Humaira's Food Passion

Yummy pot roast in slow cooker

2011-11-29T20:41:00.000-08:00

Hi All, It was a really busy day, had to run a lot of errands ,and this is what came to my rescue for dinner. A one pot meal , fantabulously delicious and hearty...POT ROAST.

It needs a good 8-10 hours to cook so start in the morning and use a slow cooker and
forget about it till dinner for a yummy feast.

Ingredients :

Meat chunk - Boneless 2-3 pound chunk of meat (lamb or beef) . ( I did not have a piece that big so I used three small stakes of lamb)
onion - chopped 1/2 cup
garlic powder
dried thyme leaves - 1 and 1/2 tsp
veg stock or beef broth
red pepper flakes 1/2 tsp
1 bay leaf
4 cloves of garlic
1 can of diced tomatoes.
bite sized veggies - carrots, celery , potatoes , onions

Procedure :

Wash and pat dry the meat chunk. season well with salt and black pepper on both sides (approx 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper powder). Heat 4 tblspn of oil in a nonstick pan.
now brown this meat chunk on all sides. Sprinkle some garlic powder on them and add these to the slow cooker bowl.

Now add chopped onions to the same oil and fry until translucent. add garlic and thyme leaves and saute for 30 sec. Add this to the slow cooker bowl.
Now add the can of tomatoes,all the bite sized veggies , red pepper flakes , bay leaf into the slow cooker bowl and add veg/beef stock until the stake is fully immersed in it. Add some black pepper and cook on high for 8-10 hours straight. You will see that the veggies are perfectly cooked and the meat just melts in your mouth by the end of the cooking.

If you need the sauce to be thicker just remove the veggies and meat on the serving place and in a separate pan add the liquid and boil with 1 tsp corn flour until thick and add on top of the meat.Enjoy with garlic bread.
Bon appetit!

Creamy Pasta with Parmesan crusted chicken breast

2011-08-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

Hi ! today I have for you my take on alfredo pasta and heavenly parmesan crusted chicken. Its italian, its creamy, its flavorful, its filling and its all here from scratch. lets get right into it.

Ingredients:

pasta 1 packet (I used shells but it does not matter)
salt 1 tsp

For sauce

Evaporated Milk - 1 small can.
butter stick - 1
garlic - 4 cloves
Red pepper flakes - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Ground Black pepper - 1/4 tsp
oregano 1/4 tsp
cilantro

Method:

For Pasta :-

Boil a pot full of water. Add salt and cook pasta according to instructions.

On another stove heat a pan and add a butter stick.
To this add finely minced garlic and red pepper flakes. Now add a can of evaporated milk on low heat. stir well.To this add half a packet (1 cup ) of cheese (I used five cheese Italian),
salt ,ground black pepper,oregano and fresh cilantro or parsley.

Drain the cooked pasta and add to this mixture. Check for salt.

You could also add finely chopped and caramelized red onions , capsicum and tomatoes for added taste.

Parmesan crusted Chicken Breast:-

1 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup All purpose flour
1 egg
chicken breast cut into fine slices 6 (fine slices)
Parmesan cheese - 1/2 packet
olive oil -2 tbl spoons
salt and pepper

Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and olive oil.
In one bowl add breadcrumbs,all purpose flour and parmesan cheese.
In another bowl add a beaten egg.Now dip chicken breast in dry mixture then in egg and then again in dry mixture.

In a pan heat 4 tbl spoons olive oil and add breasts.cook them to nice golden brown.

Heat oven 350F in a greased pan add the browned chicken breast.add Parmesan cheese
on top and let bake for 5 minutes. check if chicken is done.

assemble and serve

Note: This is not my own recipe. It has been adapted from various sources on the Internet. This listed recipe is how I choose to make it with little modifications and really liked how it turned out

Khalakand (An Indian dessert/sweet)

2011-07-20T15:40:00.000-07:00

My Family visits India once every year. Usually my husband accompanies me and flies back in a few days and I stay and enjoy for a few more days(months..). When I come back the only
request I get is "Can you bring khalakand?". So Khalakand is hands down his favorite sweet... well that made it inevitable for me to try my hand at this lovely dessert. Its so simple yet so delicious and needless to say my husband finished it all. It was a hit! Now we can enjoy khalakand all months round yuhooo!!...Enjoy this everyone, its lovely.

Ingredients:

Khoya (khowa), crumbled - 2 cups
Whole Milk - 1 and 1/2 cup
Paneer ( I used store bought) - 1/4 cup
Powdered Sugar - 5 tbsp
Granulated Sugar - 1/4 cup
cardamom Powder - 1/4 tsp
Water 1/2 cup
Pinch of Nutmeg
few Chopped almonds

Method:

Bring the water to a boil in a non stick pan. Add milk and let it boil once. Turn the heat down. Add powdered sugar and stir continuously.Now add nutmeg, cardamon powder and granulated sugar.
stir for 10 minutes. Now add crumbled Khoya and paneer.Add the chopped almonds. keep stirring until the mixture thickens and starts leaving the pan.

Grease a pan with a little butter. Pour the above mixture and let cool completely. Refrigerate it for an hour. cut into square pieces and serve.

Note: This is not my own recipe. It has been adapted from recipes from various blogs.

2011-06-12T14:58:00.000-07:00

Fish Fry
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Hi Everyone, Back after a looong break but all pumped up and ready to bounce back. This time its Fish fry Indian style. I personally feel too many spices spoil the taste of the fish. It should have a very flavorful but subtle taste. This is maybe one of the quickest recipes you can make.

