Spicy Schezwan Chicken

Szechuan chicken is a Spicy Chinese Chicken dish. It consists of chicken bits tossed in a spicy and flavorful sauce.  I know authentically you would be using Szechuan peppercorns but these can be a little hard to find in some places. I decided a light coating of cornstarch would be better as I prefer my chicken bits to be crispy. This dish is great served with chinese fried rice or noodles.

Ingredients :

1 chicken
Oil for frying

For marination -

1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp chilli paste
2 tbsp Soya sauce
2 tbsp Cornflour
1 Egg
Salt to taste

For Gravy -

3 tbsps refine oil
1 tsp  ginger finely chopped
1 tbsp garlic, finely chopped
1 capsicum, cut into cubed
3 large onion, cut into cubed
¼ cup spring onions, cut into 1" long strips
2  red chilies
½ tsp chilli powder
½ cup tomato sauce
1 tbsp Soya sauce
1 tsp chilli sauce
11/2 tsp schezwan sauce
1 cup chicken stock
¼ tsp sugar
½ tsp black pepper
¾ tbsp corn flour mixed with ¼ cup water
Salt to taste

Method :

First clean and wash the chicken and cut in to small sized pieces without removing the bones.

Prepare a mixture of all the ingredients for marinade well. Marinate the chicken pieces in the mixture  at least for 30 minutes.

Now heat the oil in a deep frying pan, fry the chicken pieces to a golden colour. Do not over cook the chicken pieces. Drain and keep aside.
Heat oil in an another pan, add red chilli, chopped ginger and garlic, spring onion, onion, capsicum, saute for 5-7 mins.

Next add tomato sauce , chilli powder, soya sauce, chilli sauces, schezwan sauce, sugar and pepper powder, mix well together.

Now add the previously fried chicken pieces to this gravy, chicken stock, simmer and cook covered  for about 4 minutes.

Mix cornflour with a little water and make a smooth paste without lumps.

Add the paste to the boiling gravy, stir continuously till the gravy gets thicker.  Stir well to coat all the chicken with the gravy.

Serve hot with Indo-Chinese Vegetable fried rice / Veg Chilli Garlic noodles.
 



Sending this to Amy's "Hot & Spicy Treats" event, Surabhi's "Holi Hai"event,  My space "COLOURFUL HOLI", Julie's "Flavors of Cuisine :Chinese "



MANGO KULFI

Ingredients

1. Milk-2 cups
2. Cornflour-1 1/2 tbsp
3. Condensed milk-3/4 cup
4. Cardamom powder-1/4 tsp
5. Mango pulp-From one large mango
6. Pistachios ( chopped)-2 tbsp
7. Sugar-(according to taste,depending upon how sweet the mango puree is)

Method

• Dissolve cornflour in 1/4 cup milk and keep aside.
• Pour the remaining milk,condensed milk ,and sugar (if using) into a heavy bottomed pan and bring it to a boil,stirring in between.
• Pour the cornflour mixture into this .Stir well until it turns thick.
• Add cardamom powder and chopped pistachios, Switch off the stove. Allow it to cool.
• Add the mango puree and mix well.
• Pour the milk mixture into kulfi molds or Popsicle molds,cover with a foil and freeze for 3 to 4 hours.,remove from freezer and insert Popsicle sticks and freeze until firm.

Green Peas Masala (Muttar Masala)

Green peas or fresh green peas looks beautiful and blends very well with onion and tomatoes. This recipe is very simple  to prepare. Definitely you will love the combination of onions and mushy tomatoes along with green peas blended with the spices. This masala gravy goes very well with a roti or rice.

Ingredients:

Green peas - 2 cups (I used dry peas)
Onions - 2, medium, finely chopped
Ginger-garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Green chillies - 2, medium, finely chopped
Tomatoes - 2, medium, finely chopped
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Kashmiri red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Cummin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 2 tsp

Method :


Soak dried peas overnight or for 6-8 hrs. Pressure cook peas for 4 whistles until soft, drain water and keep aside.

