Meat On Sticks - Chicken Lollipop

My Angel ate Chicken Lollipop at a friends party recently. She just loved it. I don't prefer her eating lot of outside chinese food, so I realized that the time had come to try this delicacy at home. I made the Chicken Lollipop in 2 marinates. One was spicy and tangy - the way I like it, and the second was a kids friendly marinate. The recipe I am mentioning below is the Spicy one. I am also going to mention the kids friendly marinate recipe in a note below. I couldn't get a pic of the kids friendly as my angel attacked it as soon as she could. Ingredients : Chicken Wings : 10 pieces (I got them already shaped into Lollipops?) Egg : 1 Salt : To Taste Pepper Powder : 1/2 tsp Cornflour : 1 tsp Schezwan Sauce : 3 tbsp heaped (I used ready made sauce) Oil : For deep frying. Aluminium foil : Optional - for decor Marinate : Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tbsp Soy sauce - 1 tsp Vinegar - 1 tsp Schezwan Sauce - 1tbsp Recipe : Prepare the marinate by mixing all the ingredients together. Clean the chicken wings. Add them to the marinate. Coat each wing liberally with the marinate. Refrigerate it for half hour.

Whisk the egg. Add salt, pepper powder and cornflour. Heat the oil for deep frying. Don't make it very hot. Dip the wings in the egg batter and deep fry in the oil. Keep the flame on medium. the wings have to be cooked from inside as well. Fry till its golden brown. Drain it on a tissue paper. Heat 2 tbsp oil in an open pan. Add the schezwan sauce and any left over marinate. Heat it till it starts bubbling. Add the wings. Keep each wing separate. Coat it with the sauce liberally. Stir fry it for a min or two. Remove on a plate. Cover the bone with the foil. Serve hot. Note : To make the above recipe kids friendly, replace schezwan sauce with tomato sauce. Also, after dipping it in egg batter, roll them in bread crumb. You can serve it directly after deep frying. No need to stir fry it in pan.

Butter Chicken

A post after so long. It feels so good to be back. Finally, I am settled in my house. Its a very good feeling.

Today I will share a recipe which is very popular in my house. Actually, I think this Indian recipe is popular all over the world. As known to me, this recipe originated in Moti Mahal, Delhi. It can be served with naan, roti, or rice.

Ingredients :

Chicken : 500 grams
Tomato : 5 medium sized
Cashew : 15 - 20
Cloves : 5-6
Cinnamon : 1 inch
Green Cardamom : 4-5
Black Pepper whole : 7-8
Bay Leaves : 2-3
Ginger Garlic Paste : 2 tbsp
Green Chillies : 2 Chopped
Salt : To Taste
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Garam Masala : 1 tbsp
Kasuri Methi : 1 tbsp
Oil : 2 tbsp
Butter : 2 tbsp
Cream : 3-4 tbsp
Honey : 1 tsp

Marinade :
Curd : 1/2 cup
Salt : To Taste
Ginger Garlic Paste : 1 tbsp
Garam Masala : 1/2 tsp
Kashmiri chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Lemon Juice : 1 tbsp



Recipe :
Marinate chicken with all the above mentioned ingredients and refrigerate for atleast a 3-4 hours. Put chicken on skewer and grill it in a pre heated oven at 200 Degrees for approx 10-12 minutes or till its golden brown. Now baste it with butter and grill it for another 2 minutes. Remove and keep it aside. Alternatively, if you cant grill it in oven then heat 2 tbsp oil in a open pan. Place the pieces of chicken separately in the pan and shallow fry till its golden colour on both sides.

Soak cashews for approx 30-45 minutes. Make a puree of the tomatoes and cashews.

Heat butter in a pan. If you have grilled your chicken in a pan, you can use the same pan. Add cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom and bay leaves. Saute till it splutters. Add ginger garlic paste and green chillies. Cook for 2 min and add the tomato puree, red chilli powder, salt and garam masala. Saute till the oil leaves the sides. Add a cup of water and bring to a boil. Now add the kasuri methi and honey. Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Now add the grilled chicken pieces. Reduce heat and cover and cook for 10 min. Now add the cream and bring to a boil and remove from heat.

