Chicken Manchurian

Chicken manchurian is one of my favorite dish. First time I had this dish when I was in Bangalore at some restaurant and it tasted really awesome, bad that I do not remember the name of that restaurant but till now the same taste I couldn't get it anywhere even after trying many restaurants in Bangalore alone. So I thought of trying this dish at home and to my surprise it came really well but still not as same the first taste, any way I very well enjoyed this dish. I asked my husband to comment on this dish, immediately he acted like one of the food network judges and went on saying ...this dish is juicy , after the first bite you can still feel the taste in your mouth... and so on.... he was right, check out yourself. My son liked only the first part of the preparation , he named it "egg chicken".

Ingredients:

Part1:

Boneless chicken(thigh) - 1lb

Pepper Powder - 1 tsp

Egg - 1

Corn flour - 3 tsp

MSG ( Ajinomoto) - 1/4 tsp

Salt as required

Oil to fry

Part 2:

Finely chopped onion - 1/2 cup

Garlic (Finely chopped) - 5 cloves

Ginger finely chopped - 2 tsp

Green chilies - 2 or 3 chopped

Cilantro - chopped

Chili Garlic sauce - 1tsp

Soy sauce - 2tsp

Tomato ketchup

MSG (Ajinomoto)

salt

Preparation:

Mix all the part 1 ingredients expect oil in a bowl. Deep fry them in oil and set aside. Next heat little oil in a pan, saute it with onion , ginger , garlic and green chilies. Add chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, ajinomoto and salt .After few mins add the tomato ketchup and mix ,if needed sprinkle little water. Add the fried chicken to it and keep mixing for some time . Garnish with cilantro and serve hot. This is really a great dish. Try and Enjoy!!!!

Mushroom Pasta

First of all I have to thank all my friends who visited my blog especially my friend Hema who already started trying my recipes ,Thanks to all. Today's recipe is one of my son's favorite. He is a great lover of pasta and loves even more when it is cheesier. This is a cheesy dish, if you are very health conscious please avoid this but you got try this at least once ;-) Here is the recipe for Mushroom Baked Pasta.

Ingredients:

Pasta Shell (any kind) - 20 oz

Mushroom Chopped - 2 cups

Peas - 1/2 cup

Finely chopped Garlic - 4 cloves

Cream of Mushroom soup(condensed) - 12 oz

Shredded Mozzarella cheese - 1 cup

Heavy cream - 1/2 cup

Pepper Powder - 2 tsp

Oil

Salt as required

Procedure:

Cook the pasta according to the package instructing and keep aside. Heat oil in pan and saute the garlic. Add the mushroom and peas and season it with salt and pepper.After some time add the mushroom soup with little water and bring it to boil. Now add the heavy cream. When it heat up (don't let it to boil) add the cooked pasta and mix well for 5 mins. Pour the entire content into baking bowl and spread the cheese on top of it. Bake in the oven for 15 mins or until the cheese begins to boil by setting the oven temperature to 375F. Wow... yummy yummy pasta is ready. You can serve with garlic bread.Enjoy!!!

Chicken Tikka Masala

Ingredients: For Marination

Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Chili Powder - 1ts
Coriander Powder - 1tsp
Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
Kasuthri Methi (Fenugreek ) Powder - 1tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tsp
Lemon juice
Yogurt (thick) - 1/2 cup
Red food colour (optional)
Salt as required
Boneless Chicken (thigh Piece) - 1lb Cut into small cubes
Onion, green bell pepper, tomato - 1 cup chopped into small cubes

For Gravy:

Finely chopped Onion - 1

Tomato - 2

Ginger Garlic Paste - 2tsp

Cashew - 2 tsp

Cumin Seed(jeera) - 1tsp

Coriander Powder - 2 tsp

Cumin Powder - 2tsp

Chili Powder - 1 tsp

Whole Garam Masala (Cardamom -2, bay leaves, clove, cinamon stick)

Oil

Salt as required

Method : For Marination

Prepare the marinade by whisking all the ingredients under for marination in a large bowl. Mix the chicken pieces and the vegetables to the marinade. Close the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour. Pour little oil in a non - stick pan and fry the marinated chicken and vegetables for 15 mins and keep aside.

For Gravy

Blend tomato and cashew together to a fine paste. Pour oil in a pan, put the whole garam masala and cumin seeds. When the seeds sputter add the chopped onion and saute it till it turns to light brown, add ginger garlic paste. Next add all powders and mix well, pour the tomato and cashew paste. If required add little water to it.Close and cook for 5 mins. Now add the fried chicken and cook untill all the masala smell is gone and chicken is well cooked. Garnish with cilantro. Enjoy this dish with chapati, nan, roti or even plain rice.

Chicken Tikka Kabab

Valentine's Day is a special day of the year especially for my son, I dunno why but he is so much excited about this day. Valentine's Day started as early as feb 1st for him and from that day onwards he is wishing us "Happy Valentine's Day" and on feb 14th he would have wished nearly 100 times so this sure is a special day for us and the family deserves a special food to celebrate this occassion. I prepared chicken tikka kabab and chicken tikka masala with love on this special day. My family really enjoyed this dish. No wonder home made food is always great. I would like to share this awesome recipe with you all.