Heat a fry pan and pour in the oil, add cumin seeds allow ii to splutter. Add onion, Saute till the onions turn light brown.

Then add ginger-garlic paste and green chilli, saute for a minute.  Add tomatoes and saute till the oil separates from it.

Then add turmeric powder, kashmiri red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder. Mix well.

Finally add cooked green peas and salt to tatse, cook it covered on low heat stirring occasionally until green peas are cooked. (If neccessary then add little water)

Remove from heat. Serve it hot with poori or rotis or rice also.

 

Chewy Chocolate Cookies - Celebrating My 200th Post

         It is going 1 year 3 months , I am blogging, and I have gained a lot of friends and without the support of all of you it was not possible. I am posting my 200th post today and this makes me to feel so proud and happy and to celebrate this occasion I made Chewy Cocolate cookies. A special thanks to my elder sister (Indrani of Recipe Junction) and my hubby to support and encouraging me always for blogging.  I just started this blog as a hobby, now this become of my full time job!!! (hehe!! wanna say that I'm addicted).

           Chewy Chocolate cookies is a full of rich dark chocolate goodness from melted bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened cocoa powder, sugar, egg and vanilla with a touch of salt.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups of All-Purpose Flour

1/2 cup of bittersweet chocolate

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup butter

2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup cocoa powder (Natural, Unsweetened)

Method :

Preheat the oven 180C for 10-15 minutes.

Melt chopped chocolate on the stove top when the chocolate is smooth, set aside to rest while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt and set it aside while you mix the wet ingredients.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until creamy.  Beat in the eggs one at a time until incorporated. Add in the vanilla and mix. Beat in the cocoa powder until just mixed. Beat in the melted chocolate mixture. Then add the flour/baking soda/salt mixture slowly and continue to beat on a low speed until you have a thick cookie batter.

Using a 1/4 cup ice cream scoop or 1/4 cup measuring cup, portion out the dough on to the pre-lined baking sheets.  Flatten the dough mounds a little bit with your finger tips. Make sure to leave ample space between your cookies because they will spread while they're baking.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until a little crispy around the edges.  Remove from oven and place baking sheets on cooling racks for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to the wire rack to cool completely.

You can top it with powdered sugar.

Note: If you like your cookies crispier, allow them to bake a few minutes longer.

Sending this to My First Event "COLOURFUL HOLI" event, Preeti's "Color N Sweet- HOLI FEST" event, Anjali's "Cakes, Cookies and Desserts " event,
Vimitha's "Love n Chocolate Fest" event, Anzz Cafe's "Valentines Special " event, Sumee's "Bon Vivant" event, Vardhini's "Sweet Luv" event, Radhika's "Let’s Cook #12 ~ Sweet Somethings " event, Kalyani's "Valentine Fest - Served with Love" event, Radhika's "I Love Baking #1 " event, Srav's "Dish For Loved Ones " event, Surabhi's "Holi Hai " event,  Raji's "Healthy Diet Event ~ Baked Goodies " event and Julie's "ABC Series: EGG recipes " event





 

Fish Stuffed Egg Omlette Curry

Egg Omlette is a very common item in our daily meal but fish stuffed egg omlette sounds little different. Fish stuffed egg omlette curry is one of my hubby's favourite dish. So Egg lovers this is yet another delicious and different egg recipe for you.

Ingredients -  

For Omlette :

Egg : 2
Onion : 1, big, finely chopped
Green chilli : 2, chopped
Black pepper powder to taste (optional)
salt to taste
Milk : 1 tbls

For stuffing :

Rui fish : 2 pcs
Onion : 1, small, finely chopped
Green chilli : 1, finely chopped
Ginger paste : 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder : 1 tsp.
Red chilli powder : 1 tsp.
Coriander powder : 1 tsp.
Salt to taste

For Curry :

Onion : 1, large (grated)
Ginger-garlic paste : 1 tbsp
Tomato : 1, finely chopped
Turmeric powder : 1 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tsp
Cumin powder : 1 tsp
Red chili powder : 1 tsp
Bay leave : 1
Cumin seeds : 1 tsp
Garam masala powder : 1 tsp.
Salt (as per taste)
Sugar : 1/2 tsp.
Coriander leaves chopped for gurnishing

Method -

Little turmeric powder and salt apply on rui fish,set it aside for 15 mins. Take a deep non sticky pan, put oil and when the oil is hot, dip the fish pieces in the besan flour and deep fry to golden brown. Drain of pepper towel.Let it cool on room temperature. Then scramble the fish without skin and bone.