You can use pretty much any fish and although fresh is good you can make this with frozen fish as well.

Ingredients:

Fish fillets : 1 pound (around 4 nos) I use Tilapia or Cod but you could use any fish
Red Chili powder : 1- 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:

Wash the fish well. pat dry. Mix in all the remaining ingredients and marinate for half hour in the refrigerator.Heat a pan at medium heat and add 4 tblspns of oil. Now add the fish fillets. Let cook till golden brown on one side and then flip and cook on the other side. squeeze some fresh lemon juice on the fillets and serve hot. Its that simple and may I add DELICIOUS!

Tahari (Tomato and Meat rice)

2010-09-07T07:36:00.000-07:00

Tahari
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Hello everyone ! Today I am presenting a dish that brings back childhood memories.
we would be overjoyed to hear that tahari was in the menu. Its very simple to cook , very quick and who does not love tomatoes?

I cook this very often specially in Ramadan as its a one dish meal and very filling.
It just requires raita or dahi ki chutney to go with it and you are all set. I am sending this recipe to Mona's event Hyderabadi Ramadan Food Festival 2010' (Season II) and Lubna's event
Joy From Fasting To Feasting (season III)

Hope you enjoy!!

Ingredients :

Rice - 8 rice cooker cups (approx 1 kg) washed and soaked for 10 mins
Lamb/beef - 1 pound (small pieces washed and set aside)
Tomatoes - 2 diced cans
onions - 1/2 big sliced
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp
salt - 5 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tblsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
oil - 5 tblsp
Juice of half lemon
coriander leaves - handful
Mint leaves - 5 leaves
Green chillies - 3

Method :

Heat oil in a cooker. Fry onions till slightly brown. Add Ginger garlic paste and saute till golden brown.Now add turmeric powder, Red chili powder and 3 tsp of
salt. Add Lamb/beef pieces and mix for 5 minutes. Now add the two cans of diced tomatoes.Mix well. Add one cup water and pressure cook till meat is tender.
Once this is done, open lid and let cook till oil oozes out. Add coriander leaves, mint leaves , green chillies, garam masala and lemon juice. Add rice and remaining
salt.Transfer into a rice cooker and add water (add 1 cup extra water than what is usually required to cook rice). Mix well and serve hot with dahi ki chutney (curd). Enjoy!!

Family Rating : 8.5/10

Coconut Laddus

2010-06-17T15:58:00.000-07:00

khopre ke laddu

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Hello there, How is everyone doing? As most of you know that I am expecting and its become a little difficult for me to cook and blog. The other day I was
craving for a quick sweet treat. I browsed around to find this quick but immensely tasty Coconut laddu recipe. So lets get started...

Ingredients :

dessicated coconut (dry) - 3 cups
Sweetened condensed milk - 1 small can (14 0z)
Mixed nuts ( I used almonds, pistachios, cashews and raisins) - 1/2 cup chopped finely

Method :

In a nonstick pan slightly roast dessicated coconut. Now add all the mixed nuts and slowly add the condensed milk little by little , mixing constantly.
This will form a consistency where you can make laddus. Let this mixture sit for a few minutes and start making laddus with still warm mixture. Roll these in some extra dessicated coconut. Keep the laddus in fridge for an hour ( Although I doubt you will be able to resist them for so long).
Enjoy!!

MIA for a while

2010-03-23T14:13:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone! I know I have not been blogging for a while now and thanks to all those who sent me messages asking me my whereabouts. I promise to be back very soon.Just taking a long break :)

2009-11-27T07:03:00.000-08:00

Eid Mubarak !!!

May Allah bless all of us and guide us to the right path.Aameen

Murg Malai kebabs

2009-11-21T14:16:00.000-08:00

Heavenly Chicken Kebabs/kabobs - Murgh Malai kebabs
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Firstly I need to apologize to be MIA as I been really busy with work and all the allergies and flu.
I was looking for a quick treat. I felt like eating juicy , moist kebabs and that is exactly what I found on Nabeela's blog. She has an amazing list of treats that I am definitely going to try soon. I have not made much of changes to her recipe. I just prefer the broil method for making my kebabs. If you like to roast them then you can follow her recipe as is.Hats off to Nabeela for this amazing dish.

Ingredients:
Boneless chicken cut into medium size pieces - 2 lb
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup yogurt
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp fresh minced cilantro
2 tbsp fresh ginger-garlic paste
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tsp red chili powder
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Procedure:

Make the marinade by combining salt, yogurt, sour cream, cilantro, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala and red chilli powder in a medium bowl. Mix well. Rub chicken pieces all over with lime juice. Add them to the marinate and coat well. Let it marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Soak 10-12 wooden skewers in water(soaking them overnight truly ensures no burning and flare ups in the oven). If you're using metal skewers, skip this step. The next day, when you're ready to serve, take out chicken 30 minutes before roasting. Preheat the oven on broil mode to High. Thread chicken pieces onto the skewers keeping 5 piece to each. Lay them on an oiled roasting rack on an Aluminium foil lined pan. Broil for about 5-7 minutes, turning it a few times in between. Check on the chicken often to ensure it's not overcooked or undercooked. Enjoy!!

Papdi Chaat - Street food

2009-10-24T07:47:00.000-07:00

Papdi Chaat
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There are many version of Papdi Chaat. Papdi is crispy rectangles of flavored dough. There are no specific ingredients to it as well. Many people like sev or green chutneys etc in it. This is how I made it and you can add anything to it as in the end all that matters is to make food which satisfies our cravings right?

