Guacamole [a mexican dip]

Guacamole is made with avocados, chilies or jalapenos, cilantro and lime. It is a quick Mexican dish, low carb and healthy appetizer. To make perfect Guacamole use ripe avocados. Check for ripeness by gently pressing the the avocados. If there is no give, the avocados are not ripe yet and will not taste good. It should not be too ripe or too raw.

Ingredients,

2 ripe avocados
1/2 onion finely chopped
1 or 2 green chilies or jalapenos [according to taste
1tbs of fresh lime juice
Salt
A dash of  freshly grated black pepper
1/2 ripe tomato finely chopped

Method;

Cut avocado in half. Remove the seed. Scoop the avocado from the peel and place it in a mixing bowl. Using a fork mash the avocados. (if you have the traditional molcajate and telcajate which is used for Guacamole, you can use that). Add chopped onions, cilantro, lime juice, chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper and mix a little more.

Cover  the plastic wrap directly on the surface of guacamole to prevent oxidation from  the air. 
Serve it with tortilla chips or cream crackers.

Chicken Boti Kabab

Ingredients

1/2 Kg boneless chicken
2 onions finely chopped
2 tsp ginger and garlic paste
2 tsp green chili paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1tsp  coriander powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp oil

Method
After washing the chicken, drain the water completely. Mix all the ingredients and marinate it for half an hour. If there is a time constraint it can be cooked immediately. Put it in a fry pan and cook on medium heat till all the water evaporates, and the chicken is dry and tender. Garnish it with onion rings and chopped coriander leaves. Serve it with parathas or rotis.

This is a yummy and healthy recipe which requires very little oil. Enjoy!!!

Soya shami kabab

This is a really good substitue for mutton shami kababs. It is a healthy, quick and delicious recipe.Surely a vegetarian's delight..........

Ingredients

1 big cup Nutrela soya granuels

1/2 cup chana dal

1 large onion cut into small pieces

4 green chillies cut into small pieces

1 inch ginger finely chopped

1 tsp garlic masala

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp red chilli powder

1-1/2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp garam masala

1/2 pod coriander leaves finely chopped and kept aside

Salt to taste

Method;

Soak the soya granules for1/2 an hour. Put all ingredients in the pressure cooker [except coriander leaves and chopped ginger] in addition to a 3/4th cup of water. Pressure cook it for 2 minutes. Make sure it does not become too soggy. After it cools down, grind the ingredients till it becomes a paste. Then add the chopped ginger and coriander leaves. Mix it well. Add salt and chili according to taste. Mix it well, and then start making equi-sized balls, dip them in corn flour and shallow fry. [you can alternately deep fry after dipping the mixture in beaten eggs.]

Serve with green chutney and watch your guests enjoy this healthy and vegetarian appetizer!

Mutton Biryani

The sight and mention of Biryani is enough to water the mouth !!!!!!!!   It is not very quick and easy but with repetition it becomes easier, quicker and more delicious.There are many ways of making Biryani using the same ingredients.The most important ingredient is love and passion for cooking that makes every dish exotic and delicious.This is what I mix very carefully.....................

.

1/2 kg  rice

1/2 kg mutton

2big onion

4 tomatoes

1/2 cup curd

2tbs lime juice

1tsp ginger masala

1-1/2tsp garlic masala

1/2 cup Dhaniya patta [coriander leaves]

Few leaves mint

2 bay leaves

1-1/2tsp cumin seed

5cloves

2Cinnamon

3 cardamom

1-1/2tsp red chilli powder

2tsp coriander powder

1tsp turmeric powder

Salt

4/5tbs oil

Method:

Wash mutton and marinate it in ginger garlic, salt, turmeric, red chilli powder and coriander powder and keep it aside for 15 minutes for marination. Take 5 tbs of oil in a pan, add chopped onions and stir fry till golden brown. Add bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder. Add the mutton that has been marinated, and keep stirring. Then add the chopped tomatoes and keep stirring the ingredients. Then add a little water, curd, lime juice and let it cook for 1/2 an hour till  the meat is tender and the gravy is thick. You can alternately cook it in the pressure cooker for 5 minutes.

In parallel, basmati rice should be soaked for half an hour and then cooked in boiling water. When half done, strain the remaining water. In a large pan, heat 2tbsp of oil, and then spread 1/2 of the half-cooked rice. Now add a layer of the mutton gravy and then add the remaining half of the rice. Cover the layered rice with a lid and cook for 5/7 minutes on low heat till you start to see vapours rise from the food.

Serve it with dahi  raita. And a lot of love!

Rava Kesri

This recipe is an inspiration from a friend but it has been modified by me a little. This is a quick , easy and healthy breakfast which my family likes. So here it goes........

Ingredients:
1cup sooji
1/2 tsp mustard seed
1/2 tsp channa dal
1/2 tsp urad dal
1/4 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp tur meric powder
Few curry Leaves
1 carrot cut into small pieces
5/6 frenchbeans cut into small pieces
1/2 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
Salt
2tbs pure ghee
1/2 tsp peanuts
1/2tsp raisins

Method:

Take a pan, roast the sooji for a while and keep it aside. Heat ghee in a pan and after it is a little hot add mustard seeds, curry leaves, channa dal, urad dal, peanuts, raisins and stir it for a while. Now add the chopped vegetables, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder. Add 1- 1/2 cup of water and let it boil till the vegetables are tender. Now you can add sooji and stir it till it is dry and cooked. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve with chutney.

Brinjal (Eggplant) Curry

Ingredients:

5/6 small brinjals
1 ts garlic masala
1/2 ts turmeric powder
3/4 ts coriander powder
1 ts red chilli powder
1 - 1/2 tbs curd
1 tbs powdered cashews
salt
2 tbsp oil

Method:

Place a pan on medium heat and pour 2tbsp of oil, garlic paste and turmeric powder. Stir it a little
and add the coriander powder, chilli powder, curd and cashew powder. Now add  the brinjals (eggplant) and saute it for 2/3 minutes. Take 1/2 cup water and  pour it in the pan and cover the lid. Let it cook on low flame. When the gravy is  thick and brinjals are tender it is ready for serving.  [It can be pressure cooked for a few minutes if you're looking for a quicker method]....

Honey and Pepper Glazed Fish

Ingredients:

2 pieces of Mahi Mahi
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1/4 teaspoon of honey
1/2 teaspoon of lime juce 
1 teaspoon of ground garlic
 Salt to taste.

Method:

Marinate the fish by adding all the ingredients in a pan itself for half an hour.

Heat the pan to medium heat and let it cook for some time. Turn the pieces once or twice and coat the ingredients over it. When the liquid is evaporated it would be dry and ready to serve.