Chicken Veggie Egg salad

This recipe was created when my cousin was coming over for lunch. He’s a gym enthusiast and he strictly asked me not to make anything fried. Now I being a Punjabi, my first thought was to make crispy lemon chicken, but as it was no fried day, I settled for salad. I had already bought chicken, and had some eggs and lots of veggies in the fridge. Healthiest thing possible? Boiled chicken and vegetables! Bingo! With that thought I started on the recipe. It came out really delicious and is very filling as well. You can have this as a meal in itself, or can also pack this for lunch. Just pack the dressing and veggies separately and mix them when you sit down to eat. Simple..
So let’s start and make something now.

Preparation Time: 15 mins

Assembling Time: 5 mins

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

1 cup (200 gms ) Boneless Chicken

3 Eggs

1 Carrot

1 Tomato

1 Cucumber

½ Capsicum (preferably red)

Beans 10-12 stalks

1 medium Onion

Dressing

Garlic powder ½ tsp

Black pepper powder ½ tsp

Black pepper coarsely ground ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Mayonnaise 1 tbsp

Mustard 2 tsp

Vinegar 2 tsp

Honey 1 tsp

Lemon Juice/Orange juice 1 tsp

Method

• Cut the carrot and beans into small bite size pieces.
• Boil the eggs.
• Boil the chicken, carrot and beans together in 4-5 cups of water and a pinch of salt for 1 whistle in pressure cooker.
• Drain the water. Save it as stock. This can be later used in rice, or noodles, or soups.
• Shred the chicken, Keep the chicken, carrot and beans in a big bowl to cool.
• Finely chop the capsicum.
• Thinly slice the onion.
• Cut the tomato and cucumber in half and spoon out all the seeds as this can add extra water to the salad.
• Now mix all the chicken, veggies and 2 boiled chopped eggs together.
• In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the dressing.
• Combine it with the salad just when about to serve. Toss the salad well, and coat evenly with the dressing.
• Cut the last boiled egg in half and decorate the salad bowl. Serve cold.

Quick Easy Chicken Fried Rice

 

One of the most common street foods we find in India (not china I presume!). I remember me and my cousins getting this parceled from the corner Chinese van as a kid, and devouring the huge plates as we played Mario and Contra on our little master games! In those days, we used to get a huge bowl for just Rs 20. Today we don’t get equally good stuff I believe even for 200 in most restaurants. So why not try it at home? Where you can add all your favorite fresh ingredients and spice it up just the way you like. Once you’ve tried this at home, I promise you’ll think before ordering from outside! (unless of course you’ve no time to cook) I make this with chicken sausages so it’s really quick. You can also choose to add crispy fried chicken or boiled chicken if choosing to cut down some calories.

Ingredients

1 bowl (for 2 people)                 Par-boiled Steamed Rice (95% cooked)

Capsicum                                 1 medium

Onion                                       1 large

Grilled Chicken sausages        2

Tomato                                     1

Cabbage                                   ½ small cabbage

Light Soya sauce                      1 tbsp

Vinegar                                    1/2 tbsp

Sugar                                       ½ tsp

Red Chili powder                     1 tsp

Black pepper                           1 tsp

Garlic cloves                            4-5

Ginger                                     1 inch piece

Tomato sauce                          2 tsp

Salt to taste

Refined Oil                               1 tbsp

Method

• Finely chop the ginger and garlic.
• Slice the tomato, onion, capsicum and cabbage.
• In a deep skillet, heat the oil on high flame.
• Once hot, add the ginger and garlic. Along with it, add the onions. Stir well.
• Once onions turn pink, add the capsicum. Stir for 2 mins.
• Add the cabbage. Keep stirring till the cabbage wilts.
• Now add the grilled and chopped chicken sausages.
• Add the chopped tomatoes. All this while, keep the flame on high and keep stirring.
• After 2 mins, reduce the flame to low.
• Now add tomato sauce, soya sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt and spices. Mix well.
• Cover the lid and let it simmer for 2 mins.
• Add the steamed rice, and mix gently with a spatula (take care not to mash the rice)
• Coat the rice well and let it cook for 2-3 mins till rice is cooked through.
• Turn off the heat, and serve hot!