(NOTE: I have used chole from my previous recipes)

Ingredients for Papdi :

All purpose flour (maida or plain flour) - 1 cup
semolina flour (sooji) 1/4 cup
oil 2 tablespoons
salt 1/2 teaspoon
water to knead.

Method for papdi:

Mix all ingredients except water. Now slowly add water and knead like chapati/roti dough.Take small portions and roll them out. Now cut them into rectangles (see pictures to understand better).Heat oil for deep frying. Now add these rectangles one by one and deep fry them till golden brown.Remove on a paper napkin so that oil is absorbed and these rectangles become crisp. Keep aside

Chole:

Follow the recipe here for chole (Masala chick peas). Make the chole a little bit loose in consistency.

Other ingredients:
Red Onion : 1 chopped
Coriander leaves : handful
sour cream - 3 tblsp
tomatoes - 1 finely chopped
I also used Aalu from my recent cajun style potatoes. (Optional).

Method:
Take a serving bowl. add chole. Now add all other ingredients like red onions,coriander ,sour cream,tomatoes etc.crumble the papdi a little and add on top. What else? Just dig in now!! Enjoy!

Award time!!

2009-10-14T20:29:00.001-07:00

Rahin of Lazzat has showerd me with awards. She is an awesome awesome blogger who always inspires me. Rahin, thank you for the lovely awards and You rock!!!

I would like to pass these awards on to Syeda, Muneeba and Priya

Cajun style Potatoes

2009-10-09T17:23:00.000-07:00

Quick and Delicious Crispy Potatoes
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I love Potatoes...seriously. Fries, chips ...who does not like them?. Here is another style of potatoes with a Indian twist. They are crisp and very flavourful.Can be made in 10-15 minutes. Ideal for parties or even for a quick snack.

A quick shout out to Seema (smani) who personally called me and appreciated my blog. Thank you Smani!

I am sending this entry to Four events.

1. To Srivalli For her Kids Delight! Event
2. To Nithya and Pavitra fom Garnish the Dish Event
3. To EC for her WYF:Light Food Event
4. To Priya and Sunita for there Think Spice - Think Coriander Event.

Ingredients :
Potatoes : 500 gms(1 pound) cut into cubes
Coriander Powder : 1-1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Dried red chillies - 2
Mustard seeds (Rai) - 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red Chili Powder - 3/4 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 3/4 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - 8-10 leaves
Coriander Leaves - handful
oil - 3-4 tblspn

Method:
Heat 3 tblsp oil in a nonstick pan. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Saute a little. Add dried red chillies broken into half and ginger garlic paste. Add coriander powder and red chili powder. Saute well. Now add the microwaved potatoes ,salt and curry leaves. Do NOT add water. Fry the potatoes they get crisp.If its gets dry add a little more oil. Garnish with Coriander Leaves.Hmm yummy!!. I have decorated the dish using a tomato rose and capsicum , the red and the green gives a nice pop of color.

Family Rating : 8.5

Tandoori Chicken

2009-10-01T16:42:00.000-07:00

Tandoori Chicken : ( Amazingly tasty!)
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I would think that the best tandoori chicken is made in restaurants but this recipe proved me wrong.You can have a hearty , amazingly tasty tandoori chicken at home. Try it to believe it.I made this dish for a iftaar party at my mami's(aunts) place and it raked in many compliments :-)

Ingredients:

Chicken Quarters : 6 (I further had each quarter cut into 2 but you can use whole quarters or drumsticks)
Oil : 2 tbsp

Marinade1:

Red chili powder : 1 table spoon
Salt : 1 tsp
Lemon : 1/2 lemon juice

Marinade2:

Curd : 6 tbsp (one for each quarter)
Ginger Garlic Paste : 1tbsp
Kasoori Methi powder - 1tsp
Black pepper powder - 3/4 tsp
Salt : 1tsp
turmeric : 1/4 tsp
Cumin powder : 1/4 tsp
Coriander powder : 1 tsp
Garam masala powder : 1tsp
Red colour : 1/2 tsp or like desired

Method:

Prepare marinade1. Wash the chiken pieces well and pat them dry. Now add a few slits to the meatiest parts. This will let the taste to penetrate deeper.
Not rub the marinade1 on each chicken quarter making sure to apply between slits and keep aside for 15 minutes.

Prepare marinade2. Now add the above chicken to this.Add 2 tbsp oil. mix very well.I left this overnight for added flavor but you can cook right away.

You can grill these pieces if you like.I love my Broil mode in the oven for such tandoor type preparations. You can use the bake mode if you like (400F , bake for 30 minutes).
If using broil mode, turn the broil mode to Hi, Arrange chicken quarters in a baking pan and place them in the oven , not too close to the fire.
These will be done real quick like in 7-10 minutes. Turn over and cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve with grilled onions and lemon wedges. Delicious!!

Pakodi

2009-09-24T20:49:00.000-07:00

Extra Crispy Pakodi (Spinach or Cabbage fritters)___________________________________________________________________________
Come Rainy , dull ,depressing and gloomy weather , the heart desires something hot and delicious.Pakodies are a big hit in my house and my husband loves these to the extent that he learnt how to make them.Come iftar time and the question lingering in my mind is "what do we make today" and there comes the voice of my husband...Pakodies!!!
The pictures are of the pakodies made by my dearest hubby. Enjoy!.

