Classic Banana Nut Bread

I first learned to make this bread when I have to throw away overripe bananas. My daughter clamored for this treat so often that we frequently pick extra bananas from the grocery aisle and let them get overripe. You think it’s funny, but it’s amazing that how you can turn the mushy bananas in to flavorful bread without much effort.

All Purpose flour – 2 cups

Sugar – 1 cup

Baking powder – 2 tsp

Baking soda – ½ tsp

Eggs – 2 large

Bananas – 3 mashed

Vanilla essence – 2 drops

Oil – ¼ cup

Water – ½ cup

Walnuts/Pecans – 1 small packet

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan and line bottom of pan with wax paper or parchment paper. Whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk eggs, add mashed banana, oil and water to it. Add the vanilla essence to it. Now pour this wet mixture in to the dry flour mixture and fold it until everything gets mixed well. It will look like a cake batter. If it’s very thick, add a little bit more water. Pour the batter into loaf pan. Make sure it reaches only about half of the pan. Bake it for 5 minutes, sprinkle the nuts on top of it and bake it for another 35 minutes  until a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of bread comes out clean. Cool bread in pan on a rack 20 minutes. Invert bread onto rack. Remove paper and turn bread right side up on rack to cool completely.

For kids, you can add  a handful of chocolate chips to the batter.

The secret ingredient is Cereal. Adding half cup of post select banana nut cereal will make the bread extra crunchy and flavorful. You can use any cereals.  

Chicken Manchurian - Indo Chinese Style

For Marinade
Chicken Breasts – 1 pound cut in to small cubes

Pepper Powder – 1 tsp

Chilli Powder – 1/4 tsp

Soy sauce – 2 tsp

Ginger/Garlic paste – 1 tsp

Salt or Ajino moto

For the gravy:

Onions – 2 – 3 medium chopped

Bell pepper – half chopped(Optional)

Sesame seeds – ½ tsp(Optional)

Dry Red chilli – 3 sliced without seeds(Optional)

Ginger/Garlic – 1 tsp minced

All Purpose flour – ¼ cup plus 1 tsp for the gravy

Soy sauce – 1 tsp

Chilli sauce or paste – ¼ tsp(Optional)

Pepper powder – ¼ tsp

Green Onions – few sliced

For Garnish

Cashews – 10 pieces

Green Onions – A bunch

Mix chicken with the contents from Marinade. Keep it aside for 10 minutes. Heat oil in a skillet and sprinkle few green onions. Coat the chicken with the flour and shallow fry them for 5 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken pieces to a bowl. In to the same skillet, add a little oil. Add sesame seeds, dry red flakes and cashews. Saute until the cashews turn brown.  Add chopped onions and bell peppers, sauté for few minutes.

Now mix 1 tsp of flour with a little water and add to the onion mixture.  You can also add soy sauce , chilli paste and pepper at this point if you want to make it spicy. Add fried chicken pieces to it and mix it gently for about 5 minute. Transfer it in to a oval shaped platter and decorate it with cashews ,spring onion and lemon wedges. Serve it with fried rice or as appetizers.

Ok I know what you are waiting for. Ofcorse there is a secret ingredient behind this recipe, it's nothing but sugar. Add half a tsp of sugar to the gravy. This will enhance the flavor and add tanginess to the chicken. Enjoy and please let me know your suggestions.

Aloo Paratha or Potato stuffed flat Bread

Today I am going to make Aloo Parathas for the very first time. I was born in South India where rice is considered as the staple food.We make parathas occasionally in our home. But when I got married, I figured out my husband is a big fan of North indian cuisine. I haven’t tasted an authentic Aloo Paratha in my life, but today I'm going to give it a try. So friends, please wish me good luck :-)

About Parathas:

 Parathas are whole-wheat Indian flatbread. Parathas can be made plain or stuffed with many different fillings like methi leaves, potato, spinach and paneer. 

