Chicken Steak with White Sauce and Sauté Vegetables

Ingredients for Chicken:

Chicken breast fillet (boneless) 2 
Salt ½ tsp
Black pepper powder ½ tsp
Red chili flakes ¼ tsp
Soy sauce 1 tbsp
Ketchup 1 tbsp
Chili sauce 1 tbsp
White vinegar ½ tsp
Garlic chopped 1 tsp heaped
Oil 2-3 tbsp


Method: 

1. Mix the chicken with all the ingredients mentioned above, except oil. Let it marinade for 2-3 hours.
2. Heat oil in a frying or grill pan. Fry the marinated chicken for 3-4 minutes both side until it's cooked through. 

For Vegetables:

Carrot 1 blanched
Potato boiled 1 large
Peas boiled ½ cup
Salt a pinch
White pepper a pinch
Soy sauce ½ tsp
Butter 1 tbsp


Method:


Saute the boiled vegetables in butter on high flame. Add the salt, white pepper and soy sauce. Stir for a minute, turn off the flame.


Ingredients for White Sauce:

Butter 1 tbsp
All-purpose flour 1 tsp
Milk ½ cup
Mustard paste ¼ tsp
Salt a pinch
Black pepper powder ¼ tsp


Method:

1. In a saucepan over low heat, melt butter, add all-purpose flour and other seasoning, stir  well with wire whisk. Do not allow it to brown. 
2. Gradually add milk, whisk constantly. Add the mustard paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes until sauce begins to thicken.
3. Pour the white sauce over cooked steaks, put cheese slice and sprinkle oregano leaves on top. Serve with saute vegetables! 

• You can also serve it with french fries and saute mushrooms.

Desi Spaghetti

Ingredients:

Spaghetti boiled ½ packet 
Chicken 1 fillet (cut into julienne or cubes)
Oil 2-3 tbsp
Onion (medium) 1 sliced 
Tomato 1 finely chopped
Salt 1 tsp
Red chili powder 1 tsp
Soy sauce 1 tbsp
Coriander powder ½ tsp
Haldi 1  tsp
Cabbage shredded 1 cup
Carrot 1 


Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add chicken. Saute for 2-3 minutes. 
2. Add onion, and chopped tomato. Cook for another minute. 
3. Add all the seasoning mentioned above. Saute all the masala well. 
4. Add the vegetables, and boiled spaghetti, toss well. And serve! 

Chicken Cheese Bread

Ingredients for Bread:

All-purpose flour 2 cup
Sugar 2 tbsp
Instant yeast ½ tbsp
Salt ½ tsp
Milk powder 2 tbsp
Oil 2 tbsp
Egg 1
Lukewarm milk to knead (almost ½ cup)


Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients in the list in a clean bowl, except milk. Knead with lukewarm milk, until the dough is soft and little sticky. 
2. Cover with cling/foil and let it rise for an hour. Knead the dough again with 1 tbsp all-purpose flour, after it's risen.

Ingredients for Filling:

Chicken boneless 250 grams (small cubes)
Salt 1 tsp
Red chili flakes 1 tsp
Black pepper 1 tsp
Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp
Oil 2 tbsp
Garlic 1 clove (finely chopped)
Onion 1 medium (small cubes)


Method:

1. Heat the oil in a nonstick pan, add the chicken, saute till it's cooked through.
2. Add the chopped garlic, and rest of the spices. Cook for at least 2-3 minutes more.
3. Add onion, saute for a minute and remove from stove, let it cool.

To assemble:

Coriander leaves chopped ¼ cup
Cheddar cheese (shredded) 1 cup
Egg beaten 1
Sesame seeds (optional)


How to assemble:

1. Divide the dough into small balls. Roll it into medium round shape.
2. Put shredded cheese, cooked filling, coriander leaves in the center and fold each side so they overlap each other. Pinch both sides of the roll. 

3. Grease the baking tray with oil, put the breads on it. Brush top with beaten egg, sprinkle sesame seed and give pattern with the back of your knife. Cover and leave it for half an hour.  

4. Preheat oven on 200° C. Bake the breads for 15-20 minutes or till it is golden in color.

This recipe yields: 8 small bread, and one 10 inch loaf! 

Kitkat Barrel Cake [pictures]

My love for baking is huge. I thought of sharing this cake with you all, I made on my brother's birthday last month, it turned out irresistible. It is VERY easy to make.