Ingredients :
Besan: 1 cup
onion : 1 big sliced
Ginger garlic paste : 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Salt : 1tsp
turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Spinach or Cabbage - 2 cups chopped like we slice onions. (not too thin), You can use any vegetable you like.
Oil to deep fry

Method:
In a blender/grinder add besan, Red chili powder , turmeric , ginger garlic paste and salt. Now add half of the onions. Grind well for 5 mins. The onion releases water which makes the besan into paste. The paste should be of the consistancy of tooth paste or else add some more onions and grind. Now remove this paste in a dish and add palak.Add all the remaining onions.We are being extra careful not to add any water. Adding water decreases the crispness of the pakodies.
Now Heat oil to deep fry pakodies. Now using your fingers slowly release these spinach or cabbage slices coated with besan into the oil. fry till light brown.Remove on a napkin so that the oil is absorbed and you are left with crisp pakodies. These are ideal for when guests drop in or you feel like having a quick snack.

Eid Greetings

2009-09-19T20:01:00.000-07:00

Eid Mubarak!!!

Wishing Everyone a blessed and happy Eid.

Chicken Fry (mmm smells amazing!!)

2009-09-12T09:35:00.000-07:00

Chicken Fry (Indian ishtyle)
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When I just have a smiple currly like dal or tomato cut or tomato chutney already made, I go for chicken fry. It tastes soo good with them and also can be made in very little time.It comes in handy when you have a bunch of guest suddenly drop in.It also makes it a good candidate for ramadan as you get more time for other chores. Mashallah this Ramzan has been very good. Its a different kind of joy of fasting..and at the end of the day when the whole family comes together to break there fast and share there stories you stop for a second an think about the oneness and love it brings along. I will also be participating in the Ramdan event hosted by Lubna of Kitchen flavours and Yasmeen of Healthnut. They are amazing and they have put in an amazing effort for this event. I will definately be posting more recipies for this event.

Cheers to easy cooking!!

Ingredients:
Chicken - 1 cut into medium size pieces(about 14-16 pieces)
Red chili powder - 2 tsp (you can reduce the amount if you don't want it to be spicy)
Salt : 1-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
Onion - 1 sliced

Garam masala powder - 1-1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - hand ful
Green chillies - 3 (slit vertical)

Method:
Mix everything except Garammasala,curry leaves and green chillies in a pan.
Add 2 cups of water and cover. let it cook until all water evaporates.
Now in a separate kadhai (pan) heat 3 tbsp of oil. Add green chillies and saute
until the ends become light brown. Add curry leaves and saute a little more.
Now add the chicken mixture.Also add the garam masala powder.
fry for 10 minutes.

The aroma should fill the room now. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Tada...Dish is ready!!

Egg Puffs

2009-09-03T13:10:00.000-07:00

Egg Puffs (Quick and Easy)
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I remember that one fine day my dad came home and said - you know Now we have two new bakeries down the road?. That evening my whole family had puffs. Oh how scrumptious they were!.That was my first time eating puffs.
Now I am a big fan of any kind of puffs be it curry puffs or egg puffs or kheema puffs. However I have developed my own versions of them according to my tastes. They are the most easiest to make (where you get puff pastry LOL). Enjoy!!

Ingredients:
Eggs -3 (Makes 6 puffs)
Puff pastry sheet - 1 (Has three slabs)

Masala Ingredients :

Redchilli powder
Salt
Dhania powder (Coriander powder)
Zeera powder (Cumin powder)
Black pepper powder.

Method:
Boil eggs well. Cut them into longer halfs. Take a pan and put 1 tsp of oil. Now place the eggs yolk side up on medium flame. Sprinkle one pinch of each of the masala ingredients on each egg half.(Refer Picture). Now turn them and let cook for like a minute. Remove from heat and let them cool off.

Keep the puff pastry out for thawing. After done. Cut each slab into half. place one egg half from above , Yolk side down on each part. Now make fold and make a rectangle. seal with a wet hand.

Heat oven to 400F. Take an aluminum foil and lightly spray butter so that the puffs don't stick. Now place the puff pastry rectangles on it and bake for like 15 minutes. They will puff of and the edges will slightly brown. The egg puffs are ready to devour.

Hara Chicken

2009-08-24T21:02:00.000-07:00

Exquisite Hara Chicken : Inspired by Anjum's Recipe.
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Hello All, Today I have a very tasty chicken for you all. Its mostly the recipe from Anjum's blog. Its perfect as it is but I have made some minute modifications to suit my taste. Believe me! It tastes like the chicken we serve in hyderabadi weddings. Hats off to her for this delicious recipe.

Ingredients :

Chicken - 1 cut into small pieces
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbl spoon
Turmeric(haldi) - 1/4 tsp
Oil 7-8 tbl sp
Salt - 1-1/2 tsp
Vinegar - 2 tsp
Green chilli sauce - 2 tsp
curd - 2 cups
Lemon juice - 1/2 lemon

Garam masala :

dalchini(patta)
Cloves(loung) 4-5
Peppercorns(kalimirchi) - 12
Cardamoms(elaichi) - 8
Cumin Powder(zeera) - 1/2tsp
Coriander Powder - 2 tsp

Hara Masala:
Green chilles 8 big ones
Coriander 1 bunch
Mint Leaves 10 leaves
Fried onions - 21/2 tbl spoons
Cashews - 1/2 cup

Method:

Make a fine paste of the garam masala ingredients listed above. Also make a seperate paste of the hara masala ingredients listed above. Mix haramasala paste with gingergarlic paste and curd and chicken pieces. Marinate for 30 mints.

