Chicken Biriyani

Ingredients

Basmati rice                                  2 cup

Chicken with or without bones       ½ kg cut into pieces

Cinnamon                                      1” piece

Cloves                                           2

Cardamom                                     2

Black cardamom                             2

Mace                                             1

Bay leaf                                         1

Cumin seeds                                   1 tsp

Pepper corns                                  1 tsp

Cumin powder                                1 tsp

Coriander powder                           1 tsp

Turmeric powder                            ¼ tsp

Ginger-garlic paste                          1 tbsp

Green chillies finely chopped           1 tsp

Yogurt                                            1 cup

Fried onions                                    2 tbsp + 3 tbsp

Mint leaves finely chopped               1 tbsp + 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves finely chopped       1 tbsp + 1 tsbp

Saffron mixed with warm milk          1 tbsp

Oil

Salt to taste

Preparation

1.    Add green chillies, mint leaves, ginger-garlic paste, coriander leaves, pepper corns, cumin seeds, chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, cumin powder, coriander powder, bay leaf, cinnamon, mace, cloves, black and ordinary cardamom, fried onion, yogurt and a little oil to the chicken pieces and mix well. Let the chicken marinate for about 1 hour.

2.    Soak the rice for about 30 minutes. Cook till half done. Strain and keep aside.

3.    Take a deep pan and transfer the marinated chicken into it. Spread the rice evenly over the chicken. Put some mint leaves and coriander leaves on top, followed by 1 tbsp fried onion. Sprinkle the saffron and milk mixture. Cover the pan using a tight lid and cook in medium flame for approximately half-an-hour.

4.    Serve with onion raitha.  

Tortilla Wrap

For tortilla

All purpose flour                                    2 cups

Salt                                                     ½ tsp

Water                                                  ¾ cup

Olive oil                                               3 tbsp

For the filling

Chicken breast cut into strips                  1 cup

Red/White onion cut into strips               1 large

Red, green and yellow peppers (capsicum) 1 cup

Shredded mozzarella cheese                    as desired

For the marinade

Cilantro                                               a handful

Spring onions chopped                            2 tbsp

Garlic chopped                                      4 cloves

Green chilli or jalapeno                          as desired

Cumin powder                                                2 tsp

Lemon juice                                         1 tbsp

Salt and pepper                                     to taste

How to make tortilla

1.    In a bowl, mix flour, salt and oil and combine well. Then slowly add water and knead into smooth dough. You can add more water to achieve the desired consistency. Cover with a wet cloth and let rest for 20 minutes.

2.    Now divide the dough into 8 equal balls. Using a rolling pin roll out the balls, as you do a chapathi.

3.    Spray some oil onto a hot skillet and cook the tortillas over medium heat till slightly brown.

Method of preparation

1.    Blend cilantro, spring onions, garlic, green chilli/jalapeno, cumin powder, lemon juice and salt and pepper in a mixer and marinate the chicken strips in this for about 2 hours.

2.    Take the chicken strips out and fry them till brown. Keep aside.

3.    Sauté onion and peppers on high heat till tender. Add the fried chicken strips and sauté for 2 more minutes.

4.    Spread the mixture over the tortillas and top with shredded cheese. Wrap tightly.

Chicken Pizza

For the pizza dough

3 ½ cups all purpose flour (maida)

2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ cup warm water

1 sachet yeast

For the pizza sauce

1 cup tomato puree

Dried oregano to taste

Dried basil to taste

Garlic powder to taste

Onion powder to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

For the topping

½ cup capsicum  (cut into rings or strips) 

½ cup fried sausage                              

Rings  of one medium onion

1 tomato (diced)  

1 cup shredded mozzarella 

How to prepare the pizza sauce

Mix all the ingredients under the ‘for the pizza sauce’.

How to make the pizza base

1.    Add yeast to warm water and set it aside for about 3 minutes, so that it dissolves completely and produces a creamy texture.

2.    Mix together the flour, salt, sugar and olive oil in a glass bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer. Pour the yeast mixture to it and knead into soft dough. If using hand, knead it for about 15 minutes and if using a stand mixer, knead it for about 10 minutes in low speed.

3.    Oil two bowls with olive oil. Divide the dough into two halves and roll into balls. Keep them on the bowls and brush some olive oil on top, to prevent crusting. Cover the bowls with plastic wraps and place them in a warm area of the kitchen. I prefer the inside of my oven, keeping it switched off.

4.    Let them rise for approximately 1 ½ hours or until they have doubled in size.

5.    Once ready, sprinkle some flour onto the counter and roll out the dough, one at a time, using a rolling pin.

6.    Place the base on the baking sheet or pizza plate. Make a shallow well on the base by slowly and carefully pushing from the inside out towards the edge.

The Pizza

Spread the pizza sauce on the pizza base and spread the vegetables and sausage over it. A layer of mozzarella cheese on the top and the pizza is ready to go into the oven. Bake for 20 minutes in the oven preheated to 475 degrees.

Dough made as per the above instructions will give two medium pizzas.

Note: You can change the toppings and the sauce as per your taste.

          Ready-made pizza sauces are available in the market.