Peanut Butter Oats ChocoChippers

Peanut butter is an American craze slowly catching up in India as well. It usually comes in 2 variants – creamy and chunky. It tastes great with toast, paranthas as well as with bananas and is healthy for growing kids. I first tasted peanut butter only a few years back and loved it instantly, esp. cos I like peanuts. I was going to make these Chocochip cookies but my gaze fell on the peanut butter jar on my kitchen rack.  I thought why not do some mix n match? So just  to make it healthier, I added some oats too so I wont feel too guilty while having these yummy bites.

Please do try this easy cookie recipe and do let me know how they tasted.

Time: 45 mins

Makes 16 medium sized cookies

Ingredients

All purpose Flour           1 cup

Peanut Butter                ½ cup

Rolled quick Oats           2 tbsp

Chocochips                    2 tbsp

Eggs                               1

Baking Powder               ½ tsp

Baking Soda                  a pinch

Salt                                a pinch

Brown Sugar                  ½ cup

Granulated Sugar          ¼ cup

Butter                            ½ cup

Vanilla extract                1 tsp

Making peanut butter oats Chocochip cookies

• In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients and keep aside.
• In a large bowl, add softened butter, sugar, brown sugar and whisk with a blender/mixer until light and fluffy.
• Add egg and mix again.
• Add vanilla extract and mix well.
• Now add the dry mixture slowly into this and keep mixing with a spatula to combine well.
• Once all mixed well, add the oats and Chocochips. Combine and fold in.
• Make a cookie tray ready by greasing it with butter or spreading a butter paper on it. You can use the paper around the butter we get form the market as well for emergencies.
• Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop 1 large spoonful of batter onto a greased cookie tray, 2 inches apart. You can make patterns on the cookies with fork.
• Bake one tray at a time for 12-15 mins at 180 degrees Celcius.
• Cool the cookies on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

Butter Pepper Sweet Corn

These days, this is the first smell that hits us, after popcorn, as we enter shopping malls or multiplexes. Sweet corn is a healthy snack and really tasty. It’s good for a cool evening as well as on hot summer day cos of its water content. These days we get frozen corn kernels in most grocery stores. Even otherwise, all you need is to take out few grams of kernels from the sweet corn (or usual corn) and there are a lot of variations you can create with this simplest snack of all times. You can also keep a bowl of boiled corn handy. It lasts for atleast a week in the fridge. Every time you have friends over for tea, you can serve this along in a jiffy. It’s the quickest simplest recipe of all. Sharing it for all the beginner foodies out there!

Serves 2

Preparation time 10 mins

Ingredients

Sweet Corn Kernels 200 Gms

Butter 2 tsp

Black Pepper Powder 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Juice of 1 Lemon

Paprika ½ tsp

Chat Masala ½ tsp

Method

• Boil the corn in 1 cup of water for 7-8 mins till its cooked but not too soft.
• Drain the water.
• Take the corn in bowl. Add butter, salt, pepper, chat masala, paprika and lemon juice. Mix well.
• Its done! Serve in a cute small bowl to your happy guests.

For variations, you can also add chopped onions, tomatoes, coriander and green chilies to it. You can also fruits to this and make it a healthier fruit salad.

Mini Chicken Burgers with Thai dipping sauce

Simple to make, quick to devour and easy to get accolades for a yummy snack!

