Creamy Chicken Soup

     Among the soups,the chicken soup very popular among people of all age group.It is a low calorie,evergreen and yummy food.It is a rich source of calcium,hence nutritious too.A modified version is Creamy Chicken Soup!

Ingredients:

For Stock-

• Chicken 500 gm
•  [Avoid frozen chicken which gives lesser flavour.Also dark meat of chicken,i.e,thigh,leg etc provide strong flavour..]
• Onion  1 big
• Ginger  1 small
• Water  8 cup
• Bay leaves 2
• Green cardamom 4 pieces
• Cloves  4
• Mace [javitri ]  1 leave
• Salt  1/2 tsp

For Soup- 

• Stock  6 cups
  
• Butter  3 tsp
• Milk  1 cup
• Cream  1/4 cup
• Cheese  1/2 cup grated



Grated Cheese

• Corn flour or fine wheat flour [maida]  5 tsp
• Black pepper  1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Green coriander leaves  a few leaves.

Peeling off chicken

Shredded Chicken

Method:

For Stock-

• Put all the ingredients in a pressure cooker and cook,with cover on,for about 10 minutes.Take out breast pieces and cook again with out cover,the remaining part till the solution becomes slightly thick.Strain the solution.The stock is ready.
• Peel off meat of the breast pieces and keep separately.
  The filtered chicken pieces can be  used for masala chicken,kali mirch chicken,curry chicken curry etc.

For Soup-  

• Heat the butter in a deep pan.
• Add corn flour and fry for 2-3 seconds but the flour should not be brown.
• Add the stock gradually and stirring at the same time so that granules are not formed and mixture is smooth.Cook till a little thick.Keep stirring.
• Add breast chicken meat pieces,milk,salt and pepper.Bring to one boil.Close the flame.The soup is ready.
• Put in serving bowls,pour 1 tsp cream,1 tsp of cheese and chopped coriander leaves in each bowl. 

Serve hot with or without soup sticks.

Quick Breakfast:Egg Roti

         While living alone at another city for some time my husband developed "quick to make"recipes.One of his favourite is Egg Roti which he makes with left over Rotis,a short cut snack.He feels pleasure in sharing the same with me as well as my blog brethren.

Ingredients:

• Eggs  2
• Roti [left over or fresh]  4
• Onion  1 medium
• Green coriander leaves  1 small bunch
• Green chili  2-3 pieces
• Ginger [grated]  1/2 tsp
• Garam masala powder  1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste.
• Refined oil  4 tsp

Serves: 2

Method:

• Beat the eggs in a bowl.Mix salt & garam masala and beat well again.

• Chop finely the onion,green chillies and coriander leaves.
• Mix these and grated ginger into beaten eggs. Whisk this mixture quite well.
• In case of left over rotis,warm them on a pan.
• Now Heat the pan on high flame,spread 1 tsp of oil in size of a roti.Heat for 2 seconds.
• Pour 1/4th of egg mixture with a table spoon on the pan,spread it in size of roti.Let it cook till it becomes golden brown.
• Paste a roti on it and press lightly with spoon on different parts of the roti.
• Now flip and let the base cook for some time.
• Remove it from pan.
• Repeat the process with the rest of items.
• 
  

Eat or serve hot with chili sauce [ or,with tomato sauce if you like less spicy].

Masala Chicken [Spicy Chicken]

Now a recipe developed by my husband while living alone for some time in another city in connection with his job.He used to cook himself and never outsourced it to any body else.At the same time,he used to be short of time but his cooking hobby made him to modify the usual methods of popular dishes to cut it short.Well have a look and enjoy!

 

Ingredients:

• Chicken pieces  500 gm 
• Dry garam masala  2tbsp
• Red chili  2 pieces
• Red chili powder  1 tsp
• Turmeric powder  1 tsp
• Kashmiri chili powder  1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Onion  6 medium size
• Garlic cloves  5 
• Ginger  1 small
• Green coriander leaves  1 small bunch
• Green chili 5-6 pieces
• Lemon juice 2 tbsp
• Curd 1 cup
• Refined oil

 Preparation: 

• Wash the chicken pieces and make cuts on it.
• Mix 1/2 tsp of salt & lemon juice with it and leave aside for 15 minutes
• Chop the onions.
• Chop finely the coriander leaves & ginger.
• Crush garlic cloves.
• Chop green chillies lengthwise.

