Spicy Udon Noodles

My daughter loves any kind of noodles.  I saw some fresh Udon noodles in Asian super market and had to get it home.  This recipe is very quick, easy and tasty!!

Ingredients:

• Udon Noodles - 1 pound cooked (follow the instructions on the packet)
• Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup (I used frozen carrots, peas, corn and beans)
• Basil leaves (optional) - 6-8 leaves crushed roughly
• Salt - 1 tea spoon (adjust per taste)
• Chili Garlic paste - 1 table spoon (you can buy this in any super market)
• Olive oil - 1 table spoon
• Chicken (optional) - 1/2 cup shredded - I did not use it

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add Olive oil.  Once the oil is heated, add the mixed Vegetables.  Saute and cover the lid till cooked.  This takes about 5-10 minutes depending on how finely you have chopped the vegetables.  Add the Udon Noodles, Basil leaves, Salt, Chili Garlic Paste and Chicken (Chicken is optional) saute well till the Noodles take on all the moisture and flavor.  Serve hot with some pot stickers!!

 

Quick and Easy Angel Hair Pasta with Roasted Vegetables and Chicken

We moved to our new home a few weeks back and I was dying to try my new oven.  I got some veggies from a local organic farm and tossed up some simple pasta with that.  Made some Chicken along to add the protein.  A complete, tasty and satisfying meal!!

 

Ingredients:

• Vegetables of your choice for roasting  - I used Brussel sprouts, Zucchini and Asparagus - chop them mostly into same size to aid roasting at the same time
• Chicken - 2 pounds - Cut into portion size - This is optional if you want to keep the meal vegetarian
• Angel hair pasta - 1 pound
• Olives - about 1/4 cup - I used an assortment of pitted and pickled Olives
• Feta Cheese - about 2 OZs - cut into small cubes
• Pesto - 2 tbs - I got the Organic freshly made from the store
• Salt - 1 table spoon - add per taste
• Freshly crushed black pepper - 1 table spoon - add per taste
• Olive Oil - 4 table spoons

Method:

 

For Roasted Vegetables:

Take a flat non stick oven tray and spread the vegetables evenly on one half and Chicken pieces on the other half..  Drizzle it with about 2 table spoons of Olive Oil and Salt.  Preheat the over to about 350 deg F (this might differ depending on the size and type of oven you are using).  Use the roast setting if available.  Once the oven is preheated, place the oven tray with vegetables and Chicken inside.  Roast it for about 20-30 minutes until you can see the vegetables and Chicken turn golden on the edges.  Take the tray out and sprinkle it with some pepper.  You can also sprinkle it with some lemon salt or rosemary salt.  Be mindful that both these contain Salt already.

 

For Pasta:

In a large pot, bring about 8 cups of water to boil.  Add some salt.  Add the pasta once the water comes to boil.  Follow the instructions on the pasta package for how long to cook it.  I like it al-dante. So, it took about 8 minutes.  Drain the pasta and keep aside.  In another bowl large enough to toss the pasta, add 2 table spoons of olive oil, Feta Cheese, Pesto, Olives, Salt and Pepper.  Toss the pasta you kept aside gently with these.  Serve it Luke warm with Roasted Vegetables and Chicken.

 

 

 

Peppered Chicken

It is strange how certain smells...tastes…reminds you of certain time period in your life...certain people…certain incidents…

This is one of those preparations which reminds me of one of my good friends…the times we spent together…laughing, chatting, eating, listening to music….inspired by whose preparation I tried this...

Ingredients:

·         Chicken – 2 pounds cut into bite size pieces (Boneless skinless)

·         Ginger paste – 1 tea spoon

·         Garlic paste – 1 tea spoon

·         Pepper Corns – 1 tea spoon coarsely crushed

·         Red Chili powder – 1 tea spoon

·         Crushed red pepper – 1 tea spoons

·         Onion – ½ cup chopped fine

·         Olive Oil – 2 table spoons

·         Cumin powder – ½ tea spoon

·         Clove powder – ½ tea spoon

·         Cinnamon powder – ½ tea spoon

·         Coriander powder – ½ tea spoon

·         Fennel seeds – ½ tea spoon

·         Turmeric powder – ½ tea spoon

·         Curry leaves – 8-10

·         Mustard seeds – ½ tea spoon

·         Lemon – ½ a medium (add per taste)

