Mixed Fried Rice

I always try to find easy and different ways to make fried rice. It has been a favorite of mine for a long time.This is something I tried and we loved it and I am sure you will love it too.


Ingredients:-
Beans - cut small (1/2 cup)
Carrot - cut small (1/2 cup)
Cabbage - cut thin (1/2 cup)
Scrambled Eggs - 4 nos
Broccoli florets - 1 cup blanched
Chicken  cooked shredded - 1 cup
Onion - finely chopped
Green chilies - chopped
Ginger - finely sliced (1 tbsp)
Garlic - finely sliced (1 tbsp)
Pepper powder
Ajinomotto
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking
Garlic chili paste (optional)
Basmati rice - 2 cups

Method:-
1. Cook basmati rice as usual and spread it on a plate and let it cool.
2. To cook the chicken, take a non-stick pan, add 2 tbsp of oil , add the chicken pieces and add pepper, salt, chili garlic paste, vinegar and a pinch of ajinomotto and soya sauce.
3. When it is almost cooked use a steel spatula to shred it and let it fry completely and keep it aside
4. In the same kadai add 1 tbsp and add the chopped green chilies,sliced garlic and ginger.
5. When fully fried add the chopped onion and saute until pink and done.
6. Add the beans and carrot and saute for 5 mins.
7. Now add the cabbage and salt. Fry until the vegetables are almost done and add the cooked chicken and keep the heat on medium and fry it for awhile. Add pepper powder, ajinomotto.

8. Now add the rice little by little, so that it mixes well.
Garnish with spring onion/scallions and cilantro - chopped together and add it the rice just before serving for a great added aroma!

If you want to add broccoli or scrambled eggs. Saute broccoli in a tbsp of oil and a little salt and then the mixed fried that was prepared.
If you are adding scrambled eggs, first scramble the eggs with salt and pepper and then add it to the sauteed vegetables and then add the rice.
It is better to add broccoli  if serving immediately. Hope you guys have fun making this!

Kothu Parotta

This is a spicy dish my mom used to make, and I would always ask her to make extra for next day and keep. It used to be that good. For the first time I am making it on my own. I tried this today to send it to Srilekha's EFM for the month of March, Parathas and Gravies/Curries Series. After a very long I am participating in an event.
This is very easy to make and it can be made even for a big group.

The below given measurement will yield two kothu parottas for 2-3 people, depending on appetite!
Ingredients:-
Ground Meat - 1/2 lb
Shallots - 3 chopped fine
Green chilies - chopped fine
Red onion - 4 round slices
Tomato - 6 round slices
Egg - 2 nos
Chopped Cilantro
Garam masala
Ginger garlic paste
Chili powder
Salt to taste
Cooking oil
All purpose flour - enough for two parottas (i used 1.5 cups)
Lemon wedges or slices for garnish and for flavor while eating

Method:-
1. Knead the flour with salt and butter with sufficient amount of water and keep it aside
2. In a kadai add 1 tbsp of oil and when hot add a little chopped green chilies and the chopped shallots
3. Fry till done and add the garam masala, ginger garlic paste and chili powder
4. Stir well and once the raw smell goes add the ground meat and salt
5. Cook until done and is completely dry. There is no need to add water, maintain medium heat
6. Divide the knead flour into two equal balls and spread it into a big round roti
7. Place half of the cooked meat in the centre and make a hole in the middle




8. Pour the egg in the hole and make sure it doesn't leak outside






9. Now add a little chopped green chilies,







2 slices of onion and

slices of tomatoes







10.Now fold the roti into a bundle






11. In the meantime heat a deep dish and add 2 tbsp of oil and only when it gets really hot place the bundle roti in the kadai
12. Give it a few seconds to fry and then turn it over, after a few seconds with a flat spoon break it up and keep chopping it up until the egg is fully cooked and the roti is also completely cooked
13. When done add chopped cilantro and mix for a few more seconds.

Serve hot and enjoy!

I am sending this for the Parathas & Curries Event by Srilekha.