Heat oil in a pan. Add this chicken mixture,turmeric and salt and cook till curd starts thickening and you see oil oozing out.

Add 1 cup of water,vinegar and cook till chicken becomes tender, Finally add the Garam masala powder, lemon juice & Green chilli sauce .Cook on low flame for some time and garnish with coriander leaves. Delightful!!!!

Family rating : 8.5 /10

Ramadan is here!!!

2009-08-21T21:20:00.000-07:00

Ramadan Mubarak to all!!

May Allah bless you and give you all the happiness you desire. (Aameen)

Chole Bhature

2009-08-16T17:59:00.000-07:00

Mouthwatering Chole (chick peas)
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Hello all, Presenting to you ....Chole ....:)

Chole (often eaten with bhatura or puris) is another quick recipe. The traditional way is to soak kabuli chana (chick peas) for a few hours but
for me the canned chick peas are good enough. No soaking no boiling.
I am sending this entry for three contests...

1. Mona from zaiqa
2. susan from The well seasoned cook
3. EC from simple indian food
Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

oil : 3 tblspoons
onion : 1 diced
Corriander powder ( dhania powder ) - 1 tsp
Chole masala (Everest recomended) - 2 tsp (optional...but gives a yumm taste)

Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 3/4 tsp
Salt - 1-1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
Green chillies - 1 or 2
Tomatoes - 2 cut into cubes
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Canned Chick peas - 1big can.

Garnish :
Coriander leaves
Red onion
Lemon wedges

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add onions and green chillies. When onions are golden brown , reduce the heat and add ginger garlic paste , Chole masala , Coriander powder , Red chili powder, salt , turmeric powder.
saute for 10 seconds. Now add tomatoes and 1/4 cup water. cover and cook for 5 mints on medium flame.
The tomatoes will be nice and soft now. Add the canned chole and half a cup of water.
cover again and cook till water evaporates. Now add garam masala powder. Garnish with Corriander leaves, Red onion and lemon wedges.
This can be eaten with puris. Awesome!

Puris:

Make dough for chapati/roti. Take small balls and roll them out into circles. Now deep fry one at a time.

Family Rating : 8

More Awards (Yahooo!!)

2009-08-09T13:03:00.000-07:00

I am elated to receive these awards from Shaista from http://mixcalculations.blogspot.com/.
Thank you dear.

The rules are:
Respond and rework – answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, and add one more question of your own. Then tag eight or ten other people.

Lets Respond...
1.what is your current obsession?
I would have to say makeup. I am so obsessed with learning how to apply it and different techniques involved and I am loving the colors.

2. What are you wearing today?
I am wearing Shalwar Kameez.

3. What’s for dinner?
Vegetable biryani and raita.

4. What’s the last thing you bought?
Aluminum foil. I was so missing it lol.

5. What are you listening to right now?
Indian movie music.

6. What do you think about the person who tagged you?
She is lovely and so sweet with her comments. She also an awesome blog. I am surprise how similar my answers are to hers. We definitely have the same taste. :)

7. If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
Ocean side.

8.What are your must-have pieces for summer?
Sunscreen, shades.

9. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
Hawaii

10. Which language do you want to learn?
Arabic

11. Who do you want to meet right now?
My family in India

12. What is your favorite colour?
Purple

13. What is your favourite piece of clothing in your own closet?
Sarees

14. What is your dream job?
teaching

15. If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?
Splurge on Makeup..I told you I am obsessed with makeup :)

16. What do you consider a fashion faux pas?
Unruly hair and peeking under garments.

17. Who are your style icons?
Aishwarya rai, Megan fox

18. Describe your personal style?
Stylish but sober

19. What are your favorite movies?
DDLJ, kuch kuch hota hai, Lord of the rings, Any Si-Fi movie

20. Give us three styling tips that always work for you?
* If its a casual party wear one statement piece , either earrings or a nice Chunky necklace
* Emphasize either your eyeshadow or your lipstick
* Smile

21. Coffee or tea?
None...If had to choose one then Mocha coffee from starbucks.

22. What do you do when you are feeling low or terribly depressed?
Cry :)

23. What is the meaning of your name?
Fortunate, One with blushing cheeks.

24. Which other blogs you love visiting?
All blogs listed in my blogs I visit column lol

25. Favorite Dessert/Sweet?
Cakes

26. Favorite Season?
Spring

27.Which is your dream destination?
Paris

28. Who inspired you to start a blog?
My Dearest husband

29. Which is your favorite international cuisine ?
Italian

30.What kitchen gadget do you want to purchase?
Onion cutter...I know ! but I cannot find one that is easy to use.

31.When and what did you eat in a restaurant last time?
Pizza

I love all questions...
Here is the one I want to add

32.What do you cook when you don't feel like cooking?
Top Ramen Noodles. Haha.