·         Salt – 1 table spoon (add per taste)

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add oil.  Let it heat and then add the Mustard seeds to it.  Let them splutter.  Add Curry leaves and Onions.  Sauté till the Onions are translucent.  Add the rest of the ingredients except the Chicken.  Sauté them till u can smell the fragrance.  Add Chicken and sauté with the rest of the ingredients for 1-2 minutes.  Close the lid and let cook for about 8-10 minutes on medium heat.  Chicken breast meat cut into bite size pieces cook really fast.  Then, open the lid and sauté till all the water has evaporated.  Squeeze half a lemon before serving.  Serve it hot with chapatti, Nan, rice or Fragrant Ghee Rice.  This can be served as an appetizer with a glass of good Cabernet or Port. 

Garlicky Cornish Hen

Hello All, sorry for such a long silence.  Life has been a little bit crazy.  Well, no complaints though.  This recipe for Cornish Hen is very simple and easy and takes less than 30 minutes to make.  I like the Cornish Hen with skin on.  You can remove it if you do not like it.  I personally think that the skin adds amazing flavor!

 

Ingredients:

Cornish Hens - 2 (each cut into 4-5 pieces)

Garlic paste - 3 table spoons

Salt - 2 table spoons

Black Pepper - 2 table spoons (crushed)

Turmeric - 1 tea spoon

Amchur (dry mango powder) - 1 tea spoon

Cumin powder - 2 tea spoons

All spice - 1 tea spoon

Olive oil - 2 table spoons

Water - 1 cup

Method:

To a non-stick pan on medium heat, add the Olive oil.  Once the oil is heated, add the Cornish hens, Salt, Turmeric, Garlic and water.  Let it cook covered on low heat for about 20 minutes till the chicken is fully cooked.  Open the lid, add all the remaining ingredients and mix in well.  Add a little more water if necessary.  Stir fry it till all the water is evaporated and the chicken is fried till slightly brown.

Note: You can substitute Cornish Hen for Chicken.

Fragrant, Quick and Easy Chicken Biryani

A very happy belated father’s day to all!! 

It has been very busy couple of weeks. Learning new things and getting adjusted to my new job, out of town for training, etc.  Right now my life feels so unsettled. My husband is on his sabbatical but, studying for his PhD.  He has been great help with dropping my daughter to her summer camp, taking care of her when I was on a week long training, doing laundry, etc.   My parents-in-law are currently visiting us which has been great help. Specially, my MIL who pretty much cooks every day,  takes care of my daughter when she comes home early, feeds my hubby :) and man….no complaints.  I feel so guilty :(

This is a very simple biryani I make which everyone love.  I start it off in a pan to saute ingredients and finish it off in the rice cooker.

 

Ingredients:

• Bay leaves – 4-5 leaves
• Saunph  /Fennel seeds – 1 table spoon
• Cardamon powder - 1/2 tea spoon
• Mint leaves – about ¼ cup - chopped coarsely
• Green chilies – 5-6 (add per taste)- slit into half
• Black pepper- 1 table spoon -  crushed
• Onion – 1 medium sized – chopped long and thin
• Tomatoes – 2 medium sized - chopped fine
• Yogurt – 1/4^th cup
• Coriander powder – 1 table spoon
• Cumin powder – 1 tea spoon
• Ginger paste – 1 table spoon
• Garlic paste – 1 table spoon
• Cinnamon powder – 1 tea spoon
• Clove powder – 1 tea spoon
• Olive oil – ¼ cup
• Butter – 1 table spoon – unsalted
• Salt – 2 table spoons (add per taste)
• Chicken – 1 pound (I used boneless skinless chicken thighs)
• Basmati rice – 2 cups
• Eggs – 2 (optional)
• Water – 3.5 cups

Method:

To a pan on medium heat, add Olive oil.  Let it heat and then add the Saunph, Bay leaves, Ginger paste, Garlic paste, Cinnamon powder and Clove powder.  Add the Onions and saute until translucent.  Add Tomatoes and saute until they get soft.  Add all other ingredients except Butter, Chicken, Rice, Water and mix well.  Now, add the Chicken and Rice and saute it for about 5 minutes till you can see a little oil separating from the pan.  Now, pour the water and mix well.  Put this mixture in the rice cooker and cook until ready.  Finish it off with the Butter.  I put a few eggs with the biryani while it is cooking.  Fragrant chicken biryani is ready to be served.  It can be served by itself or with some salad or raita.