All you need to do is make butter or sponge cake, I made chocolate fudge frosting (you can make any buttercream/frosting of your choice), make walls of Kitkat, fill in with your favorite candies. I used Galaxy Counters. And tadaa! :D 


This link may help you: http://www.mommytopics.com/food/mms-barrell-cake

Corn Fried Rice & Chicken Chili Dry

Ingredients for Chicken Chili Dry:

Chicken bones thinly sliced ½ kg
Soy sauce 2 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp heaped
White pepper 1 tsp
Chinese salt (optional) ¼ tsp
Onion 1 medium (sliced)
Green chilies 5-6 (sliced)
Garlic paste ½ tsp
Oil ¼ cup


Method:

1. Heat oil in a wok. Add garlic paste, stir, add the chicken, fry for around 5-6 minutes until it changes color and turns white. 
2. Add the rest of the seasoning. Cook on high flame. 
3. Put sliced onion and green chilies in the end. Toss for only 2 minutes. 
4. Serve immediately.

For Corn Fried Rice:

Rice boiled ½ kg 
Sweet corn 1 cup
Salt 1 tsp
Black pepper ½ tsp
Soy sauce 1 tbsp
Capsicum 2 (cut into cubes)
Coriander leaves ¼ cup
Oil 1 tbsp
Butter 2 tbsp


Method:

1. Heat oil and butter in a pan, add sweet corn, saute. 
2. Add boiled rice, rest of the ingredients including capsicum and coriander leaves. 
3. Mix well and serve! 

Mocha Coffee Mix

Ingredients:

Milk powder 2 cups
Instant coffee ½ cup
Drinking chocolate powder 1 cup
Caster sugar ¼ cup


Method:

Combine all the ingredients in a dry bowl. Store in an airtight container. 


How to use:

1. Add 2-3 tbsp of this Mocha Coffee Mix in a coffee mug, pour hot boiling water.  
2. If you want to add more sugar, add according to your taste in the mug. 
3. Stir, and serve immediately! 

Note: The image has been google-d.

Chicken Fajita

This is not an authentic Mexican chicken fajita recipe. This recipe is with a slight desi touch, and has been made with all the ingredients that are easily available at your home. Please do try this and give me your feedback, like you always do. It really boost my confidence, and encourage me to share more recipes with y'all!


Ingredients for the Chicken marination:

Chicken boneless ½ kg (cut into strips)
Salt 1 tsp
Black pepper powder 1 tsp
Paprika powder 1 tsp (if you don't it, use ½ tsp of red chili powder instead)
Chili sauce 2 tbsp
Chili garlic sauce 1 tbsp
Vinegar 2 tbsp
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Green chilies 2 finely chopped
Garlic paste 1 tsp
Ginger paste 1 tsp


Cucumber 1 (cut into small cubes)
Onion 1 medium (cut into small cubes)
Cabbage 1 cup (cut into small cubes)


Cream cheese to spread on Tortillas (as much required)
Lettuce leaves (optional)
Click on this link for Tortillas recipe 


Method:

1. Marinade the boneless chicken with all the seasoning/sauces. Keep it aside for at least an hour. 

2. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan, cook till the chicken is thoroughly cooked. Now add the vegetables. Toss it for a minute. Turn off the stove. 

3. Spread cream cheese and mustard paste on the tortillas, put spoonful of cooked chicken on it, some lettuce leaves, and fold it like a roll.  Serve with the salsa!

* I am sorry for the bad quality picture, my camera's battery decided to ditch me at the last moment! 

Cake Rusks

Ingredients:

Butter 100 grams
Eggs 3
All-purpose flour (maida) 8 tbsp
Baking powder 1 tsp
Caster sugar 8 tbsp leveled 
Vanilla essence 1 tsp


Method:

1. Preheat oven at 180° C. Sieve all-purpose flour and baking powder thrice in a bowl.
2. In a clean separate bowl, beat butter, vanilla essence and caster sugar till creamy. 
3. Now beat on low speed and add egg one at a time followed by 1 tbsp of sieved all-purpose flour and baking powder. 
4. Grease a 8 by 8 square baking tray with oil, dust it with the flour. Pour the batter in it and let it bake for 15-18 minutes till done.
5. When cooled, slice it into long, thick pieces. 
6. Preheat the oven again on 200° C. Arrange the rusks in single layers on baking sheet, bake for another 15-20 minutes or until all moisture dries up. Cool and store in a airtight container. 
7. Serve with tea! :D

Yields: 20 rusks.