 Serves:  5 

Method:

• Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
• Fry bay leaves for a few seconds,then add black pepper corn,green cardamom,black cardamom,red chili and javitri.Fry for a few seconds.
• Add onion pieces and crushed garlic cloves,mix and fry till golden brown.
• Add salt,ginger,turmeric powder and dry garam masala.Mix well.
• Add chicken pieces.Mix till every piece is well wrapped.
• Saute well till the colour of chicken changes.Keep stirring.
• When water,discharged by chicken,evaporates,add curd 7 mix well.
• When oil starts oozing in the pan and chicken becomes tender,add 2 cup of water.
• Cover the pan and cook on low temperature for about 10 minutes.
• Saute after 5 minutes.Check if chicken is cooked.
• It must be having small quantity of gravy,If found extra,cook for a few more minutes on low flame.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and green chillies.
Enjoy hot.

Aloo Ki Green Chaat [Potato Green Chat]

          Now a very spicy and mouth watering chaat,simple to cook and a handy snack.Be the family members or your esteemed guests,surprise them in morning or evening.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• Small potatoes  250 gm
• [If small potatoes not available,cut them into half or four pieces]
• Green coriander leaves  50 gm
• Green chili  4-5 pieces
• Ginger  1 small piece
• Reddish leaves  3-4 leaves
• Reddish  1
• Chaat masala powder  1/4 tsp 
• Red chili powder 1/4 tsp
• chaat masala-1 tsp
• Mango powder  1/2 tsp
• Sweet curd 1/2 cup
• Lemon juice 1 
• Salt to taste

Preparation:

• Boil potatoes with 1 tsp salt,peel off and keep aside.
• To make coriander chutney,clean the coriander leaves,reddish leaves,ginger & green chillies, and grind in a mixer.Mix well salt to taste and mango powder.The green coriander chutney is ready
• Grate the reddish.

Method:

• Take boiled potatoes in a bowl.Prick them on all sides with a fork.
• Pour lemon juice over potatoes and mix salt.Keep aside for about 15 minutes for marination.
• Now pour green chutney over the potatoes and mix quite well.
• Let the potatoes marinate again for about half an hour.
• Lo! green aloo ki chaat is ready!

Before serving,garnish with grated reddish,then pour a little curd and sweet chutney of ripe imli.

Sprinkle chaat masala powder and red chili powder.

Moong Ki Daal Ka Cheela

    Here is a snack for a winter or even summer holiday mornings.It is a yummy,less oily and easy to cook dish.Try and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

• Moong daal (split skinned green gram )  2 cup
• Green chilli  5to 6pieces 
• Ginger  1 small piece
• Garam masala powder  1/4 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil  3to 4 tbsp

 PREPARATION

• Wash daal  properly and  soak in enough water for 6-7 hours.Thereafter drain water,wash again and grind in mixer
• Grind ginger and green chili together in mixer.
• Add ginger & chilli paste and salt to ground daal ,mix well to make a thick and smooth paste

 

METHOD

• Heat a flat pan on high flame.
• Take daal paste in a service spoon and spread the paste evenly making a thin surface on the pan.

•  Sprinkle a few drops of oil on it.
•   Cook for 2-3 minutes.Then flip on other side.
•   Cook for 1-2 minutes.
•   Fold the cheela.

Serve cheela hot with tomato sauce and green coriander chutney.

Fish Fry

      

            The fish is very popular for its taste and its lightness.There are various methods to cook it to get varied taste.Similarly state of Kerala is well known for unique fish recipes.A Keralite friend of my daughter offered so tasty fish dish that we still feel its taste.That method has been slightly modified with north Indian touch.Hope this will go well with food lovers.

  Ingredients

• Fish fillets [single bone]  500 gm
• Coriander powder  3-4 tsp
• Red chili powder  1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder  1 tsp
• Mango powder  1 tsp
• Dry garam masala 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds  1 tsp
• Curry leaves  4-6
• Lemon  1
• Salt to taste
• Refined/vegetable oil  2 tbsp

Preparation:

   1.Wash the fish with plain water,then with hing.Now wash with wheat flour and water.