Time: 20 mins

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

For the chicken burgers

2 tsp vegetable oil

¼ onion, chopped

100g chicken breast

2 garlic cloves, chopped

¼ red chilli, chopped

salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp sesame seeds

2 tbsp olive oil

4 Burger Buns

1 tbsp Butter

4 cheese slices

1 Tomato

Lettuce leaves

For the Thai-style dipping sauce

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp hot water

¼ red chilli, finely chopped

½ orange, juice only

1 spring onion, finely chopped

½ lime, cut into wedges, to serve

Preparation method

• For the burgers, heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.
• Add the onion and fry until soft.
• Place the softened onions, chicken breast, garlic, chilli and salt and freshly ground black pepper into a food processor and blend to a coarse paste. You can also do this with a mortar pestle.
• Remove the chicken mixture from the blender and, with floured hands, roll into small burger shapes.
• Roll the chicken burgers in sesame seeds to coat.
• Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat.
• Flatten patties slightly, and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and completely cooked through.
• For the Thai-style dipping sauce, place the sugar and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat.
• When the sugar dissolves, add the chilli and orange juice and cook over a high heat for five minutes, until reduced to thick syrup.
• Add the spring onion and pour into a small dipping bowl.
• Slit the buns in middle. Heat butter on a skillet and sear the buns on the flat side.
• Slice the tomato thinly.
• Place a cheese slice, lettuce, tomato and patty on the bun and secure with a toothpick if needed.
• To serve, place the burgers onto a small plate with the dipping sauce and lime wedges served alongside.

Sausage-Cheddar Balls

Sausage-Cheddar Balls

We all wish to serve great starters at our parties without spending a walletfull on ordering from restaurants and they absolutely need to taste yummy! They have to be quick, and simple and tasty and if they may be prepped in advance then its super awesome! Here’s a recipe for the ultimate sausage balls which can be made so easily using the readymade sausages available in all supermarkets these days, your favorite cheese and just some spices. I chanced upon this recipe when I wanted to use the cheese and the frozen sausages in my freezer and couldn’t think of anything else than to just put it all together! A must try! I am showing the recipe here for the baked variety of the dish for other calorie conscious foodies like me, but you can also deep fry these balls in refined oil or peanut oil till golden brown on medium heat.

Yields: 45 small servings

Oven Temp: 400 F

 Ingredients

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour/Maida

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp ground black pepper

½ tsp red chili powder

1 ½ tsp baking powder

200 gms Grated Cheddar Cheese

400 gms Breakfast Chicken Sausage (pulsed in a blender)

½ large onion, grated on large holes of a box grater

3 tbsp Butter, melted

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, pepper, Chili powder, and baking powder.
• Add cheddar and toss well.
• Add sausage, onion, and butter.
• With your hands, mix until well combined and roll mixture into 1-inch balls.
• Place balls, ½ inch apart, on a parchment/butter paper-lined baking sheet.
• Bake until balls are golden and cooked through, 25 minutes. Serve warm with mayo or mint chutney.

Profiteroles

The first time I got to know about profiteroles was during Masterchef episodes and the thing I loved the most about them was the chocolate dip part! A profiterole is basically a cream puff or choux à la crème choux pastry ball filled with whipped cream, pastry cream or ice cream. The puffs may be decorated or left plain or garnished with chocolate sauce, caramel, or a dusting of powdered sugar. It’s a little similar to Mal-Puas we make in India. These small yummy dessert bites can be made easily for any get together at home. For variations, you can choose just about any cream filling ranging from expresso cream, fruits, chocolate, or cream cheese. For the dip, you can use chocolate or even any fruit jelly. Just keep innovating!

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: 10-12 pieces

Ingredients

1/2 cup water

1/2 stick butter

Pinch salt

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs

Pinch ground cinnamon

Ice cream

Chocolate Sauce

Equipment:  Pastry bag fitted with large straight tip

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a small saucepan combine the water, butter and salt and bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat and add the flour all at once and stir it vigorously with a wooden spoon.
• Cook until the mixture has formed a ball and has a slightly sweaty sheen to it and it has pulled away from the pan.
• Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and let cool for 3 to 4 minutes.
• The mixture does not have to be cold, just cool enough not to cook the eggs when added.
• Using an electric mixer or lots of good old-fashioned elbow grease, beat in the eggs 1 at a time.
• Do not add the second egg until the first is fully incorporated. Add in the cinnamon and beat for another second to combine.
• Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag equipped with a large straight tip and pipe 1-inch balls onto a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.
• When done dip your finger in water and smooth the top of each ball where the pastry bag released the dough.
• Be sure to leave at least 1-inch between each of the balls. They grow big!
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through the cooking time to insure even cooking.
• When done, the puffs should be light, airy and dry inside. Cool on a rack.
• When ready to serve, cut in half horizontally and fill with ice cream of your choice. Vanilla goes really well.
• Top with warm chocolate sauce. Easier way to do this is just lift the profiterole and dip in the chocolate sauce on one side, and place on the serving plate!

