Water – 4 cups

Instructions :-

 

1. In a large pot, combine all the ingredients and place on medium heat
2. Cook till the pumpkin and potatoes are soft
3. Once they are soft, spoon them out, into a blender
4. Make a fine paste and set aside

To make the Khao Soi Paste :-

1.  Dried Red chilies – 25
2. Water – 1/2 cup
3.  Garlic – 20
4. Ginger – 2 tbp ( chopped fine)
5. Cilantro leaves and steam – 1 cup ( packed)
6. Shallots – 13 
7. Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
8.  Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
9. Garam Masala Powder – 1/2 tsp 

Instructions :-

1.  Heat water till boiling point
2.  Place all the dried chillies into the boiling hot water and let them soak for 30 mins
3. Later in the bowl of a blender add all the ingredients along with the soaked red chillies and the water and blend to make a fine thick paste
4. Set aside ( you can use as much as you want for this recipe and freeze the rest for later use)

Making and Assembling the soup 

Ingredients for the soup :-

1.  Egg noodles – 250 gms 
2. Oil – 2 tbsp
3. Yellow Bell Pepper – 1/2 cup ( finely sliced)
4. Red Bell Pepper – 1/2 cup ( finely sliced)
5. Chicken Broth – 2 cups
6. Basil Leaves – hand full 
7. Lime Juice – 3 tbs
8. Coconut Milk – 1 can 
9. Coriander and lime for the final garnish 

 Instructions :-

1.  In a large pot, heat oil 
2.  Then add Khao Soi Paste and cook till the oil separates from the mixture
3. Then add the pumpkin and potato mixture
4.  Cook and combine for 2 mins .Then Bell Pepper and chicken broth
5. As the mixture begin to simmer add the coconut milk. Again mix well 
6. Mix well and bring to a boil again ( on medium heat)
7. Once the mixture boils, add the basil leaves, lime juice and salt according to taste
8. Cover and cook for another 5 mins and you are ready!
9. While serving, first add the soup into a bowl, then add the noodles, the pork and finally garnish with some fresh corinader , lime and basil leaves! Yummm!!   

Murgh Kofta – Rich chicken meat balls in a creamy tangy gravy

Hello my Dear wonderful readers!!

Its the weekend and this time I have made some thing rich and indulgent for you. This dish is inspired from the famous Malai Kofta, which is a croquette made with paneer / cottage cheese and potatoes. It all started with the fact that I had a little white basmati rice left and I wasn’t sure what kind of gravy to prepare along with it. Now it might come as a surprise to you, but we usually serve red rice at home. I mean the fat grainy kind. So white basmati is like having refined sugar in our coffee ( we usually add palm sugar).

After last week festivities I also had some khoya left in the fridge. So I decided to go all out and make a rich, creamy indulgent curry to pair well with rice and a salad. The recipe is divided into two steps. First making the Kofta and then the curry. Just to give it an “imperial” feel, I wrapped the koftas in silver warq. That is totally optional.

Ingredients for the Kofta :-

1. Chicken mince – 500 gms
2. Onions – 1 cup ( chopped fine)
3. Khoya – 200 gms
4. Green Chillies – 3 medium (sliced)
5. Ginger garlic Paste – 1 + 1/2 tbsp
6. Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
7. Garam Masala Powder – 1 tsp
8. Besan / Gram Flour – 2 tbsp ( only if required)
9. Oil – to deep fry + 2 tbsp
10. Silver warq (optional)

 

Instructions :-

1. In a heavy bottom pan, add the oil
2. When the oil is hot, add the onions and ginger garlic paste. Fry till golden brown
3. Then add the green chilies, chilli powder, garam masala powder and fry 1 min
4. Add the chicken mince to the onion mixture and cook till all the water has dried out completely. Make sure you have all the water evaporated. Add salt according to taste
5. Set aside to cook down
6. In another bowl, slowly kneed the khoya till its nice and smooth
7. Add to cooled chicken mixture into a blender jar and add the khoya
8. Blend together for a nice thick paste
9. Now grease your hand and make small lime size balls with the mixture. Add gram flour if you find that the mixture is not holding shape. But do not add too much as it will not taste that great
10. Finally heat oil in a deep pan on medium. When the oil is hot, add the prepared chicken balls and fry till golden brown or slightly dark brown (that’s how we like it)
11. Reserve on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Cover the balls with silver leaf at this stage ( optional)

 

Ingredients for the curry :-

1. Onions – 2 cups
2. Tomato – 1 cup
3. Cardamom – 5
4. Cinnamon – 1
5. Bay Leaf – 1
6. Oil – 2 tbsp
7. Fresh Cream – 1/2 cup
8. Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
9. Chilli Powder – 1 tsp

Instructions :-

1. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. When the oil is hot, add the cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf
2. Once the spices release their aroma, add the onions and fry till translucent
3. Then add the tomato, turmeric and chilli powder. Season with salt according to taste
4. Fry till the tomatoes are cooked well
5. In a blender, puree the above mixture
6. Now again reheat the same pan with the blended mixture. Add fresh cream and mix well to combine.
7. When it begins to boil, add the chicken kofta and give it a mix without breaking the kofta
8. Your Chicken Koftas are ready.
9. This dish pairs well will simple hot rice , pappads and a salad or even chappati / naans