 

Chili CauliChicken

Yet another simple and easy to make recipe.  It is delicious and takes less than 30 minutes to make.

Ingredients:

• Boneless Chicken - 2 pounds cut into bite size pieces
• Cauliflower - 2 cups cut into florets
• Onion - 1 medium chopped long and thin
• Ginger paste - 1 tea spoon
• Garlic paste - 1 tea spoon
• Green chilies - 10 sliced thin and long
• Soy sauce - 2 table spoons
• Vinegar - 1 table spoon
• Clove powder - 1 tea spoon
• Cinnamon powder - 1 tea spoon
• Turmeric - 1 tea spoon
• Corander powder -  1 tea spoon
• Cilantro - 1 table spoon for garnish
• Lemon -  1 for garnish
• Olive oil - 2 table spoons

Method:

To a medium sized pan on medium heat, add the oil and let the oil heat.  Add Onions and saute until they turn translucent.  Add Ginger and Garlic paste.  Saute it for 1 minute.  Add the Chicken, Salt, Turmeric, Clove powder, Cinnamon powder, Coriander powder and mix well.  Close the lid and let it cook for 5-10 minutes untill the chicken is completely cooked.  Add Cauliflower and mix it well with the Chicken and the masala in the pan.  Close the lid and let it cook for 2-3 minutes.  Open the lid of the pan and add Soy sauce and Vinegar.  Mix it well and cook for 2 minutes.  Take some aside for non-spicy version.  Now add the Chilies and cook it for 2-3 more minutes.  Garnish it with Cilantro and Lemon.  Chili CauliChicken is ready to eat.

You can eat it by itself, with rice or Fragrant ghee rice.

Red Chicken – Chili Chicken

Red chicken as my daughter calls it, is one of her favourites.  This is based on my mom's recipe - her preparation is of course my favourite.  My husband and I love spicy food but my daughter prefers less heat. So, I usually add the spice at a later stage after I keep aside a non-spiced portion for my daughter.

Ingredients:

• Boneless chicken thigh cut into bite size pieces – 2 pounds
• Egg – 1 medium
• Paprika – 2 tea spoons
• Chili powder – 2 tea spoons (add per taste)
• Curry leaves – 20 leaves
• Green chilies (Thai chilies) – 5 Number - slit in the middle
• Olive oil – 3 table spoons
  
  
  For the Marinade:
• Salt – 2 tea spoons (add per taste)
• Turmeric – 1 tea spoon
• Ginger paste – 1 tea spoon
• Garlic paste – 1 tea spoon
• Plain non-fat yogurt – 1 cup
• Clove powder – 1 tea spoon
• Cinnamon powder – 1 tea spoon

Method:

Marinate the chicken with the marinade ingredients for at least an hour.  Add the egg and paprika to this.  Mix it well.  Take a few pieces aside if you want to make the non spicy version for your child.  Take a broad shallow pan and heat it to medium heat.  Add 1 table spoon oil for the first non-spicy batch.  Turn the heat to high and saute the chicken for 3 mins. Lower the heat and let the chicken cook for 6-7 minutes (or until completely cooked).  Turn the heat to high again and saute it for 2 more minutes.  Remove it from the pan and keep aside.  The non-spicy version of the red chicken is now ready to eat.

 Add the remaining oil and chicken to the pan and repeat the process until the chicken is completely cooked.  Remove and keep it aside.  To the same pan, add the curry leaves and chilies and saute it for 1-2 mins on medium heat. Add the spicy chicken to this and saute it for 2 mins. The spicy chili chicken is ready to eat.

This goes really well with Ghee rice (recipe coming soon) or just plain rice.