Juicy Chicken Burger

Ingredients for burger patties:

Chicken mince ½ kg
Bread slices small 3 (soak in ½ cup of water, squeeze well, then use)
Green chilies 6 finely chopped
Worcestershire sauce 1 tbsp
Soy sauce 1 tbsp
Garlic paste ½ tsp
Ginger paste ½  tsp
Crushed black pepper 1 tsp 
Mustard powder/paste ½ tsp
Onion 1 (medium) chopped
Egg 1
Salt 1 tsp
Mixed herbs ¼ tsp
Butter or margarine 1 tbsp


Oil ¼ cup for frying


To Assemble:

Burger buns as required
Cheese slices
Lettuce leaves
Mayonnaise


Method:

1. In a large bowl, combine all the seasoning, soaked bread slices, butter and other ingredients in chicken mince. Mix all together very well. 
2. Divide the mixture into 7-8 piles (you decide which portion size is best for you), and shape it into round patties using your hands. Make sure its not too thick, or too thin. 
3. Heat oil in a non-stick pan, fry chicken patties until golden and cooked through.
4. Toast the burger buns without oil in another pan. 
5. Now apply mayonnaise on each side of the buns in generous amount.
6.  Add lettuce leaf, cheese slice, and then fried chicken patty. 
7. Place another side of the bun of top. 
8. Serve with french fries! 

Yields: 7 burger patties.

Homemade Spices: Garam Masala

Garam Masala is one of the most important ingredient in Asian cuisine. A dear friend on Twitter @Tempt_ed's husband @thirsty_crow had asked me about my secret formula of Garam Masala. Quite honestly, I never really prepared it myself. It was always my mother who did. She would make it all at home instead of buying those readily available packets in the market. Anyway, here goes the recipe:

Ingredients:

Whole white zeera (cumin seeds) 1 cup
Whole black pepper ½ cup
Green cardamon (elaichi, with shell) 25 
Cloves (laung) ¼ cup
Black cardamon (bari elaichi) 12
Jawatri 1 tbsp
Jaifal 1 
Cinnamon sticks 12 (1 inch each)


Method:

1. Grind all the above ingredients in a clean, dry spice grinder until smooth.
2.  Sieve it. 
3. Grind whatever is left on your strainer again until smooth. Repeat, if necessary.
4. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. 

Note: The image has been google-d. 

Seekh Kabab

Ingredients:

Mutton mince ½ kg

Ghee 4 tbsp
Salt 1 ½ tsp
Red chili powder 2 tsp
Garam masala powder 2 tsp
Papaya paste 1 tsp heaped
Onion chopped 2 tbsp
Fresh coriander leaves finely chopped ¼ cup
Cornflour 2 tsp
Ginger paste 1 tsp heaped
Garlic paste 1 tsp heaped


Wooden skewers 15-16
Oil ¼ cup for frying


Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix all the above ingredients and leave it to marinade for couple of hours or overnight.
2. Wash the wooden skewers, let them dry.
3. Dampen your hand with few drops of oil. Take handful of this mixture and wrap around each wooden skewer in the shape of a sausage. Repeat the process with other skewers.
4. Shallow fry, keep turning from time to time so that they get cooked evenly all around.
5. You can also BBQ or bake it. 
6. Serve hot with sliced onion and lemon.  

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

Butter 100 grams

Brown sugar 6 tbsp

Egg 1

Flour ¾ cup

Baking soda ½ tsp leveled

Salt a pinch

Chocolate chips ½ cup

Quaker oatmeal 1 cup

Walnuts crushed ½ cup

Vanilla essence 1 tsp

Method:

1. Preheat oven at 200° degree. 
2. Sieve flour and baking soda thrice. Keep aside. 
3. Now in a large bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until creamy. 
4. Add egg and vanilla essence. Beat until combined well. 
5. Mix sieved flour, baking soda and salt with the help of spatula. 
6. Fold in crushed walnuts, chocolate chips, and oatmeal. 
7. Drop the mixture by rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. 
9. When baked, allow cookies to cool completely on baking sheet for 5 minutes, now transfer them on wire rack to cool completely. 