Finally comes the Tagging part:

I am tagging and passing these awards few of my blogger friends, Please accept it:

anjum from http://www.anjumsrasoi.blogspot.com/
mona from http://zaiqa.net/
sayeeda from http://syeda-indianspices.blogspot.com/
yasmeen from http://yasmeen-healthnut.blogspot.com/
Manju from http://superchef-mirchmasala.blogspot.com/
Shaista from http://appetitetreats.blogspot.com/

Mutton Khorma ( Mutton cooked in curd and spices)

2009-08-07T17:24:00.000-07:00

Hyderabadi Mutton Khorma ( Super Yummy!!)
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Everyday ,after school, when we used to return home we would start asking mommy "whats for dinner mommy?".
The day I hear mutton khorma I would jump with joy. This is still one of my favorites. Today I am bringing it to you.
My family loves it and hope you do too. I prepared this with naans (Indian flat bread). Its a heavenly combination.
Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

Mutton/Lamb - 1 pound medium size pieces
Onion - 1/2 big sliced
Ginger and Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Salt - 2 tsp
Red Chili Powdder - 1-1/2 tsp
turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Lemon - 1
curd - 1/2 kg
Sour cream - 3 tsp
Dhania powder - 1 tsp
Zeera powder - 1/4 tsp
Peanuts - 1 tsp
Almonds - 15 number
dry coconut - 2-1/2 tsp powdered
Khus Khus - 3 tsp
oil - 8 tbl spoons
Potatoes - 4 number , cut into medium size cubes

Green chillies - 3 nos
Coriander leaves - handful
Mint leaves - 4-5 leaves

Method:

Slightly roast Dry coconut, khus khus,Peanuts and almonds and powder them.
Deepfry potatoes till golden brown and keep aside
Heat oil in a Non stick Deep pan or cooker. add onions.After they are slightly brown add Ginger garlic paste,turmeric and red chilli powder. Put lamb and 1 tsp salt. cook for 5-10 mins. Now add water and cook until meat is soft (I used pressure cooker). let all water evaporate. Add coconut-khuskhus-almond powder that we made earlier. Also add dhania powder and zeera powder. Stir well for 5 mins.Add curd,sour cream,potatoes and garam masala powder and cook until oil oozes out. Add water now for desired consistancy. Now add green chillies, mint leaves , coriander leaves , lemon juice and 1 tsp salt .yummmm

Accompanied by : Bagara khana or Naan or Chapati(roties)

Family rating : 9/10

Pav Bhaji (Divine!!)

2009-08-02T19:31:00.000-07:00

Pav Bhaji
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When we were in college , we made frequent visits to chaat places. This dish would always make it to the first round of orders (I know! we always have 3-4 rounds of orders) . It was every ones favorite.
This is another entry to Mona from Zaiqa.net for her Ramzan collection. Usually in ramzan we grab pav (Indian bread) from Indian stores and make Bhaji (The gravy which goes with it) at home.
Its not difficult to make Pav if you have time at hand. Its quite a filling dish and not for the health conscious at all :). Enjoy.

For Bhaji:

Ingredients:
Tomatoes - 3
Potatoes (boiled,peeled,minced) - 2 big ones
Onion - 1
Green chillies - 2
Mixed vegetables - 1 cup
Red Chili powder - 1-1/2 tsp
Haldi (turmeric powder) - 1/4 tsp
salt - 1 to 1-1/2 tsp (depending on your taste)
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Butter - 100 gms
cumin seeds - 1tsp
Everest chaat or chole or pav bhaji masala - 1tsp (completely optional)
Garam masala powder - 1tsp

Kothmir (corriander leaves) - 1/2 bunch
Lemon - 2

Method:
Mince together onion,mixed vegetables,green chillies and tomatoes. Keep it coarse (donot make a fine paste).
Heat half of the butter in a pan. Add cumin seeds and saute.Now add ginger and garlic paste and saute till a little brown.Add the chole masala if you like. Now add onion and veg paste to it. Also add the minced potatoes.Stirr well. Add 1tsp salt and turmeric. let this mixture cook for 10 mins. Cook till very soft, constantly stirring, and adding water and mashing from time to time. When almost cooked and well mashed, add some more butter, Red chilli powder, garam masala, Juice of one lemon and more salt if you like. You can add some red colour if you want to bring some color to the dish. Garnish with kothmir and lemon wedges

For Pav:
Ingredients:(Makes around 18-20 small size pavs)

maida(allpurpose flour) - 7 cups
Salt - 1tsp
sugar - 1tsp
warm water - 3-1/2 cups
yeast( Dry , Quick rise) - 7gms

Egg - 1 beaten(optional)

Method:

mix together salt,sugar,warm water and yeast. let it sit for 5 mins. Now add this mixture to maida and knead like you are going to make rotis. cover and keep this mixture aside for 45 minutes. This will rise to double its size. Now prepare a baking tray. Apply some butter and sprinkle some maida so that the pav does not stick. Now make good size balls and place them slightly touching each other. you can coat the top of each ball using the egg mixture. This gives a good color to the pavs.Bake at 400F for 20-25 mins. Remove and apply butter on top. You can also apply butter inside the pav by cutting it into half. Enjoy this freshly made pav. Divine!!

Family rating - 8.5

My First Award !!!

2009-07-31T19:55:00.000-07:00

I am honoured and thankful to the lovely Faiza of Faiza Ali's Kitchen for giving me my First Award. I will
cherish it forever :)

The Kreative Blogger Award comes with some rules:-

You must thank the person who has given you the award.
Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
Link the person who has nominated you for the award.
Name 7 things about yourself that people might find interesting.
Nominate 7 other Kreativ bloggers.
Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
Leave a comment on each of the blogs to let them know they have been nominated.

Seven things you might find interesting about me...