To marinate,mix salt and lemon juice with fish fillets.Keep for about 30 minutes.

Drain water from fish mixture.

   2.Now make a thick paste of all the ingredients,above mentioned and mix with fish.Leave it for 1/2 hour.

Method

• Heat vegetable/refined oil [1 tsp] in a non stick fry pan on high flame.Once hot,lower the flame.

• Add half of mustard seeds n curry leaves,fry for a few seconds.

• Now fry 3-4 pieces of fish,at a time on low flame..

• Fry on one side for 5-6 minutes,then change sides.If necessary,change sids again.

• Ensure the fish is not burnt and well cooked on both sides.

• Enjoy the Fish Fry as a snack,or,with rumali roti,rice & dal.

Navratra Special-Aloo ki Kadhi

Fasting is an act of religious faith.People observe it with commitment and deserve special respect.This blog endeavours to make their dinner somewhat tasty.Aloo Ki Kadhi is such a dish.However this dish can be used on other occasions too.

Ingredients

• Aloo [potato]  500 gm
• Curd   500 gm
• Ginger  1" piece
• Green chilli  4-5 pieces
• Green coriander leaves  1 small bunch
• Black pepper powder  1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder  1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida [hing]  2 pinch
• Cumin seeds [Jeera]  1/4 tsp
• Rock salt [sendha namak] to taste
• Pure ghee  2 tsp   
•        [Note:For other than fasting,normal salt and dry garam masala powder [1 tsp ]can be used.]

Serves 06 persons.

Preparation

Boil the potatoes in a pressure cooker.Drain water and peel off the potatoes.

• Mash partially the boiled potatoes into small pieces.
• Beat the curd.
• Chop the chili,ginger and green coriander leaves into fine pieces.

Method

• Heat oil in a pan and add hing & cumin seeds,Fry till cumin seeds turn dark brown,Add chilli and ginger pieces & fry slightly.
• Add mashed potato & turmeric powder,and fry till it turns light brownish.
• Add beaten curd, pepper powder and rock salt.
•   Cook on low flame till the mixture boils,and, curd & potato are mixed..Close the flame.
• Garnish with green coriander leaves.

Serve hot with puri or paratha made of Singhara or Kutu flour.

Navratri Special-Potato Fry

            During fasting,the potato fry can be used as a snack in the evening or with meal in dinner.

Ingredients:

• Potato [medium size]  500 gm
• Coriander Leaves  small bunch
• Green chilli  04 pieces
• Ginger  01 small piece
• Black pepper powder  1/4 tsp
• Rock salt [sendha namak] to taste
• Pure ghee  3 tbsp

Preparation:

• Clean the potato,boil in a pressure cooker for 2 whistles.Let the pressure release.Peel off the boiled potato.Then cut each into four pieces,or,two pieces if smaller potato.

•   Cut green chilli and ginger into small pieces.

Method:

• Take a heavy bottomed pan,heat it.Add pure ghee,heat it on high flame.
• Fry pieces of green chilli and ginger for a few seconds.
• Add pieces of potato,mix well.Fry for 2-3 minutes.Lower the flame.
• Add salt and pepper powder.Mix well.Cover with the lid.
• After 5-6 minutes,remove the lid and fry the potato on high flame.Keep on stirring and scratching the bottom of pan occasionally so that potato is not burnt.
• When the oil in the pan is totally dried and potato well fried,close the flame.
• Garnish with green coriander and serve hot.

  The yummy potato fry is ready to eat independently,or, with paratha or puri made of flour of singhara or kutu.

 

Paneer Masala

   It is not always that we like lengthy process to have a spicy dish.So nothing like paneer masala,a nutritious,spicy,tasty,and quick n simple to cook recipe!