You can also choose to sprinkle some cake decoration on these while the sauce is not set, for a party. Variations – Sprinkle of desiccated coconut, dash of maple syrup, coffee, or a fruit puree!!

Chocolate Sauce

1 large bar of semi sweet or dark chocolate

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon sugar syrup

1 pinch ground cinnamon

• Bring a saucepan with 1-inch of water to a boil.
• Put the chocolate in a metal or heatproof glass mixing bowl and place on top of the saucepan with boiling water.
• Pay careful attention that the mixing bowl does not touch the surface of the boiling water.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until the chocolate has melted and everything is combined.
• This is a pretty quick process, once the chocolate has melted remove it from the double boiler set up.
• Spoon over the filled profiteroles. This is best when served warm!

Punjabi Daal Makhani - A New recipe

Daal makhani is one of my all time favorite vegetarian delights! It has always been a crowd pleaser and a must order for every dinner outing. Whenever our group in college used to go out, everyone used to say in unison, “Daal makhani to order kar hi do, aur bolo!” – That’s the ‘for granted , by default’ item in the list! This recipe I’ve perfected after trying a few tweaks here n there, and now I call this my own.  It’s one dish that’s sure to give you the real taste of Punjab. So all my friends from abroad– Put on your aprons, and this weekend, give your loved ones, an Indian surprise.  “Balle Balle” !!

Serves: 4

Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

3/4 cup Urad Dal (black matpe beans)

1/4 cup red kidney beans (rajmah)

2 tsp cumin seeds

8 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 inches ginger, finely chopped

2 Green chilies chopped

1 tsp garam masala powder

1/2 cup fresh cream

1 teaspoon red chili powder

2 tsp dry coriander powder

2 tablespoons butter

2 medium tomatoes, pureed

1 tomato chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon oil

2 tsp Kasoori Methi ( Dried fenugreek leaves)

½ tsp Hing (Asafoetida)

Salt to taste

Directions

• Soak whole black urad and rajma overnight in 3-4 cups of water.
• Cook the soaked dal and rajma in the same water with salt, red chili powder and half the chopped ginger till dal and rajma are cooked and soft. Approx 4 whistles.
• Peel and chop the onion, ginger and garlic finely.
• Heat oil and 1 tbsp butter in a thick-bottomed pan.
• Add hing and cumin seeds. When it crackles, add chopped onions and fry till golden brown.
• Add chopped ginger, garlic, green chilies, kasoori methi, and chopped and pureed tomatoes.
• Reduce heat to low. Add dry coriander powder and sauté till tomatoes are well mashed and fat starts to leave the masala.
• Add boiled dal and rajma to this. Do not add the liquid at first.
• Mash the dals with the back of the ladle while stirring continuously, this gives that creamy texture and thick consistency to the dal.
• Add the liquid and some water if required and simmer on very low heat for fifteen minutes.
• Add fresh cream and garam masala powder and let it simmer for another five minutes.
• Put a dollop of butter on top and serve hot with Naan or Paraatha.

Quick & Easy - Egg Mayo Sandwich

Ingredients

3 eggs

3 tbsp mayonnaise

1 tsp black pepper (kalimirch) powder

8 slices of whole wheat bread

Salt to taste

1 tsp oil

Directions

Take oil in a pan.

 

Break in all the eggs and let it scramble on a low heat.

 

Cook for few mins until it has some moisture left in it.

 

Remove from heat.

 

In another bowl combine the scrambled egg along with mayonnaise, pepper, salt to taste and mix well.

 

Now put this mixture on a bread slice, place another slice on top and cut it diagonally into triangles.

 

Serve with ketchup of your choice.

Variation: Instead of using scrambled eggs, you can also boil 2 eggs and grate or finely chop them into the mayo to get a creamy filling.