Gulaab Jamun

One of the most popular dessert in countries of the Indian Subcontinent. - Gulaab Jamun

Ingredients:

Nido milk powder ½ cup

Yogurt 2 tbsp (beaten)

Baking soda ¼

Ghee 1 tbsp

Maida 2 tbsp

Cardamon powder ¼ tsp

For Sugar Syrup:

Sugar 2 cups

Water 1 ½ cups

Cardamon pods 2 slightly crushed

Ghee for frying

Pistachios for garnishing

Almonds for garnishing

Method:

1. Add sugar, water and crushed cardamon pods in a pan and stir it then let it cook on medium flame for 5-10 minutes. Do not overcook or it will caramelize the sugar.
2. Make the dough by combining milk powder, yogurt, baking soda, ghee, maida and cardamon powder. 
3. Divide the dough into 15-18 small portions. 
4. Make small balls by gently rolling each portion between your palms into a smooth ball.
5. Heat ghee/oil in a wok. Slip in the ball into the hot oil from the side of the pan, one by one. 
6. They will sink to the bottom of the wok. Do not stir. Keep the flame on medium-low. 
7. The Gulab Jamuns would rise slowly to the top if the temperature is just right. 
8. Now gently and constantly agitated to ensure even browning on all sides.
9. Make sure the temperature of the oil is not too hot, else the gulab jumuns will break or cook too quickly.
10. Now add fried Gulab Jamuns in warm sugar syrup. Leave it for at least 4-5 hours or overnight for best results. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Quick Pasta

A quick recipe of pasta is all you need when you have uninvited guests at your place. I love pasta, ANY sort of pastas! This is yet again my creation, very easy recipe with all the ingredients that are easily available at every home. Please try and do give me your feedback.

Ingredients:

Chicken fillet 1 cut into julienne

Pasta any shape 2 cups (boiled)

Salt 1 tsp

Crushed black pepper ¼ tsp

Red chili flakes ¼ tsp

Tomato ketchup 4 tbsp

Chili garlic sauce 2 tbsp

Soy sauce 1 tbsp

Curry powder (optional) 1 tsp

Cream 2 tbsp

Chicken cube 1

Garlic paste 1 tsp

Oil 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Boil pasta according to the given instructions on the packet. Keep it aside.
2. Now heat the oil in a pan, add garlic paste, and chicken. Saute until the chicken water dries on medium-high flame, add chicken cube, and ¼ cup water. 
3. Put all the above seasonings, keep stirring until the sauce is semi-thick in consistency. 
4. Add the boiled pasta, mix well and serve.

*You can also serve it with Garlic Bread.

Garlic Bread

It's warm, it's buttery, and you can taste garlic in every bite of it. This Garlic Bread is simply irresistible! 

Ingredients:

French loaf 1

Butter 50 grams (softened)

Garlic paste 1 tsp heapedSalt a pinch
Parsley 1-2 tbsp (fresh, if available)
Fresh crushed black pepper ¼ tsp
Oregano to sprinkle
Mozerella/Chedder cheese as required


Method:

1. Preheat oven at 200°C.
2. Cut the french loaf into 1 or 2 inches thick slices.
3. Mix butter, garlic paste, salt, crushed black pepper, and fresh parsley together in a small bowl.
4. Spread the generous amount of mixture on each slices, top with cheese. 
5. Sprinkle oregano leaves. And bake it for 5-6 minutes until golden brown in color and cheese is melted. 
6. Serve immediately. 

Rainbow Biryani

I played with some ingredients, used my creativity, and created this magical recipe in my kitchen. When we invited some guests over for dinner unfortunately their kid HATES potatoes and biryani. Shocking much? But that's true. So I thought of making masala of biryani but semi-dry gravy with boneless chicken, and color the rice to attract the kid. Result? He loved it! Since it was made for kids only, this is less spicy but tastes amazingly delicious. Anyways, lets  begin the recipe.

Ingredients:

Boneless chicken 250 grams
Tomatoes 2-3 medium finely chopped
Ginger paste ½ tsp
Garlic paste ½ tsp
Salt 1 tsp
Red chili powder 1 tsp heaped
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Haldi ½ tsp
Garam masala powder ¼ tsp heaped
Oil ¼ cup
Coriander leaves for garnishing


Boiled rice ½ kg (¾ done)
Food color any 3 (I used red, yellow and green)


Method:

1. Boil rice until ¾ done. Add a drop or two of each food color over rice, put it on dum till done. Keep aside. Shuffle them with the spoon to see the colorful result. 
2. Now, heat oil in a nonstick pan, add garlic and ginger paste. Saute for a bit. 
3. Add boneless chicken, saute until it changes the color to white. 
4. Put chopped tomatoes, cook until the water dries. 
5. Add all the remaining seasonings. Cook till the chicken is tender and cooked. 
6. Add layer of colorful boiled rice in your serving dish, pour cooked chicken on the top. 
7. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot. 