Heat oil in pan, add chopped onion, fry for few minutes then add ginger paste,green chilli, spice powder, salt, sugar, scramble fish, mix well. cook for 5-7 mins.Keep aside. 

Break 2 eggs in a bowl, add milk, salt, pepper powder and whisk till frothy.
Take a flat bottomed pan, drizzle a tbsp of oil, and heat it on medium flame.

Pour the whisked egg mixture into the pan and swirl it around to spread evenly. Reduce flame to low and allow to cook for a minute and flip over. Cook for a few second.

Flip the omelet again and place the cooked fish stuffing.Gently fold over with a large spatula. Turn off the heat and slide the omelette onto a plate using spatula, carefully close the omelettte.

Heat oil in an another pan, add bay leave and cumin seedswhen seeds splutter then add grated onion and fry for a minute.


Now add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, coriander powder, umin powder, red chili powder and little water . Fry the mixture until oil get separated from it.


Add chopped tomatoes or tomato puree and salt . Stir for some time and add 2 cups of water.


Finally, Add garam masala powder and sugar. Cover the pan and let it cook for 6 to 8 minute in medium flame.


Now add egg omelette in the gravy. Cover it again and cook for another 5 minutes. when the gravy is little thick take it out.


Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with roti, naan or steamed rice.

Sending this recipe to Ramya's "ABC Series: EGG recipes" event, Amy's " Hot & Spicy Treats" event, My event "Colourful Holi"

COOKIES AND CREAM CUPCAKES

 

Recipe source:www.harwoodpodcast.com
You can find the original recipe and a video here

Ingredients

1. Butter-1/2 cup
2. Sugar-2/3 cups
3. Eggs- 3 nos
4. Vanilla extract-1 tsp
5. All purpose flour-1 1/2 cups
6. Baking powder-1 1/2 tsp
7. Salt-1/4 tsp
8. Milk-1/4 cup
9. Chocolate sandwich cookies(Oreo),chopped-10 nos

Method

• Preheat oven to 180 deg C.Line muffin pans with paper cases.
• In a  mixing bowl whisk together flour,baking powder and salt.Keep aside.
• In another mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.(for about 4 minutes).
• Add eggs one at a time to this butter mixture,beat well after each addition.Add vanilla extract and mix well.
• Now fold in the dry ingredients into the butter mixture in 3 batches,alternating with the milk.
• Fold in the crushed cookies.
• Evenly fill the muffin cups with this batter and bake for about 18 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into  a cupcake comes out clean.
• Frost the cupcakes with butter cream or any frosting of your choice after it is completely cooled.Garnish with crushed cookies and serve.

Shubh Maha Shivaratri (Sivarathri) – February 2012

On February 20th, 2012 millions of Hinduism followers around the world celebrated a festival dedicated to Lord. Shiva called Maha Shivaratri (Shivarathri) Maha Shivaratri means “The Night of Shiva”. The religious ceremonies mainly occur during night. This is a celebration observed in honor of Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva was married to Parvati on this day. This is the night when Shiva is said to have performed the Tandava or the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction. People repeat the Panchakshara Mantra ’om namah shivaya’ as it is said he who utters the Names of Shiva during Shivaratri, with perfect devotion and concentration, is freed from all sins. He reaches the abode of Shiva and lives there happily. He is liberated from the wheel of births and deaths. Many pilgrims flock to the places where there are Shiva temples.

     Maha Shivaratri is a Hindu festival celebrated yearly on the 13th and 14th day in the Krishna Paksha (waning moon) of the month of Maagha or Phalguna in the Hindu calendar.