Serve hot with Naan, Roti or Rice.

Winner for Giveaway of Healing Foods - Eggplant

My sincere apologies for being so so so very late in announcing this giveaway. I know that you all must be waiting for it. So with out much ado, I announce it.

The winner for the $25 Amazon gift card giveaway is Priya Suresh from Priya's Easy & Tasty Recipes.

Heartiest Congratulations to you Priya .... Keep us drooling with your yummy recipes.

Also, I would like to tell you all that I am going on a break for 3-4 months. I am permanently moving back to India in April. Its very chaotic here with all the packing and moving. Hopefully, I will find you all here only when I am back and you will give me the same love and affection.

See you all soon !!!!!!!!

Round-up Healing Foods - Eggplant

I know I am a bit late in doing this round-up but I just couldn't help it. Things are going on at a super fast speed in my life. I wont go in details of all the events but would definitely like to tell you all that I am moving back to India in April. I know there is still some time, but preparations have started. All you people with small kids would know just what I mean. I am going to be a bit irregular till April.

I know I am going to miss lot of amazing recipes posted by you all, but I will try my best to keep track.

Now coming back to the topic on hand. I want to thank all you guys for sending me such amazing recipes and making my event such a big hit. Thanks Siri for letting me host it.

Here are the wonderful recipes I received.


Dips :

1) Ramya from Hot from my oven


Baba Ghanoush

2) Hasna from Kachuss Delight


Mutabbel

3) Amy from Savoury Moments


Roasted Eggplant & White Bean Dip

4) Sadhana from Sensible Veg


Eggplant Raita

Starters / Snacks :

1) Sonal from Palate Corner


Toasted Vegetable Sandwich in Turkish Roll


2) My entry


Mixed Platter Of Fritters


Main Course :

1) Sayali from Spice Mantra


Bengan Masala

2) Krithi from Krithi's Kitchen


Ennai Kathirikkai Kuzhambu

3) Akheela from Torview Toronto


Eggplant Curry Stuffed With Coconut

4) Ila from Cookery Point


Eggplant Biryani

5) Satya from My Innovative Kitchen


Eggplant Masala Gravy - Vankaya Masala Kura

6) Honeybee Cooks Jackfruit


Eggplant Rice - Vangibath

7) Anita from Eat n Stay fit


Baingan Fry

8) Gayathri from Gayathri's Cook Spot


Kathrikkai Puli Kulambu

9) Nivedita from Nivedita's Kitchen


Kaap (Shallow Fried Brinjal)

10) Harini - Jaya from Tamalapaku


Fiery Eggplant - Roasted Eggplant in Sweet and Sour Sauce

11) Siri from Cooking With Siri


Hyderabadi Bagara Baingan

12) Ambika from Ambika's Kitchen


Eggplant Mushroom Roast With Peanuts

13) Hasna from Kachuss Delight


Patlican Kebab

14) Savitha from Savitha's Kitchen


Baingan Ka Bharta

15) Jaleela from Samaiyalattakaasam


Egg Bringal Pulikiuzampu

16) Priya from Bon Appetit


Baingan Ka Bharta

17) Jayasri from Samayalarai - Cooking Is Divine


Stuffed Small Brinjal

18)Sangeetha from Recipe Excavator sends in the recipe for amazing Brinjal Dry fish Gravy. The recipe can be found on the link. However, she doesn't have a picture.

