Spicy Corn Chili Dip – Indian

Spicy Corn Chili Dip – Indian

Ingredients
5 ears fresh corn, removed

1 Big Carrot grated

Half cup of white string cheese

1 Green Pepper thin and long sliced
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
2 tsp of Ginger/Garlic paste
5 jalapenos, seeded and diced finely
1 medium onion, minced
1 green and 1 Red and 1 Orange and 1 Red bell peppers (small), seeded and diced
2-3 Green chilies minced
1 1/2 cups grated pepper-jack cheese
4 ounces cream cheese, softened.
1/2 cup sour cream
2 green onions, sliced thin.
Tortilla chips or pita crisps, for serving.

Directions
Heat a grill on medium heat. Grill the corn until lots of the kernels have color. Cut off the kernels and set aside.

If serving immediately, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ginger/garlic paste, jalapenos, onions and green chillies and red bell peppers. Cook for a few minutes, until the peppers get great color on the outside. Add the corns and stir for few seconds. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of the pepper-jack, the cream cheese, sour cream and stir until combined. Add the corn mixture and stir to combine thoroughly. Pour into a small baking dish.

Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup white cheese over the top and bake in 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes until bubbly. Garnish with Green onions, Carrot grated and orange slice as shown in the picture.

 

Serve warm with tortilla chips or pita crisps.

Buttered Basmati Rice with Cashews & Raisins (Ghee Rice or Neyychoru - Malabar Style)

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Buttered Basmati Rice or Ghee Rice is a very simple recipe, tastes delicious and go with any curries as long as the curry is a little spicy. The rice is infused with aromatic spices, dry fruits and butter or ghee to give a unique taste. Finally the rice is seasoned with fried Onions. I am sure almost all Indians tried this dish but I am still sharing it here because it’s one of the recipes close to my heart. My mom used to make this for all occasions especially during festival season. I personally like to eat it with Goat curry or Chicken curry but my kids love it with Dhal Curry.

The Key is to use the same cup you measure the rice. Otherwise the rice breaks apart and you won’t get the perfect texture. I am sure you won’t go wrong with this Recipe.

Ingredients

• Long grained Basmati rice - 2 cups, washed and drained
• Butter or Ghee – 2 Tbsp
• Cardamom - 2
• Cinnamon stick - 1" stick (2 pieces)
• Bay leaf - 2
• Cloves – 4
• Water – 4 cups(the same cup you used for measuring rice)

Garnish

• Cashew nuts – 10 pieces
• Raisins – 10 pieces
• Onion - 1, large, finely sliced and fried
• Pineapple – ½ cup chopped nicely

Steps

1.      Wash and drain the rice and keep aside.

2.      Heat 2 tbsp ghee or butter in a Dutch oven.

3.      Add all the spices and Rice

4.      Saute for 2-3 minutes till the rice gets coated with butter

5.      Add hot water to it and stir the rice

6.      Now add salt and keep it on medium fire.

7.      Cook for around 10 minutes until the rice is cooked and all water has been absorbed.

8.      Sprinkle the pineapple pieces and switch off the stove. Keep the rice covered for another 8 -10 minutes

9.      Meanwhile heat ½  tbsp of ghee in a pan and add cashews and raisins. Saute until cashews are lightly brown and the raisins become plump. Drain and keep aside.

10.  Now add onions and fry it golden brown

11.  Garnish the Rice with Cashews, fruits and fried onions.

Secret Ingredient: Before you serve add a tsp of Sugar n Spice Garam Masala mix. It gives a unique flavor to the rice.

Spicy Veggie Cutlets

This vegetarian appetizer dish will satisfy any spicy cravings for a light afternoon snack or accompaniment during meals. In addition to the vegetables, the spinach and paneer will add a nutritional value to your diet.

Ingredients

Regular Bread - 12 slices

Potatoes – 2 small boiled and mashed.

Onion – 1 small minced

Chilies – 2 to 3 minced

Ginger/garlic paste – ½ tbsp

Frozen Mixed Veggies (Carrots, peas, corn, Cauliflower) – ½ bag minced or chopped (you can use a chopper instead)

Zuccini – 1 small chopped (Optional)

Yellow Squash – 1 small chopped(Optional)

Spinach – 1 cup chopped

Paneer – 1 cup Crumbled

Coriander / Cilantro – 1 tbsp

Oil – For Frying

Mustard seeds – ¼ tsp

Curry Leaves – a small bunch

Cumin seeds – 1/4tsp

Spice Mix

Chilli Powder – ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Coriander Powder – ¼ tsp

Garam Masala – 1/4tsp

Pepper Powder – ¼ tsp

Salt – 1 tsp

Heat oil in a skillet. Add mustard and cumin seeds, when splutters, add curry leaves, minced onions and chillies and sauté for 5 minutes. Then add ginger/garlic paste and frozen minced veggies along with Spinach and Paneer. Saute for 10 minutes until they get slightly browned. Now add the spice mix. Sprinkle pepper powder and salt. Take off the fire and immediately add chopped cilantro leaves to it.  Mix it with the boiled potatoes and keep it aside.

Remove sides of the bread with a knife. You can use any flat/ regular bread for this. Now take the bread on your palm, wet it with a little water, squeeze the water with your other hand. Put little bit of this veggie potato filling inside and shape it in to Kebabs. Fry them in oil and serve it with Cilantro chutney or tamarind chutney.

Arabian Al faham Grilled Chicken

 

Chicken Breasts – 2 pounds

Onion : 1 medium minced

Ginger : 1 inch piece

Garlic : 4 cloves

Green Chillies : 2 nos

Tomato – 1 pureed(optional)

Curd : 1 tbsp

Lemon extract: 1 lemon

Salt as needed

Arabic Masala : 2 tsp

 

For Arabic Masala preparation

 Grind 

1 cup cumin seeds (whole)

1 cup fennel seeds (whole)

1 cup cinnamon sticks

1 cup coriander seeds (whole)

1/2 cup pepper corns (whole)

1/4 cup dried red chillies (whole)

1/2 cup turmeric powder

Take these spices in a plate and micro wave for 2 minutes. Grind them in a mixer. Arabic Masala is ready!

Preparation of Arabian Al faham Chicken

1.      Cut chicken breasts in to big square pieces.

2.      Grind Onion, Ginger, Garlic & Green chillies into a fine paste.

3.      Mix the curd, lemon extract, Arabic masala, salt, pepper powder and olive oil or Butter and add the #2 paste to this.

4.      Spread this paste over the chicken pieces and keep it for atleast an hour

5.      Grill it and serve it with steamed Rice or Salad or with Polenta and lemon wedges

Secret Ingredient: When you marinate the chicken add 2 tsp of Olive oil or ½ tbsp of Butter to it.  It gives a Special aroma to the chicken and keeps it moist.

 

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.