Oct 11
Greek Barbequed Chicken

Ingredients:
For the marinade-
2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts; chopped into 2″ chunks,
1/4 cup white wine/wine vinegar,
2 tbsp lemon juice,
1/2 cup olive oil,
1 small onion; finely chopped,
1/2 tsp dry mixed herbs,
5-6 garlic cloves; minced,
A pinch of salt,
Freshly ground peppercorns to taste,
1 green pepper, deseesed and coarsely chopped,
2 onions; quartered,
2-3 tomatoes; quartered.

Other-
Skewers,
Olive oil for basting.

Method:
Mix together all the ingredients for the marinade with the chicken and let it marinate for at least 3-4 hours in the refrigerator.
Arrange the vegetables and chicken one by one and alternately on the skewers. Baste them with some olive oil. Grill for 10-15 minutes till chicken cooks.

Oct 10
Banana Pudding topped with Meringue

Ingredients:
4 bananas; sliced,
1 box vanilla wafers,
2 cups whole fat milk,
2 tbsp unsalted butter; softened,
2 egg; yolks separated from whites,
A pinch of salt,
1/3 cup flour,
1 sugar,
1 tsp vanilla extract,
1/3 cup caster sugar.

Method:
Preheat the oven to 425 d F (200 d C) Heat a pan, melt the butter and then add 1 cup sugar, flour, egg yolks, milk and salt to it. Whisk them together and cook on medium flame for around 10 minutes. Keep whisking continuously and cook till nice thick custard is formed.
In an baking dish, spread the vanilla wafers, then layer half of the banana slices.
When the custard thickens add vanilla extract. Then pour half of the custard on the layered wafers and bananas. Repeat this with the remaining banana, wafers and custard.
To prepare the meringue, put the egg whites and caster sugar into the electric mixer and continue to blend it till nice thick meringue is formed. The consistency must be stiff and peaks should be formed when you dip a spoon and scoop out of it.
Spread this meringue topping over the custard layer and bake in the oven at 425 d F (200 d C) for around 5 minutes. Your dessert is ready to be served.

Oct 9
Insalata Caprese Salad (Mozzarella and Tomato Salad)

Ingredients:
3 plum tomatoes; sliced,
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese; sliced in 1/4 inch thickness,
1 tbsp drained capers,
Black or green olives; chopped (optional).

For the dressing-
1 tbsp peppercorns; coarsely crushed,
1/2 cup olive oil,
1/4 cup honey,
1 tbsp white vinegar
4-5 basil leaves; freshly chopped,
Salt to taste.

Method:
Arrange the tomato slices and mozzarella cheese slices alternately on a nice decorative plate. Mix together all the other ingredients to prepare the dressing. Pour on the tomatoes and cheese only when you are ready to serve the salad. Sprinkle capers and olives on top.

TIP:
Always mix your vegetables with the dressing only at the time of serving, else your dressing would soak into the vegetables and your salad will become soft and soggy.

Oct 7
Tikha Chana Alu (Spicy Chickpeas and Potatoes)

Ingredients:
250 gms red chana (red gram or chickpeas); soaked overnight.
3 large potatoes; boiled and diced,
1 tsp rai (mustard seeds),
1/4 tsp heeng (asafoetida),
2 tbsp red chilli powder,
1 1/2 tsp dhania-jeera (coriander-cumin) powder,
Salt to taste,
1/2 tsp chaat masala,
2 tbsp tamarind paste,
1 small tomato chopped,
1 small onion chopped,
Coriander leaves to garnish,
Oil for frying.

Method:
Boil the chana with little salt till it is soft.
Mix 1 tbsp red chilli powder, asafoetida and salt with water to form a thin paste. Heat oil in a pan, add this red chilli paste and then add boiled potatoes, mix well, cover and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Heat 2-3 tbsp oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add heeng, 1 tbsp red chilli powder, dhania-jeera powder, mix and add onion, tomato, chana. Then add salt, stir well, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes. Then remove from flame. Mix together chana and potatoes, sprinkle chaat masala, tamarind paste and coriander leaves. Mix and serve.

Oct 6
Pasta Carbonara

Ingredients: Serves 2
1/2  packet Whole wheat spaghetti
2 onions; chopped,
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped,
2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, (or Ham or bacon if you like),
2 eggs; beaten,
8-10 peppercorns; crushed,
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese,
1-2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley,
Salt to taste,
Olive oil.

Method:
Boil water and cook the spaghetti into the pan and add 1 tbsp oil to it. Or follow the instructions given on the packet.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a pan and add the chopped onions to it. Add garlic and let it fry for few minutes. Add the chicken chunks and let them cook till tender. Season with salt.
Drain the spaghetti and transfer in to the serving dish. Whisk the eggs with pepper and pour into the spaghetti. Then add the spaghetti to the chicken and mix well. Remove from flame and add parsley and grated cheese.

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