Chicken Green Curry

Serves: 4
Ingredients 

• 1/2 kg Chicken
• 1 big onion
• 11/2 medium tomatoes
• 1 medium potato
• 1 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. vinegar
• 3-4 green chilies
• 1/4 tsp. cumin seeds
• 3 garlic flakes
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4th bunch coriander leaves
• salt to taste  

Method

• Clean and cut chicken into 1/2" pieces. Wash and drain well.
• Cut potato lengthwise.
• Grind green chilies,cumin seeds, garlic flakes, black pepper,cinnamon stick, cloves,turmeric powder,coriander leaves,1/2 onion and tomatoes to make the masala paste.
• In a vessel heat the oil and fry the 1/2 chopped onion till light brown.
• Add the potatoes and fry till oil separates.Add ginger-garlic paste and the masala paste and fry nicely.
• Add the chicken pieces and fry till the color changes, then add enough warm water for cooking.
• Add tomato ketchup as indicated.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer till done.
• Add salt and vinegar and continue cooking till oil surfaces.

 Serve hot with rice or any bread.

Ground Chicken

Serves: 3 to 4

Ingredients

• Ground Chicken - 500 gms
• 1 medium onion
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 jalapeno chili
• whole garam masala (2 cinnamon sticks,2 cardamoms, 1 bay leaf)
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp Nawabi meat masala
• 1 tsp Butter chicken masala
• 1/4 cup frozen peas(optional)
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt and ground pepper to taste.

Method

• Heat oil in the pan, add whole garam masala and fry it for sometime.
• Put chopped onion and fry it till golden brown( add little salt while frying onion)
• Add ginger garlic paste and fry it for sometime.
• Put chopped tomatoes, chili, cumin, turmeric powder, Nawabi meat masala, Butter chicken masala, salt and little water.
• Fry the masala nicely, add ground chicken and lime juice
• Cover the pan with the lid and cook till the ground chicken is done
• Put  frozen peas,soy sauce and ground pepper and let it cook for 4-5 mins
• Garnish it with coriander and ground chicken is ready to serve with naan or rice.

Stuffed Eggplants/Brinjals

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 10 small eggplants,
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste,
• 1 cup dry shredded coconut,
• 1/2 cup roasted peanut powder,
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds,
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds,
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds,
• 1 tsp garam Masala ,
• 1/2 tsp concentrated tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp jaggery,
• 2 tsp chili powder,
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida,
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder,
• 2 tsp oil,
• salt to taste.

Method

• Give four vertical slits to the eggplants.
• Keep them in salt water for 15 minutes and rinse. Set aside.
• Roast coconut, sesame seeds, coriander,cumin seeds together till light brown.
• Add tamarind, jaggery, peanut powder, ginger-garlic paste, salt, chili powder and garam masala to the roasted mixture and grind it.
• Stuff all the eggplants with above masala.
• Take a pan, and heat oil in it,add asafoetida and turmeric powder.
• Add the eggplants and the leftover masala.
• Fry the masala nicely then add 1/2 cup warm water.
• Cover and cook over low-medium heat for about 20-25 min or until the eggplants turn soft and completely cooked.
• Stir it to check if the eggplants are done. If not, cook further until done.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with naan.

Mixed Vegetable Sabji

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• Medium size Cauliflower(approx 450 gms)
• 2 medium carrots
• ¼ cup peas
• 1 medium potato
• 2 medium tomatoes
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 red chillies
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 pepper corns
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp garam masala(I used home made garam masala)
•  Tamarind (approx 1/4 tsp concentrated tamarind paste)
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 1 medium onion
• 2 flakes garlic.
• 4 to 5 curry leaves
• 1½ tsp ginger garlic paste

Method

• Clean and cut the vegetables(cut the cauliflower into medium florets,cut onion and carrots lengthwise, chop the tomatoes into small pieces amd potatoes into medium pieces)
• For masala paste grind red chillies, coriander seeds,cumin seeds,peppercorns, turmeric, tamarind, coconut, 1/2 onion, flakes of garlic.
• Heat oil,add ginger garlic paste,curry leaves and fry the sliced 1/2 onion till light brown.
• Add the masala paste and fry nicely for 10 minutes, so that all the spices cook well.
• Add the vegetables, salt,little water and stir it, cook for 5 mins then add garam masala
• Add water(hot) if needed
• cook till the vegetables are done and oil surfaces.
• Do not over cook the vegetables.
• Mixed Vegetables Sabji is ready to serve.

Variations: You can also add or substitute any of your favourite vegetables like french beans, cabbage, egg plant and white pumpkin.

Pasta Sandwich

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups boiled noodles or spaghetti
• 1 tbsp butter or oil
• 1 small onion 
• 1 to 2 spring onions
• 3-4  flakes garlic
• 1 big jalapeno chili, cut into rings.
• 1/4 cup tomato ketchup( I used Heinz)
• 1/2 cup grated cheese
• 4 slices toasted crisp bread
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Heat butter or oil in a pan
• Finely chop onion and spring onions and fry it till transparent.
• Crush and chop garlic, add it and saute for few seconds
• Add noodles or spaghetti and mix well
• Add grated cheese, leave some cheese for topping
• Add Jalapeno chili, ketchup, salt, pepper and red chili powder.
• Mix it well and remove it from heat.
• Butter the toasted slices of bread
• Spread the the noodles or spaghetti mixture on the toasted bread.
• Put some grated cheese over it.
• Cut into halves and it is ready to serve...

Note: If you don't have Jalapeno chilies then you can use green chilies(deseeded and finely cut) but Jalapeno chilies tastes really good.

Chinese Fried Rice

Serves: 4 to 5

Ingredients

• 11/2 cups rice
• 1 tbsp soya sauce
• 3 beaten eggs
• 2 or 3 chopped spring onions
• 2 oz unsalted butter or ghee(approx 4 tbsp)
• 1 stick celery(chopped)
• 3 tbsp cooked peas
• salt to taste

Method

• Cook the rice.
• Heat butter and fry the cooked rice with salt for about 7 to 8 mins, mix it .
• Take another pan and put little oil, heat the oil and add beaten eggs and stir it till the eggs are cooked.
• Add the cooked eggs, chopped spring onions, celery and soya sauce to the rice and cook it for 2 mins on low heat.

Fried Rice is ready to serve.. Serve it with veg or chicken Manchurian..:)

Flaked Rice(poha)

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups Poha (Flaked rice),
• 1 large size onion,
• 1 medium size potato,
• 3-4 green chillies,
• 1 tsp lemon juice,
• 2 tsp sugar,
• salt to taste,
• 2 tbsp oil,
• 1 tsp mustard seeds,
• 4 to 5 curry leaves
• 1 tsp turmeric powder,
• coconut and coriander leaves for garnishing.

Method

• Rinse Poha in water and drain. Set it aside for 10 to 15 mins.
• Add salt, sugar and lemon juice to it.
• Chop green chillies finely.Chop cilantro/coriander leaves, onion and potato into medium pieces.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. As they start spluttering, add curry leaves,chopped onion, potato, green chillies and turmeric powder.
• Cover and cook on medium heat till potato turn tender. Then add poha and stir.
• Cover for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, stir and let it cook for another 2 mins.
• Garnish with coconut and coriander leaves.
• Serve hot with mango or chilly pickle.

Note: You can also drizzle some ghee if you want before serving.

Variations: Try different versions of poha by adding one or more of vegetables such as green peas, chopped pieces of egg plant and cabbage.