Cook chicken strips with some salt, and season with pepper. This can be used instead of sausage.

 i know the crust looks hard and ugly. But believe me, it was very soft and yummy.

Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

Unsalted butter, softened                       1 cup

White sugar                                         1 cup

Brown sugar                                         1 cup

Eggs                                                    2

Vanilla extract                                      2 tsp

All-purpose flour (maida)                        3 cup

Baking soda                                         1 tsp

Salt                                                     ½ tsp

Cocoa powder                                       ¾ cup

M&M’s/Gems                                        1 cup

Method:

1.    Using an electric beater, mix butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Then add the vanilla essence, baking soda dissolved in hot water and salt, one after the other. Now stir in flour, M&M’s, nuts and cocoa powder. Mix this well without overdoing. The more you beat, the harder the cookies get.  So it enough that the ingredients mix well.

2.    Roll out small balls of the dough and spread it lightly using a rolling pin or your hand.

3.    Spread them over a non-stick baking dish or baking sheet.

4.    Bake for about 10 minutes in an oven pre-heated to 175 degree Celsius until the edges brown well.

5.    Take the cookies out of the oven and set aside for cooling for 10 minutes.

Tips:

1.    Drinking chocolate instead of cocoa powder will do just fine.

2.    Semi-sweetened choco chips can be used instead of M&M/Gems.

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Baked Sausage Pasta

Ingredients:

Pasta (shells, butterfly, spirals, any type will do)                    500 gm

Sausage (chicken or pork) cut into slightly big pieces               2 cups

Green peas                                                                       1 cup

Pepper powder                                                                  2 tsp

Chili powder                                                                     1 tbsp

Thyme                                                                             1 tsp

Basil                                                                                1 tsp

Oregano                                                                           ½ tsp

Italian pasta sauce (tomato-base)                                         350 gm

Shredded mozzarella cheese                                                 1 cup

Salt to taste

Oil (preferably olive oil)

Method:

1.    Boil water in a vessel and add some salt and oil. Add pasta and when almost cooked, strain and keep aside.

Oil is added to the boiling water so that the pasta does not stick together.

2.    Mix the chili powder, pepper powder and salt to the sausages in a bowl. Heat a tbsp of oil in a pan and sauté till the sausages become slightly brown.

3.    In a large mixing bowl put together pasta, sausages, green peas, thyme, basil, oregano and the pasta sauce, and mix well.

4.    Transfer the mixture into a baking dish and top it with a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese.

5.    Bake it at 180 degree Celsius for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Pathiri

Ingredients

Rice powder roasted                              1 cup

Water                                                 1 cup

Salt to taste

Method

Add salt and slowly add the rice powder to boiling water. Make sure to stir continuously to avoid forming lumps. Remove from fire and keep it to cool down slightly. Knead thoroughly using both hands and make into a dough.  The more you knead, the softer the dough becomes. Make lemon-sized balls and press slightly using palms. Roll them on a board using a rolling pin, sprinkling rice powder to prevent it from sticking.

Heat a skillet and keeping on medium, put the pathiri on it. Keep turning it continuously a few times. Make sure it maintains the white colour and not change to brown. The pathiri comes out real soft. Eat hot.

Sausage Curry

Ingredients

Sausage cut into medium pieces                        1 cup

Onion                                                           1 medium chopped

Tomato                                                         1 medium

Fresh green peas                                            a handful

Garlic                                                           3-4 cloves chopped

Red chilli powder                                            2 tsp

Turmeric powder                                            ¼ tsp

Chicken masala                                              1 tbsp

Coriander powder                                           2 tsp

Curry leaves                                                   as desired

Salt to taste

Method

Shallow fry the sausage pieces and keep aside. In the same oil sauté the onion and garlic. Grind it to a paste along with tomato, the skin of which is removed, chilli powder, turmeric powder, chicken masala and coriander powder. Heat oil in a pan and sauté this paste for 2 minutes. Add the sausage pieces and green peas and let it cook for about 10 minutes. Put the curry leaves just before removing from flame. You can also garnish it with coriander leaves.

Cheese Steak Roll

Ingredients

French bread or any bread roll cut vertically                  1

Chicken breast cut into thin slices                               2 slices

Cheese slices (any variety will do)                               2 slices

Big onion cut finely into long strips                                       1

Olive oil                                                                  2 tbsp

Steak sauce                                                             to taste

Worcestershire sauce                                                          to taste

Salt and pepper                                                        to taste

Method

Sprinkle some salt and pepper on the chicken pieces and keep aside. Slightly toast the roll and keep aside.  Heat half of the olive oil in a pan and sauté the onion. Add some salt and pepper and sauté it again till the colour changes slightly and becomes translucent. Take the roll and fill it with the fried onions and lace with the sauces. Take the remaining oil in the pan and keeping on high heat, fry the chicken pieces. Once done, keep one cheese slice on each chicken piece and when they to start melt, transfer them into the bread roll.

Note: Take care not to cut the roll completely into half. This will make it tough to keep the fillings intact.

And beef tenderloins make a better substitute for chicken breasts. I used chicken in this recipe since we don’t much fathom beef.