Ingredients

• Paneer  250 gm
• Curd  3/4 cup
• Caraway [Ajwain]  1 tsp
• Dry garam-masala powder 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder  1/2 tsp
• Salt to the taste
• Coriander Powder  1 tbsp
• Onion  2 big size
• Ginger  1 small piece
• Green chilli  4 piece
• Coriander leaves  a small bunch.
• Oil  2 tbsp

Preparation

• Chop the paneer into uniform pieces of 1"x1 1/2".
• Whip the curd in a pot.
• Slice the onion into thin pieces.
• Chop finely the ginger,coriander leaves and green chilli. 

Serves: 4

Method

• Heat oil in a pan and fry caraway for half a minute.
• Add onion,green chilli and ginger.Fry till onion turns brown.
• Now add red chilli powder and coriander powder.Mix and fry again for 1 minute.
• Add paneer.Mix well.
  
  
  
• Add whipped curd,salt and garam masala powder.Mix well and fry on low flame till oil oozes in the pan.

Paneer Masala is ready.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot.

 

Curd Chicken

Less spicy,superb taste,process quicken;so is the yummy curd chicken!

Ingredients

 

• Chicken  500 gm
• Curd  250 ml
• Garlic  6-7 cloves

  

• Ginger  1 medium piece
• Black pepper  1 tsp
• Green chillies  3-4
• Coriander leaves  25 gm
• Red chilli powder  1/4 tsp
• Turmeric powder  1/4 tsp
• Garam masala  1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Refined oil or Ghee  2-3 tbsp

                            Preparation

  1. Marination of chicken

• Peel off garlic clove
•  Cut ginger into small pieces.
• Crush [dardara] the black pepper. 
• Wash the chicken.Make deep cuts on its surface at various places.Make paste of curd,salt,crushed black pepper,turmeric powder, green chillies,ginger & garlic.Process it well in a mixer.
• .Apply this mixture on the chicken pieces so that each piece and every part of it is well covered.

Marinate for about 3-4 hours.

2. Chop finely the coriander leaves.

                          Method

1. Heat oil or ghee in a heavy bottomed pan.
2. Add all the pieces of marinated chicken,and garam masala,mix well and saute uniformly for 5-6 minutes on high heat till the chicken turns light brown.
3. Add marinade,left in the pot of marinated chicken,to the pan and mix well.Cover the pan and lower the flame.
4. Cook for about 10 minutes or until the chicken is tender.When the colour of gravy changes to golden.Close the flame 

The Curd chicken is ready.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot. 

Matching companion: Nan, rumali roti or jeera rice.

Sabudana Khichadi [Fried Sago Mix]

Sabudana [Sago] Khichadi is a fast to cook, tasty and nutritious breakfast item liked by young or old alike.Even on occasions of fasting, it can be taken.

Ingredients:

• Sabudana [Sago] 250 gm
• Pea nuts 1cup
• Potato 3-4medium
• Cumin seeds 1/2tsp
• Black pepper 1/2tsp
• Ginger 1small pc
• Green chilli 4-5pcs
• Coriander leaves 1small bunch
• Lemon 1-2pcs
• Salt to taste {during fasting,use sendha namak [rock salt] }
• Refined oil  4tbsp

Serves: 4

 

Preparation:

• Wash sabudana 2-3 times and soak into 2 cup of water for at least 4-5 hours.
• Then drain water and keep the sabudana aside.Keep in mind that the same should be moist till its use.With the time it will increase in volume.This is to be ascertained that pearls of sabudana should be soft.
• Chop the green chilies finely into small pieces.
• Roast peanuts in a heavy bottom pan, continuously stirring so that the same is not burnt.Then peel off the skin.Grind the peanuts for broken or coarse small pieces.
• Boil the potatoes.Then mash coarsely.
• Grind pepper.
• Chop the coriander leaves finely.
• Grate ginger. 

 

Method:

• Heat refined oil in a deep fry pan on high flame and add cumin seeds.When it becomes red,add green chili,grated ginger and mashed potato.Mix and fry for 5-6 minutes.
• Add salt and ground peanuts.Mix well again.Keep on stirring for 2-3 minutes.Add soaked sabudana.Mix well and fry with continuous stirring till its pearls turn transparent.
• Add 1 tbsp lemon juice and ground black pepper.Mix well.
• Close the flame.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot.