Chicken Puffs

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     This is the first time I'm working with frozen puff pastry. The pack I bought did not have any instruction as to how to use the pastry. And my puff did not rise. After searching the internet I realized where I went wrong and prepared the puffs again and this time it did rise. People who have never worked with puff pastry please do refer the notes below for further info. 

Ingredients:
gives 12 No's puffs

1 packet          -    Puff pastry sheets
White of 1 egg

For Filling:

2 No.             -    Chicken breast fillets  
1/2 tsp.           -     Turmeric powder 
1 tsp.              -     Pepper powder 
Salt to taste
2 medium         -    Onion finely chopped
1 1/2 tbsp.         -  Ginger-garlic paste
1 medium           -  Tomato chopped
1/4 tsp.              -   Turmeric powder 
1 tsp.                -     Chilly powder 
2 tsp.                -      Coriander powder 
1/2 tsp.               -     Garam masala
1/2 tsp.              -   Pepper powder 
2 tbsp.                 -  Coriander leaves, chopped
1 tbsp.               - Oil 
 Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cut the chicken breast into small pieces. Cook the chicken pieces with  1/2 tsp. turmeric powder, 1tsp. pepper powder, water and salt. Allow it to cool.
2. Mince the chicken in a mixer(just a pulse will do)
3. Heat oil in a pan, saute chopped onion till brown and add ginger-garlic paste . Lower the heat and add the spice powders.
4.  Saute for a minute or two and add the chopped tomato. Cook for few minutes and add the minced chicken and chopped coriander leaves. Combine well.Switch off flame and set aside. 
5. Thaw the puff pastry sheets as instructed in the package.(refer notes)
6.  Cut the puff pastry sheet into desired shape. Place 1 tbsp. of the prepared chicken filling onto the sheet.
7. Apply little water along the edges and seal the puffs using a fork. 
8. Arrange the prepared puffs on a greased baking sheet lined or line it with aluminium foil. Lightly beat the egg white and brush on top of the filled puff pastries.(Refer notes)
9.  Preheat the oven to 221 C and bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until the puffs turns golden brown on top.

Notes:

*  For thawing the pastry keep the required number of pastry sheets at room temperature for about 5 minutes or until it's consistency is enough to roll it.

* Use a rolling pin roll out the pastry. Take care not to roll it out too thin. (My pastry sheets where square shaped so I rolled it out to make a rectangle)

* Take care  not to brush the egg whites  on the sides.

* Do not leave the egg washed and stuffed pastry out too long else it will dry.

Beef Roast in caramelized onions

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Ingredients:

For Mariantion:

1/2 kg.             -      Beef  cubed and washed well
2tsp.                -      Ginger Garlic paste
2 tsp.               -       Chilly powder
1 1/2 tsp.         -        Coriander powder
1/4 tsp.             -      Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp.            -        Garam masala
1 tsp.               -        Lemon juice
1 tbsp.               -       Vinegar
1 sprig             -           Curry leaves
Salt to taste

For Caramelization:

2 No.             -     Onions finely sliced
3 tbsp.            -    Oil (coconut oil preferably
1/2tsp.            -     Pepper powder

For seasoning:

1 tbsp.              -    Coconut oil
1tsp.                 -    Mustard seeds
3 No.                -    Whole red chilly
5 No.                 -    Shallots finely sliced
1 sprig                 -    Curry leaves
2 tbsp.                -     Coconut thinly sliced
Method:

1. Marinate the beef with the above mentioned  marination ingredients  and keep aside for 20 minutes.
2.  Pressure cook the marinated beef along with water(nearly the same level as the beef) and cook for  3 whistles.
3. After the pressure subsides, cook the beef uncovered over medium heat until the beef is cooked . (Make sure that there is some water left about 1/4 to 1/2 cup. You will require this water for  Caramelization)
4. Keep aside the cooked beef along with the water.
5. Heat a large pan and add 1 tbsp. of  oil, saute the onions till tender.
6. Pour the water from the cooked beef and let the onion cook well.Stir fry till the onions starts browning and until not water is left.
7. Add the cooked beef to the onions and stir fry for some more time and add pepper and 2 tbsp. oil to the beef and combine well.
8. Remove from the heat and keep aside covered.
9. For the seasoning, heat a small pan and add coconut oil, splutter mustard seeds when hot.
10. Add whole red chilly, curry leaves,coconut slices, saute and add small onions.Stir fry till the onions and the coconut slices turns brown in color. Remove from heat and add this to the roasted beef, keep covered for a few minutes and serve.

Fruit Salad with ice cream

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    I got this recipe from my sister(in-law). There isn't any quantity mentioned because I made this by tasting it at every stages. This is a very simple dessert which requires zero cooking and can be made in a jiffy {if you have already cut your fruits ;)}.

Ingredients:

Fruits of your choice - I used mangoes, oranges, grapes, apples
Fruit salad Ice cream - I used Kwality ice cream
Condensed milk        - according to the sweetness you require (add little at a time)
Chocolate shavings and nuts for decorating

Method:

  There's actually nothing much to do. 

1. Peel and cut you fruits in small cubes. 
2. Beat the ice cream using a beater until its creamy and a bit loose.
3. That's it all you have to do now is to combine the fruits and condensed milk to the beaten ice cream, decorate and serve.

Dragon Chicken

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 I first had dragon chicken at "The Rock" restaurant at Chennai. It was very good and I ended up eating the entire plate. It was sweet ans spicy. 

   I searched for the recipe for a long time, there were many versions of the same and my first attempt was a failure. I finally found a recipe which I tried and I nailed it.

Unfortunately the person who submitted this recipe left no name. The original recipe did not have any vegetables or nuts, but I added both.

Ingredients:

1/2Kg.          -     Chicken(boneless) cut in long strips  

1 tsp.            -     Ginger(finely chopped)

1 tsp.            -     Garlic(finely chopped)

1 1/2 tsp.      -      Red chilly flakes 

1/2 Cup         -    Tomato sauce (adjust the quantity)

2 tsp.            -     Soy sauce

1/2 tsp.         -     Sugar

Oil for deep frying
8 Nos.          -      Split cashews

1 No.            -     Carrot  sliced into thin strips
1/2 Cup        -     Green Capsicum sliced 
1/2 Cup        -      Cabbage sliced
* All the vegetables should be cut as you would do for a fried rice

For marination:

1 tsp.            -     Ginger paste

1 tsp.            -     Garlic paste

1 1/2 tsp.       -     Pepper powder  

1 No.             -    Egg white 

2 tbsp.            -    Corn Flour  

Method: 

1. Marinate the chicken pieces with the above mentioned marination ingredients and set aside for 2 hrs.
2. Fry the marinated chicken in oil until golden brown and crispy.(Refer notes
3. Pour 2 tsp. of oil used for frying in a skillet.
4. Saute the finely chopped ginger, garlic followed by red chilly flakes and tomato sauce.
5. Add Soy Sauce and sugar.
6. Add the cashews and vegetables and saute for 2 minutes.
7. Add the fried chicken pieces and mix well.
8. Cook for some more time until everything is mixed well.
9. Garnish with spring onions and coriander leaves.

NOTES:

* If sugar added is more, add more of tomato sauce to compensate the sweet taste.
* I did not deep fry the chicken instead I used a frying pan to cook the marinated chicken by   turning the pieces time to time to cook evenly.
* Do not over cook the chicken else it will be hard to bite (remember you will be cooking it again with the sauce). You would probably only require 5 to 10 minutes to cook the chicken.
* Do not over cook the vegetables.

Chicken Roll

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Ingredients:
Chicken Masala(Filling)
900 gm        -   Minced chicken
3                 -   Onion chopped
2 inch          -   Ginger finely chopped
10 -12          -  Cloves of garlic, grated
8                 -   Crushed Green chilli(adjust)
½ tsp.          -  Turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp.     -  Pepper powder
1/2 tsp.        -  Garam masala
1/2 cup        -  chopped coriander leaves
3tbsp.          - Oil
Salt according to taste


For Batter

1 cup    -    Plain Flour 
1 1/2     -    cup water
1           -   egg
Salt to taste


For coating:
1-2                -   Eggwhites
1/2 to 3/4 cup -  Breadcrumbs or as required
oil                  - to deep fry

Method:

Chicken Masala preparations:

1. Cook the chicken in salt and pepper and mince when cool.(Pulse using a blender)
2. Heat oil in pan and add minced ginger, garlic. Saute for a minute and add the minced chicken. Add  pepper powder, turmeric and garam masala. Add chopped coriander leaves.
3. Sprinkle water if it is too dry. Mix well and switch off. 

Pancake preparation:

1. Combine all the ingredients well in a large bowl until everything is blended without lumps.
2.  Heat a pan on medium heat and make thin dosas of about 5inch diameter. (Do not over cook)
3.  Place a 1 tbsp. or less amount of the masala on the prepared pancake at the top leaving little space from the top and the sides.
4. Fold the left and right sides to the centre and make a tight roll to seal the filling in.
5. Seal the roll firmly using the batter.
6. Dip the roll in lightly beaten egg whites and then roll it in breadcrumbs until fully coated and deep fry until golden brown.
7. Serve warm with ketchup.

Banana Bread

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Ingredients: (Makes 1 loaf)

3 or 4                  -     ripe bananas, smashed

1 1/2 cups           -     all-purpose flour

1/3 cup               -     melted butter

3/4 cup               -    Sugar 

1                        -     egg, beaten

1 tsp.                  -     vanilla

1 tsp.                  -      baking soda

Pinch of salt

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 175°C. 
2. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. 
3. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. 
4. Add  baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. 
5. Add the flour and mix. Pour mixture into a greased 4x8 inch loaf pan.
6.  Bake for 1 hour or until a tooth pick comes out clean or almost clean. Cool on a rack and serve.

Note:
*  Any kind of nuts can be added.
* I used light brown sugar instead of the normal one and i got a very moist cake with a light  butterscotch flavour. 

Vegetable Kurma

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Ingredients:
4 Cups    -   Mixed Vegetables of your choice

For the gravy:

1              -    Onion
1 tsp.        -    Ginger garlic paste
5              -   Green Chilly 
1/3 tsp.     -   Turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp.  -   Coriander powder
1/2 tsp.     -   Garam masala
1/3 tsp.     -   Pepper powder
1              -   Cardamom
 2             -  Clove
1 stick       -  Cinnamon
 1              -  star anise
1/2 Cup     -  Thick coconut milk
coriander leaves for garnishing
Salt to taste

To grind:

1/2 tsp.      -Fennel seeds
1/2 cup      -   Coconut grated
14 to 15     -   Cashew nuts


Method:

1. Cut the vegetables into small cubes.
2. Soak cashew nuts and fennel seeds in 1/2 cup of warm water for half an hour and grind this along with coconut into a fine paste and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan and add whole spices and roast till there is a nice aroma. 
4. Add onion,green chilly,salt and saute till it changes color. Add ginger garlic paste and turmeric and saute for a minute. Add coriander powder, and pepper powder,vegetables, coconut milk and one cup of warm water. 
5. Cover and cook till the vegetables are tender. Remove lid and add the coconut cashew paste and simmer in low flames for a minute or 2. Finally add garam masala and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot.

Mathanga Vanpayar Erissery / Pumpkin & Red beans curry

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Ingredients:

1/2 cup      -   Vanpayar cooked partially with salt

500           -    Pumpkin diced

1               -    Green chilli sliced

1/4 tsp.      -   Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

For Grinding:

1/2 cup-Grated coconut 

1/2 tsp.-Cumin seeds  

2-Green chili 

a pinch Turmeric powder 

For tempering :

2 Tbsp.-Grated coconut 

1/2 tsp.-Mustard seeds 

2-Dried red chiles 

Curry leaves

Method:

1. Cook Pumpkin pieces with chilli , turmeric and salt to taste with enough water to cover it until soft enough to mash with a spoon.
2. Grind all the ingredients under grinding to a coarse paste.
3. Transfer the paste to the cooked pumpkin. Add the precooked red beans to it and simmer for 4-5 minutes or until it is well heated through. Add more water if too thick.
4. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they pop up add dried red chillies , curry leaves and fry for few seconds . Add grated coconut in low flame and fry till golden brown and pour over the pumpkin erissery and serve .(I added few finely sliced shallots to the tempering)

Magic Cake

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The magic is in the fact that you get a 3 layer cake with one batter; dense one on the bottom, custard-like layer in the middle, and a sponge layer on top. 

Ingredients:

Source: whiteonricecouple

 eggs, separated, at room temperature -  4 no.          
water                          -  1 Tbsp.   
Sugar                          -   150 g   
butter, melted             -  125 g    
 All purpose flour       -   115 g    
 milk, lukewarm          -   2 Cups    
vanilla extract              -  2 tsp.     

Instructions:

1. Pre heat oven to 325 F. Grease a 8 inch x 8 inch (20 x 20 cm) baking dish and keep aside.
2. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks are formed.
3. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar, water and vanilla until light.
4. Gradually add melted butter and continue beating for a minute. Then add the flour and mix it in.
5. Add the lukewarm milk  slowly and gradually and beat until well incorporated.
6. Gently fold in beaten egg whites using a spatula or a whisk.
7. Pour batter into a greased  baking dish and bake for about 60 minutes or until the top is golden.
8. Cool in the pan for at least 3 hours. Serve  with powdered sugar.

Vegetable Fried Rice

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Ingredients:

1 Cup  -  Basmati Rice
1 Cup  -  Cabbage finely sliced strips
1 No.   -   Carrot 
1 No.   -   Capsicum 
7 Sprigs -  Spring Onion
1/2 tsp.   -  Pepper powder(Adjust the amount)
1 tsp.    -  Soy Sauce
3 to 4 Tbsp.  - Olive Oil
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Cook and cool the basmati rice.
2. Cut the vegetables in thin strips and chop the spring onion.
3. Heat oil in a broad pan on high flame and saute the cut vegies one by one each for a minute.(Do not overcook the vegetables)
4. Add the pepper powder and soy sauce and saute well.
5. Transfer this along with the required amount of salt onto the cooled rice and mix well and Serve hot.

Varutharacha Chicken Curry

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Ingredients :(Serves 4)


1/2 Kg  -     Chicken (Cut into small pieces)    
1/4 Cup -   Grated Coconut                         
2 Tbsp.  -    Coconut Oil
1 Tbsp.  -   Ginger Chopped
1 Tbsp.  -   Garlic Chopped 
2 Tbsp.  -   Sliced Coconut pieces
1 Cup     -   Onion thinly sliced
2 No.     -    Green Chilly Sliced
1 tsp.     -    Chilly Powder
1/2 tsp.  -     Coriander Powder
1/4 tsp.  -     Turmeric Powder
1/2tsp.   -      Pepper powder
3/4 tsp.  -     Garam Masala Powder
1 Cup    -      Thin Coconut milk
1 Cup    -     Thick Coconut milk
2 Sprigs   -    Curry Leaves
Salt as needed


For Tempering                                   
1 Tbsp.  -   Coconut Oil
1/2 tsp.  -    Mustard Seeds
3           -     Dry Red Chilly
2           -    Shallots Sliced
1 Sprig  -    Curry Leaves
1/4 tsp.  -    Red Chilly powder


Method:
To make the Curry

1. Dry roast  Grated Coconut in a pan on medium heat until brown,cooland grind it into a smooth paste. Keep it aside.
2. Heat 2 tbsp. of Coconut Oil in a pan on medium  heat and saute the Coconut pieces, chopped Ginger and Garlic for few seconds.(slightly brown).
3. Add Onion and Green Chilly and fry till the Onion becomes golden brown.
4. Lower the heat and add Chilly Powder, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, Pepper Powder and Garam Masala Powder and saute till its raw smell is gone for about 3 minutes.
5. Add the Chicken and fry on high heat for a minute; add the Salt, Curry Leaves, ground roasted Coconut paste and thin Coconut Milk; cook covered till the Chicken is done.
6. Once the Chicken is cooked well, add the thick Coconut Milk and heat till it starts to boil . Switch off the heat and keep it covered for 5 minutes.

To make the tempering:

1. Heat Oil in another pan on medium heat and splutter Mustard Seeds.
2. Add Whole Red Chilly, Shallots and Curry Leaves and saute till browned. Finally add the red chilly powder and switch off the heat.
3. Pour the tempering over the chicken curry and serve.