Malai Bindi

This is a very old dish of mine, I guess this is one that I learned  even before my marriage. I don't know as to why I don't make it very often. I think I got the recipe from my cousin but I just can't recollect from whom or where.. It is very simple to make and it has a lot of flavors.

You need:-
Okra / ladies finger - cut into 1 inch pieces
Onion - 1 medium finely chopped
Garam masala
Ginger garlic paste
Lemon juice - a few drops
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Tomato - 2 nos finely chopped or pureed
Whipping cream - 1/4 cup (i use regular)
Salt to taste
Cooking oil - 2  to 3 tbsp

Method:-

1. Heat oil in a kadai add the chopped onion.
2. Fry until it turns pink now add the cut okra and maintain heat at low to medium and let the bindi cook completely
3. Keep stirring it regularly but carefully so as to avoid breaking of the okra and add a little salt
4. Once it gets cooked completely and the stickiness is gone add garam masala, ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
5. Add turmeric powder, chili powder, cumin powder, lemon juice and fry for a couple of minutes.
6. Now pour in the tomato puree or chopped tomatoes and add a quarter cup of water and let it cook completely and add salt.
7. Once the oil separates and the gravy starts to thicken add the whipping cream and reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes
8. Switch off the stove, cover it and let is rest for a few minutes before serving.

Serve hot with rotis or poori

Mattar Panneer

An easy side dish to go with rotis and poori. I make it atleast once a month and I just love panneer. We get panner that is cut and fried here which makes it all the more easy to prepare. It is very easy to cook too.


You will need :

Big red onion - finely chopped or minced
Tomatoes - 3 nos finely chopped or pureed
Ginger garlic paste - 1tsp
Garam masala
Chili powder - 1 tsp (as per spice needed)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Vinegar or Lemon juice - a few drops
Peas - 1 cup
Fried panneer - 1 cup
Salt to taste
Oil for cooking 1 tbsp with 1 tsp of butter (for flavor, it is optional)
Water - 1/2 cup

Method:-
1. In a non-stick kadai pour the oil and once hot add the cumin seeds
2. Fry it for a couple of seconds and add the onion and fry until the raw smell is gone
3. Now add the garam masala and ginger garlic paste.
4. Once cooked add the chili powder, turmeric powder and vinegar and fry for a few seconds before adding the tomatoes
5. Add the water, salt and peas and let it boil.
6. Check if the peas is fully cooked and add the panneer and let it simmer for a few minutes so that panneer can absorb some flavor in. If needed add a little more water around 1/4 cup and let it simmer. You will still have gravy.
7.Switch off and garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Serve it along side with - chopped onions, finely chopped greenchilies and cilantro mixed with salt and lemon juice.

My Dearest's Birthday

Last week was my husband's birthday and it was fun making a few new dishes for him. He loved all the dishes. Over the weekend we went to our friend's place for lunch and we cut a birthday cake for him. On his birthday I did run in the morning to pick up his birthday gift and all the ingredients for dinner.

All the recipes that I tried were all first time attempts and they did turn out to be good.

Appetizers:-

Made three appetizers and the recipe for the first two are from Sig's LiveToEat blog. She has quite a lot of good recipes.

 

Spicy Pan Seared Scallops and I did marinate for a few hours and it was cooked perfectly too.

Spicy Pop Corn Chicken was also nice, needed a little more spice.

Grilled Shrimp:

I had around half a pound of fresh florida shrimp and I couldn't resist, so I marinated them in:-

Worcestershire Sauce

Paprika

Hot sauce - a few drops

Salt

Pepper

Lemon Juice

Covered and kept it in the fridge for a few hours. In a non stick skillet, a few drops of oil and when hot add the shrimp and cook for until opaque and fully cooked. Do not over cook it as it will become rough. I served it with the Chimmichuri sauce and it was good.

Entree:

Saffron Rice 

 

Curried Leg of Lamb

Both the above recipes are also from Sig's blog. She had made the saffron rice in the microwave but I made it in the rice cooker and I added a few fried cashewnuts too. The Lamb curry needed a little more heat, overall both these were a big hit with Vivek.