1. I am 26yrs old, happily married for 4 yrs. I lived in hyderabad,India and moved to US after marriage.
2. I love makeup. I have loads of it and still going.
3. I love love Indian movies. spl shahrukh khan
4. I am a software engineer and currently working in IT.
5. I love animals..I dont have any pets here but I had dogs,cats,parrots,hens,love birds and fishes , all in
India. Planning get one soon here in US
6. I don't make friends easily. Hence I don't have many here.
7. I love experimental cooking. Eventhough it turns out to be pretty bad sometimes , the joy of making something new
is awesome.

I am new to the blogging world so I dont know many ppl but I love the creativity of some bloggers that I
have been visiting more often now...I would like to take this opportunity to appreciate all bloggers for
the love and effort they put into blogging . I nominate the following ...

anjum from http://www.anjumsrasoi.blogspot.com/
Deeba from http://www.passionateaboutbaking.com/
mona from http://zaiqa.net/
sayeeda from http://syeda-indianspices.blogspot.com/
lubna from http://kitchenflavours.blogspot.com/
yasmeen from http://yasmeen-healthnut.blogspot.com/

Good job Ladies!.

Frankies (yeaaahhh)

2009-07-22T20:23:00.000-07:00

Frankie (fast Chicken rolls)
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I will be posting a few things I made in the past couple of days. These are inspired by vahchef.
He is an amazing chef and I love making his dishes. First in line is Frankie.
We used to eat frankie in hyderabad at eatstreet. Its more of a snack .....street food which is very filling.
It turned out very good, My bro-inlaw suggested that I can now shift this dish in regular menu :) , he must like it a lot.

It is pretty much similar to chefs recipe with a few differences...

Ingredients:

For dough:

Maida - 3 cups
Wheat flour - 3/4 cup
Salt - 1tsp
oil - 2 tblspn

While making rotis
2 beaten eggs

For gravy:

Chicken - 1 pound
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp (1.1/2 tsp if you eat it spicy)
turmeric (haldi) - 1/4 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
onion chopped - 1 big
Coriander powder (dhania) - 1 tsp
Cumin powder (zeera powder) - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
lemon - 1
oil - 3 tblspn
Tomatoes - 2
Bell peppers - 1 chopped
Coriander leaves - handful

Method:

Prepare the dough by mixing maida,wheat flour,salt, oil and water. The should be the same consistency as used to roll out rotis.Let it sit for 10-15 mins.

Take a pan add oil, cumin seeds, ginger and garlic paste and chopped onions and cook till onions are light brown. Now add turmeric, chopped tomatoes,bell pepper chopped, Red chill powder,coriander powder
,cumin powder. Add chicken and a little water. cover and let cook till chicken is well cooked. Now add chaat masala (optional) , lemon juice and coriander leaves,

Now take the dough and make a thin roti and apply oil and spread all over, then sprinkle maida fold it and make it round and press in center and let it rest for 10min,

After 10min role it again into a roti. Now cook on both sides like normal roti in a pan and then apply beaten egg as much as required on one side and flip over. let cook for few seconds.

To assemble the frankie....add the chicken gravy. Garnish with onions and bell peppers. fold and serve hot. Delicious!

Tasty dahi wade

2009-07-20T17:03:00.000-07:00

Dahi wade/vade
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Soo good to eat on a hot day. This is often made in Ramadan during iftar.I often make wadas in advance and freeze them. I am submitting this recipe to Mona from Zaiqa.net for the Ramazan recipe collection. I am sure everyone will love it.

Ingredients:

curd (yogurt) : 5-6 tbl spoons(or as much as you like :)

Red chilli powder : 1/2 tsp

salt : 1 tsp

green chillies : 1 or 2

wadas - 7-8 small sized ones (recipe also listed on the blog)

For tempering:

Zeera (cumin seeds) - 1tsp

rai (mustard seeds) - 1/2 tsp

dry red chillies - 3-4 nos.

Method:

Put curd,Red chilli powder,salt,green chillies and one cup waterin a blender and blend well.soak wadas in warm salted (1 tsp salt) for 10 mins.Now squeeze water from the wadas and put them in a bowl.Add curd mixture to it.

Now heat 3 tblsp oil in a pan. Add zeera,mustard seeds anddry red chillies. saute for 3-4 mins.Add this to the wada-curd.Finish off with kothmir (coriander leaves). This will be eaten up faster than you think :)

Family Rating : 8.5

Crispy vadas/Wadas

2009-07-18T23:04:00.000-07:00

Crispy vadas/Wadas
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Wadas are a staple in South Indian households.
This is something I can eat anytime of the day. I love love wadas. These are awsome
with tomato ketchup or sambhar.Here is the goto recipe I use.

Ingredients:

urad dal (white pulses) : 2 and 1/2 cup
Rice flour or rice : 1/2 cup
green chillies : 2 big
Kothmir (corriander leaves) : 3 tbl spoons
salt : 1tsp
zeera powder (cumin powder) : 1/4 tsp
curry leaves (4-5) (optional)

Method:

Soak urad dal and rice (if not using already powdered) for
3-4 hours. After this put this in a grinder and grind to a
fine paste. use only very little water. Put green chillies
,salt,kothmir,zeera powder and grind again. Remove this mixture in a bowl and put finely cut
curry leaves(you can also add finely cut green chillies if you like a little spice). This paste is fairly thick.To increase the crispyness add more rice flour(and water to maintain consistancy).

Heat good amount of oil in a pan (kadai). This is for deep frying
vadas. Now scoop the vada batter and fry in the kadai. Fry till light
brown on both sides. Your crispy yummy vadas/wadas are ready!!.