Mini Chocolate Brownies with Fudge

Any festival or a happy occasions is nothing without 'sweets'. Eid-ul-Fitr is one of that happy occasions when you have more sweets than food or snacks on your serving table. This eid, I decided to make Mini brownies for all the guests. So before we start the recipe..

Belated Eid Mubarak Everyone! :) 

For brownies you will need:

Oil ½ cup
All-purpose flour 1 cup
Baking powder ½ tsp
Cocoa powder 2 tbsp heaped
Caster sugar ½ cup
Eggs 2 (room temperature)
Vanilla essence ½ tsp
Milk 2-3 tbsp


Ingredients for Fudge:

Cooking chocolate 200 grams
Cream 1 tbsp


Method:

1. Preheat oven at 180° C.
2. Beat oil, caster sugar and eggs together until they are combined. 
3. Sieve all-purpose flour, baking powder and cocoa powder thrice, now add sieved dry ingredients gradually in the egg mixture. 
4. Keep beating on medium-low speed. 
5. Now add vanilla essence and the milk, mix well with the spatula. 
6. Grease 8'' square baking pan with oil or butter, dust with all-purpose flour. 
7. Pour the mixture in the pan. 
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes. 
9. Insert a toothpick to check if it's completely baked or not. Keep aside until it is completely cool.

Method for Fudge:

1. Melt the cooking chocolate on double boiled on low flame. 
2. When the chocolate is completely melted, add 1 tbsp of cream and mix with the spoon. 
3. Spread this mixture immediately on the baked brownies. 
4. Make it even with knife or icing spatula. 
5. Let it set for at least 15 minutes in room temperature. 
6. Cut it into mini squares or any shape you desire. 

Yields: 25 mini squares

Chinese Cutlets

Ingredients:

Potatoes ½ kg (boiled and mashed)

Chicken 1 breast fillet boiled and shredded

Cabbage ¼ cup finely chopped

Carrot 1 small finely chopped

Noodles boiled ¼ cup

Salt 1½ tsp

White pepper ½ tsp

Green chilies 2 finely chopped

Tomato ketchup 3 tbsp

Chili garlic sauce 2 tbsp

Soy sauce 1 tsp

Red chili flakes ¼ tsp

Garam masala ¼ tsp

Egg beaten 2

Method:

1. Mix all the above ingredients in a clean bowl except eggs. 
2. Now, shape a handful of mixture into a cutlet. 
3. Dip each cutlet in beaten egg and shallow fry in preheated oil until they turn golden brown. 
4. Remove from heat and set aside on kitchen towel. Serve hot. 

[Guest Post] - Cold Cake

Cold Cake

Ingredients:

Butter 100 grams

Caster sugar 8 tbsp
Cocoa powder 4 tbsp
Eggs 2 (well beaten)
Marie Biscuits 2 medium packets (grounded)


Method:

1. Melt the butter on a very low flame, add caster sugar, cocoa powder, and two well beaten egg, mix thoroughly. 
2. Now add grounded Marie biscuits, mix till a thick mixture is obtained. 
3. Turn off the stove. Pour this mixture in any clean mould. 
4. Put it in the freezer for an hour approximately. Keep it refrigerated afterwards. 
5. Serve chilled. 

Guest post by Rabiah Hussain 
Photograph by Rabiah Hussain


Do give us your feedback on this post. It's a VERY simple recipe. A must, must, must try!! 

Masala Aloo

Ingredients:

Baby Potatoes ½ kg (half boiled)

Zeera roasted and crushed ½ tsp

Whole coriander roaster and crushed ½ tsp

Rai (mustard seeds) ¼ tsp

Salt to taste

Garam masala 1 tsp

Turmeric powder ½ tsp

Red chili powder 1½ tsp

Tamarind juice ¼ cup

Oil 3-4 tbsp

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method:

1. Peel the potatoes, boil them for 6-8 minutes until half done. Let them cool in room temperature. 
2. Now take a pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, let it pop for 1 minute. 
3. Now add all the remaining ingredients except potatoes, and coriander. Saute spices well. 
4. Add half boiled potatoes, cover and let it cook for 5-10 minutes on slow flame. 
5. Garnish with coriander leaves on top and serve.