Ingredients:

1. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
2. Chili Powder - 1ts
3. Coriander Powder - 1tsp
4. Cardamom Powder - 1/2 tsp
5. Garam masala Powder - 1/2 tsp
6. Kasuthri Methi (Fenugreek ) Powder - 1tsp
7. Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tsp
8. Lemon juice
9. Yogurt (thick) - 1/2 cup
10. Red food colour (optional)
11. Salt as required
12. Boneless Chicken (thigh Piece) - 1lb Cut into small cubes
13. Onion, green bell pepper, tomato - 1 cup chopped into small cubes
14. Wooden skewer - 3

Method:
Prepare the marinade by whisking all the ingredients from 1 to 11 in a large bowl. Mix the chicken pieces and the vegetables to the marinade. Close the bowl and refrigerate for 2 hours. Soak the wooden skewer in water for half an hour, by doing this you can avoid burning the wooden skewer. Arrange the chicken cubes on the skewer, alternating with onion, green pepper and tomato. Brush little oil on top the chicken.

Marinated chicken in skewer

Heat the oven at high tempertaure in broil mode (if you do not have broil mode in your oven, heat it at 450F). Place the skewer on top of the oven safe bowl and keep inside the oven (second shelf). Cook for 15 mins and remove it, turn to the other side, brush little oil and keep in the oven and cook for 15 mins. Remove from the skewer and server with onion and lemon. This is an awesome delicious dish. Try this and Enjoy!!!

Chicken tikka kabab

Note: Oven timings could vary based on temperature, if you are doing for first time check frequently till the chicken turns to light brown color.

Chicken Soup

Today my 6 month old daughter is sick with cold. She got cold from her big brother who goes to a preschool and brings home all this from his friends and without fail he would pass on to his sister. Since both of them have cold, I thought of making a chicken soup for them. And here is a simple recipe I came up with.


Ingredient:

chicken boneless - 5 small pieces
carrot chopped - 1/2 cup
onion chopped - 1/2 cup
garlic - 2 cloves
ginger - 1 inch
pepper corn
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
salt to taste
water - 2 cups


Method:

Add all the above ingredients in a close pan and cook for 45 mins to 1 hr in slow flame. Drain only the water and the soup is ready. Since I am giving to kids I did not add pepper powder, if you wish you can add. You can even make a paste out of the cooked carrots and chicken, and give as a food for your infants. They will Enjoy!!!

Fried Rice

Ingredients

Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Cooked vegetables - 1 cup (carrot, peas, beans)
Eggs - 2
MSG(Ajinomoto) - 1 tsp
Soy sauce - 2 tsp
Onion chopped - 1/2 cup
Spring Onion
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Salt as required
Oil - tbsp

Method

Soak the basmati rice in water for 45 mins. If you don't soak the rice, the fried rice doesn't come out good. Boil water in a bowl sufficient enough to cook 2 cups of rice. Add the correct amount of salt (taste the water after adding salt, it has to be little salty). When the water boils add 2 tsps of oil and add the soaked rice without water. Cook the rice till its 90% done then drain the water and spread the rice on a plate.

Next pour oil in a non stick saucepan. When the oil heats up add the chopped onion and saute it for few minutes. Beat the eggs in a bowl and pour it on top of the onion and keep mixing. When the egg is cooked add pepper powder, MSG, soy sauce and mix. Now add the cooked vegetables (can be cooked in a microwave for 3 minutes) and keep mixing. Add little salt for the vegetables and egg (remember rice was cooked with salt in it). Last add the rice and keep mixing. Finally garnish with the spring onions. Enjoy!!!!!

Vegetable Manchurian

Fried Rice with Vegetable Manchurian

Ingredients:For vegetable dumpling

vegetables finely chopped
(carrot,beans,peas,cabbage) - 2 cups
soy sauce - 1tsp
chili garlic sauce - 1tsp
MSG(ajinomoto) - 1/2 tsp

chopped ginger - 1 and 1/2 tsp

chopped green chili - 1 tsp

corn flour - 2 tsp

cooked rice - 1/2 cup (any kind of cooked rice)

salt as required

oil to fry the dumplings.

For the sauce
onion finely chopped - 1

garlic finely chopped - 2 tbsp

ginger finely chopped - 1 tbsp

MSG(ajinomoto) - 1/2 tsp

soy sauce - 1tsp
chili garlic sauce - 1tsp

green chili - 1 tsp

cilantro chopped - little

sugar - 1 tsp

salt as required

oil - 2 tbsp

water - 1 cup

tomato ketchup

corn flour ( mix in little water) - 3 tsp

Method : For Dumpling

For the dumpling vegetables should be finely chopped, using a food chopper would be better option. Boil the vegetables for just 5 mins, and drain all the water. To the vegetable add all the (dumpling) ingredients and mix well and roll into small (golf) balls. Deep fry the dumplings in oil till it turns to a golden brown colour. If the dumpling breaks add little more rice to the mixture as it gives a kind of binding. Just this fried dumpling by itself would taste really good. (trust me try one).

For Sauce
Heat oil in a non stick saucepan, add the finely chopped garlic, ginger and fry for couple of mins. See to it you don't burn the garlic. Add the onions and green chili and fry well. Keep adding all the remaining (sauce) ingredients one by one except water and corn flour.

This dish is really hot, by adding sugar it would give little sweetness to the dish which I like it, if you like it hot don't add the sugar. Now the dry sauce is ready. If you want dry manchurian add the fried dumplings to the sauce, mix carefully and the dry vegetable manchurian is ready.

If you want your dish little gravy (which I made today), add the water to the dry sauce and let it boil for few mins and now add the corn flour mixed with water spoon by spoon. This will thicken the gravy. Last add the fried dumplings and garnish with spring onion(optional). This dish goes very well with cooked plain basmati or fried rice. Enjoy!!!