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

Whole-wheat flour - 2 cups

Water - 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

For the Filling

Potatoes - 2 medium

Green chillies - 3 - 4 thinly sliced

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Cilantro - A bunch

Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1/4 tsp

Whole-wheat flour - 1/2 cup

Butter -2 tbsp

Mix flour, salt and water together. Make sure to add water little by little. Knead the dough(I prefer mixing the dough with my hands) for few minutes on a lightly greased surface. Set the dough aside and cover it with a damp tissue for at least ten minutes. Boil or pressure cook potatoes until tender. Cool, peel and mash without any lumps.

Divide the dough and shape it in to balls. Now divide the potato mixture and shape it in to small balls. Roll the dough in small circle and place the potato balls in the center. Seal by pulling the edges of the rolled dough together to make a ball.Keep it aside for some time. Now proceed to make the remaining balls. Let it settle for 5 minutes before rolling them again.

Heat the skillet on medium fire. Roll the balls in dry flour and lightly press it. Roll these balls in big circles. Sprinkle a little flour to prevent it from sticking.

Now cook the paratha in the skillet. Add a little butter and press it with the spatula making sure the paratha is golden-brown on both sides. Enjoy it with sweet yoghurt.

Kerala Chicken Biriyani

Biriyani is very popular all over the world.The name is derived from the Persian word beryā(n) which means "fried" or "roasted". It is a very delicious dish usually prepared for special occasions such as weddings, parties and holidays. Very time consuming but definitely worth cooking. 


Preparation of Rice 
Basmati rice - 4 cups
Water - 7 cups
Cardamom pods - 4
Cloves - 5
Cinnamon sticks - 2 pieces
Bay leaves - 2
Butter or Vegetable shortening - 2 tbsp
Salt - 1 Tbsp

For Masala
Chicken - 1 Whole chicken cut in to big pieces
Onion - 3 - 4 medium chopped
Ginger - 1 small piece
Garlic - 1/2 tbsp
Tomatoes - 2- 3 medium
Green Chillies - 5 - 6
Yogurt - 1/4 cupCoriander/ Cilantro leaves - A bunch
Mint leaves  - a bunch
Garam Masala- 1 tsp
Oil - 1/2 tbsp
Salt to taste

For garnish
Cashews - 10 - 15
Raisins - 1 pack (small)
2 medium onions sliced thin and fried
Biriyani essence - 1 or 2 drops
Pineapple - 1/4cup chopped
Tomatoes - 1/4cup chopped

How to prepare Rice
Wash rice 2 - 3 times and keep it on a colander to drain off the excess water. Add butter or Vegetable shortening in a large vessel. Add the spices and then the rice. Saute for 5 minutes. Add boiling water to the rice. Sprinkle salt and let it boil for sometime. Keep it on medium flame for another 10 minutes. As soon as the rice is cooked, remove it to another vessel. Add chopped cilantro and close it with a lid. If you follow the instructions correctly, you should get good textured rice that doesn’t stick to each other.


How to prepare Chicken
Wash chicken well and keep it in a colander to drain off the excess water. Put Onion, chilli, ginger and garlic in a mixer and grind it.  Heat oil in a pressure cooker. When it is medium hot, throw in the onion mixture and saute for a while. Add the chicken to it along with the spices. Add the chopped herbs and tomatoes. Pressure cook it for one whistle. Keep it aside.If there is lot of liquid, remove the chicken pieces and boil the gravy until it becomes thick.

How to layer biriyani
Add half of the chicken masala to a big vessel. Pour rice on top of it. Add the rest half of the masala and complete the layering by adding the remaining rice. Sprinkle with cashews, raisins, pineapple and tomatoes.Cover the entire vessel with foil or tissue paper and close the lid tightly.This is to infuse the flavor of the biryani masala into the rice and the process is called "Dum". After some time, you can see steam coming from the top Garnish with fried onions and boiled eggs.


The secret ingredient is lemon juice. The key to make a good biryani lies in the way how you cook the rice. Adding the juice of a lemon to the boling water will prevent the rice from sticking.

Crispy Chicken Cutlets

Ingredients

Boneless chicken – 1/2 pound

Onion – 1 big

Ginger – 1 tsp

Garlic - minced 1 tsp

Green Chilli – 2-3

Potato – 2 medium boiled & mashed

Black Pepper – 1 teaspoon

Garam Masala – 1/2 teaspoon

Bread crumbs – 1 cup

Egg - 1 whisked

Curry leaves

Salt to taste

Oil – for frying

Cook the chicken in little water and shred it after it is cooled. Add chopped Onion, chilly, ginger and garlic in a chopper and mince it. Cook the potato and mash it in to chunky pieces.