Handmade Holder

2009-07-18T22:51:00.000-07:00

This post is not food related but hope you like it.
As soon as we come back from the office every day we toss
our keys, cell phone,glasses,wallets etc on the washing machine
in our laundry room.I searched and searched on the Internet for something
that holds all this but could not find one big enough and that is when I decided to make one myself It took 5 days but this beautiful piece now sits on the washing machine in our laundry room.This has a place for cell phones which charge (all wires hidden),wallets,cellphones and glasses.Now everything looks organized.

Awsome Zebra Cake (Marble cake)

2009-07-09T13:27:00.001-07:00

Zebra Cake
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I was browsing as usual the other day when I came across thisawsome blog from Deeba, http://www.passionateaboutbaking.com/2008/05/check-out-my-stripesim-zebra-cake.html. She is Amazing and makes mouth watering goodies.I made Zebra cake from her blog and this is how it turned out. Please Visit her blog for the recipe.

Chicken Korma

2009-06-11T16:58:00.000-07:00

Chicken Korma ( Chicken curry - Hyderabadi style)
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This is the most simplest recipe for chicken and also the tastiest at the same time. It reminds me of my mom. I still cannot make this korma like her. She makes the most amazing Chicken korma ever. I love you Mom!.

So here is the recipe. Enjoy!.

Ingredients:

1 Chicken cut into medium pieces ( mine were 16 pieces)
Red Chili Powder - 2 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tblsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 2tsp
Curd (yogurt) - 1 kg
green chillies - if required
kothmir (Coriander leaves) - 1 cup
pudina (Mint leaves ) - handful
Lemon - 1
Garam masala powder - 1tsp
Fried onions - 1 cup
oil - 1cup (requires more oil for added taste)

Method:

Wash and clean the chicken pieces. Now add Redchilli powder, Turmeric powder , Ginger garlic paste, salt ,curd and fried onions to it.

Mix well. Heat oil in a pan. add the above mixture. mix well till the curd is thick and starts oozing oil. Now add 2 cups water and cover. Let the chicken cook till it softens(this will be very Quick - like 10 minutes). Now add juice of 1 lemon and corriander leaves and mint leaves. Now is the time to taste it and check for salt and add green chillies if required. Add the garam masala powder. Cover again and cook on low flame for 10 minutes. The mouth watering chicken korma is ready!!

Coming soon.....

2009-06-08T17:43:00.000-07:00

Mouth Watering Chiken Korma

Kheema Methi

2009-06-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

Kheema Methi (Minced Mutton/Beef with fenugreek leaves)
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Something Quick, Simple and easy. Kheema with fresh rotis makes a heavenly combination. This is a regular at our dinner table.Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Oil : 4tbsp
Kheema(Minced mutton/Beef) : 1/2 pound
Methi leaves ( big Fenugreek leaves) : 2 cups(1 bunch)
Onions : 1 medium
Red chilli powder : 1tsp
Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp
Salt :1 tsp (to taste)
Ginger-Garlic powder : 1tbsp
Green chillies : 2 nos
Kothmir (Corriander leaves) : handful
tomato : 1 nos

Method:
Heat oil in a pan. Add onions and green chillies and fry till onions become golden brown. Now add Ginger-Garlic paste and turmeric powder. Add kheema and stir. Add salt and Red chilli powder and cut tomato. cook for 5 mins.Add methi leaves and half a cup water and cover with lid. cook till all water evaporates and oil oozes out. Garnish with kothmir.

Family Rating : 7.5

Mutton Shorba (Yummy!!)

2009-06-03T18:41:00.000-07:00

Mutton Shorba (Soft Juicy mutton in loose gravy)
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My first dish for the blog...Yeeeaaahhh!!

I went grocery shopping yesterday and brought some thick naans from an arabic store. As I was coming back from work today I began to think what to cook that goes well with these naans. I wanted something quick and simple. It stuck me then.....Mutton shorba. OMG.....
My family loved it and hope you do too!

Ingredients:
Oil : 3 tbsp
Mutton (or beef) : 1 pound cut into medium size pieces
Onions : 1 medium size
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Salt : 2 tsp
Ginger-Garlic Paste : 1 tbsp
Turmeric : 1/4 tsp
Garam masala powder - 3/4 tsp
Lemon - 1/2 lemon for shorba and 1/2 lemon for garish.
Cumin powder (zeera powder) - 1/2 tsp
Corn meal - 3 tbsp (or as required)

Spices (whole):
cloves : 2
cardamon :2
Dalchini sticks : 2 inch stick
black peppercons : 5

Greens:
Corriander leaves(Kothmir) - 3-4 tbsp
Mint leaves - 2 tbsp (optional)
Green Chillis - 2 nos (optional)

Recipe:
Wash Mutton/Beef well.In a cooker put oil,onions, Mutton,Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric,GingerGarlic paste, 1-1/2 tsp salt, all whole spices ,Zeera powder, 2 tbsp corriander leaves and mint leaves.
Put sufficient water to soften the meat very well. Cook on high flame. (If you dont have pressure cooker you can also cook in cooking pots or a slow cooker).
Once the meat is tender add lemon juice, garam masala powder and remaining Corriander leaves.
Taste and add salt and green chillies if required. Mix Corn meal with a little water seperately and add to the shorba to thicken gravy. Add water to obtain your desired consistancy. Your shorba is ready. Quick and Easy! Enjoy.

Family Rating : 8.5/10