Dessert:

Made Hand Rolled Chocolate Truffles, and I took them on Sunday for our lunch with friends. The recipe was from FoodNetwork. It was a little on the strong side for us, maybe I will use less rum and less sugar next time.

Chili Chocolate Covered Strawberries, also from FoodNetwork. It needs more chili powder other than it was really nice.

Mousse au Chocolat from Tasty Treats by JZ. This was Vivek's favorite dessert. I would prefer to use semi-sweet chocolate along with the bitter sweet chocolates. I served it with white and semisweet chocolate shavings. This is the only dish that I didn't get a picture of. Next time I will surely take one and post it.

Turkey Melts

I started to eat burgers at Fuddruckers last year while I was pregnant and it was part of my cravings too. And now I am totally in love with them. For a while I had been wanting to make them at home, but wasn't very sure about how successful I could be with the attempt. Thought of making it with ground turkey and there it was a flavorful burger which all three of us enjoyed.


Ingredients:-


For the burger:
Ground turkey - 1 lb
Shallots - 1 big or two small finely chopped
Green chilies - 2 finely chopped
Paprika/cayenne pepper - 1/2 tsp (as much as you need)
Salt to taste
Pepper powder - a little
Egg - 1
Oregano - i used dry oregano, its optional
Lemon juice - a few drops

Mix all the above together and put it back in the fridge for a couple of hours to set.
Make sure that the mix is at room temperature before you start making them.

Heat a skillet and just rub it with oil. In the mean time, preheat the oven at 400 degrees (broiler).
Divide the mix into equal portions and then place it on the hot skillet, after two minutes turn it and leave it for another two minutes.
Now place them on the bottom half of the bun and place it in a baking tray, followed by a slice of cheese on top and put in the oven for two to three minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow it to rest for a couple of minutes before you are ready to serve them. If you don't like them well done, you remove them once the cheese melts. Putting it in the broiler setting, will ensure that the burger doesn't become dry and stays juicy and tasty!


Hamburger buns
Lettuce leaf - seperate the leaves and put them in ice cold water with a few drops of vinegar (helps to maintain the crunch)
White onion - sliced in circles
Mustard
Tomato slices
Pepper jack cheese or any cheese that you like

For the sweet chili sauce:
Chili garlic paste - 4 tbspn
Hot sauce - a few drops
White vinegar a few drops
Ketchup - 3 tbsp
Honey - 2 tbsp

Mix it all together and set it aside. You can add more or less spicy as per your need.

To plate it - on top of the melted cheese spread the sweet chili sauce, then place a couple of lettuce leaves, a slice of onion, tomato, a little mustard (if you need) and place the top bun on top and serve.
A juicy and tasty burger is ready and you will wanna make it more often at home that go to a burger joint to have it

NeiPayasam

Kavitha Kishore of Kavitha-vin Kaivannam is a good friend of mine. I love her recipes and have tried a few too. This payasam is now more of a meal for my son.He likes to take it for lunch to school. He loves it very much and will keep eating every spoon by complementing me for it, well thanks to Kavitha for the recipe.
Most of the time I end up making it with left over rice. You can also say that its an excuse for me to make it. Its very simple and tasty too.
This is my version of it,
You need:
Cooked rice - 1 bowl
Jaggery syrup - 1/2 bowl
Ghee - 3 tbspns
Cashew broken
Golden Raisins
Cardamom powder
Grated or chopped coconut

Method:-
Break the jaggery into pieces and pour a little water in it and let it dilute completely. Then strain it and bring it to a boil and reduce the heat and let it simmer till it becomes a little thick.
Cook the rice as usual and let it cool, make sure there are no lumps.
In a non-stick vessel heat the ghee add the cashew nuts, coconut and raisins and fry it well
Add the cooked and cooled rice and fry it for 3-5 minutes and add the cardamom powder.
Now pour the jaggery syrup and mix it well. Reduce the heat and let it absorb the syrup and stir it regularly.
It should be almost dry out. Serve it warm.
Am sure it will be a hit with the kids and adults alike.