Heat oil in a skillet and splutter mustard seeds. After that add the onion mixture and saute for few minutes. Finally add minced chicken. Mix well. Add salt, pepper & garam masala and curry leaves. Stir for 5 more minutes & remove from from fire. Allow the mixture to cool.

 Once it is cooled add mash potatoes & mix well. Beat the egg. Make small balls with the mixture & dip them in egg liquid. Roll each cutlet in bread crumbs.Heat oil and fry them carefully. Serve hot with tomato sauce and sliced onions.You can also use flour instead of egg. In that case, make a batter with water and flour.

Ok I know what you guys are waiting for. The secret ingredient is  .......................................                                    

Rosemary. Adding few sprigs of Rosemary to the breadcrumbs give the cutlet an extra aroma and flavor.

Stuffed Banana with Raisins

Stuffed Banana is a popular tea time snack in Malabar (a place in Kerala, India). It is also served during the festival season of Ramadan to break the fasting.


Ingredients:
Ripe Plantains - 2 - 3 cut in halves
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Raisins - a small pack(Golden raisins, Black or combination)
Cardamom powder - a Pinch
All purpose flour - 1/2 cup
Poha or Aval - 1/4 cup (You can also replace Aval with dry coconut flakes)
Salt to taste
Water - 1/2 cup
Oil for deep frying


In a small bowl mix together Poha or Aval (these are dry rice flakes that are available in any Indian stores), raisins and some cardamom powder. Keep it aside. Peel the plantains. Cut them in half and make slits lengthwise from one end to another leaving around 2 inch from both the ends. Stuff the banana with this filling. Make sure not to over stuff them as it can break the banana.Make a thick batter with all purpose flour, sugar, salt and water. 
Heat oil in a pot and when it is medium hot, dip the plantains in the batter and fry it in oil until golden brown. Drain the oil with a paper towel and serve warm with a cup of tea.


The secret ingredient is bakingggg powder. A pinch of baking powder to the batter will give the banana an extra crispiness.

Spice it up with Chilli Chicken

Ingredients:
Chicken –  1 pound (1 ½ kg) boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
Onion – 3 - 4, medium size, chopped
Ginger / Garlic Paste – 1/2 teaspoonGreen chillies – 4, medium size, sliced
Capsicum or Bell Pepper -  2, sliced length-wise (You can use  Red, Green or Yellow Bell Peppers)
Red chilly powder – 1/2  teaspoon
All purpose flour – 1 tablespoons
Soya sauce – 1 teaspoon
Ketch Up – 1 teaspoon
Salt – ½ teaspoon
water - 1/4 cup
Oil – 1 tablespoon

For the Marinade

Ginger / Garlic Paste – 1/2 tbsp
Red chilly powder – 1 teaspoon
Soy sauce – 3 teaspoons
Ketch Up – 3 teaspoons
Salt – ½ teaspoon
Red Color - A pinch(Optional)

Method: Marinate the chicken with the ingredients under marinade. Keep it aside for for few hours.
Heat oil in the pan. When it is medium hot, shallow fry chicken pieces for 5 minutes on each side. Keep it aside. On the same oil, first add chillies and then ginger garlic paste. After 2 minutes, add the chopped onion and saute for few minutes. Finally add the sliced Bell Peppers.
Meanwhile, make a batter with all purpose four, chilli powder, soy, tomato sauce and water. Once the onion/bell pepper mixture turn transclusent, add the fried chicken pieces to it. Mix it well and pour the flour batter to it. Cook it for few more minutes. You can add more spices at this time if you want it really hot. Serve it hot garnished with spring onions and fresh green chillies. This can be used as a main entrée or as appetizers. I'm sure your family will enjoy it.

The secret ingredient is Cheeeseeeeee!! Add a teaspoon of parmesan cheese to the chicken marinade to make it extra special.