19) Priya from Easy & Tasty Recipes


Eggplant and Sprouted Moth Beans Masala Rice


Eggplant and Jackfruit Seeds Curry With Peanut Spice Powder


Eggplant and Snakegourd Sambhar


Eggplant Masala Paratha


20) My entries


Baingan Ka Bharta


Eggplant Fry


Stuffed Eggplant

Few recipes from Sivaranjini, my non-blogger friend :

1) Brinjal Poriyal
Ingredients
brinjal 1
small onions 3_4
garlic 1 clove
curry leaves
gingelly oil 2 tablespoon
salt to taste
tumeric powder
pepper 1 teaspoon
cummin 2 teaspoon pepper and cummin should be powdered

Method
in cooking vessel add gingelly oil
oil heated add brinjal pieces and salt
cover with lid stir occasionally
few minutes later add small onions and garlic
let it cook well
later add tumuric powder and pepper cummin powder
when it come to final stage add curry leaves

2) Brinjal Curry
Ingredients
brinjal 1
ash pumkin 150g
jack fruit seed 5_6
carrot small 1/2
capsium small 1/2
garlic 2 cloves chopped
green chilles 3 split lenthwise
coconut milk 4th extract and 1st extract
salt

For Thalitham
2teaspoon gingellyoil
2 red dry chilles
curry leaves
mustard


Method
in cooking vessel add brinjal pieces
ash pumkin cubes
jackfruit seeds cut into pieces
carrot cut in to small cubes
capsium cut into small pieces
green chilles
and add 4th coconut milk extract and salt
cook for 6 to 8 minutes
then add tumeric powder and pepper cumin powder
when its fully cooked add1st coconut milk and cook for 2 minutes
in a small pan add gingelly oil add onions dry red chille pieces and mustard
when onion is slightly golden brown add curry leaves swich off flame add thalitham to brinjal curry.

Mixed Platter Of Fritters

What could be better than a platter of fritters on a cold rainy day. That's just how the weather was yesterday. So I made the most common recipe associated with such weathers. Also, I made it in a very simple manner. You can add the masala's to the batter. However, I prefer to avoid making it spicy as my kiddo relishes them too.
Fritters can be made with loads of veggies depending on your choice or preferences or
as in my case, availability of veggies in the fridge.

Ingredients for Batter :
Gram flour : 1 cup
Rice Flour : 2 tbsp
Ajwain : 1 Heaped tbsp
Green Chillies : 2 Chopped
Chopped Coriander : 2-3 tbsp
Salt : To Taste
Water : As Required
Oil for Deep Frying

Veggies in my fridge :
Potatoes
Eggplant
Bottlegourd (Dudhi)
Onion



Recipe :
Take a large bowl. Mix all the ingredients of the batter except water. Now add around 3-4 tbsp of water and whisk it with your fingers. Whisk it in a circular motion following the same direction. Add some more water to form a consistency of thick cream. The batter should stick to the spoon. If you want to be absolutely sure, then take a glass of water and then put a drop of batter in it. It should settle in bottom of glass. If the batter dissolves then you have added too much water in the batter.

Heat oil for deep frying in a wok. Add a drop of batter in oil to see if its the right temperature. The batter should float. If it settles in bottom of wok, then oil isn't hot enough. If it burns instantly, then oil is too hot. You should reduce flame and try again after some time.

Dip one veggie at a time in the batter and coat it from all sides. Drop it in the wok. Drop softly or the oil will spill. Repeat the process and add more veggies till wok is filled. Fry them till its golden brown on all sides. Drain them with a strainer and remove and keep on kitchen tissue.

Repeat the whole process till all veggies are done.

Serve hot with a dip of your choice. We like it with ketchup and coriander chutney.




Sending this to the following events :

1) Healing foods - Eggplant started by Siri and hosted this month by me.



2) Veggie / Fruit a Month - Potatoes started by Priya and hosted this month by Divya.



3) Deep Fried Snacks by Radhika.

Baingan (Eggplant) Bharta

Ingredients :
Eggplant : 1 big
Onion : 1
Tomato : 1
Green Peas : 1/2 cup
Garlic : 5 Cloves
Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp
Turmeric : 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder : 1 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tbsp
Garam Masala : 1 tsp
Salt : To Taste
Oil : 3-4 tbsp
Coriander Leaves : For Garnishing

Recipe :
Take a whole big eggplant. Make 5-6 small slits in it. Stuff the slits with the garlic cloves.



Preheat oven at 190C. Brush the eggplant slightly with oil. Place the eggplant on grill. Bake it for 30-40 minutes. Turn it once in between. Bake it till its cooked well. Remove from oven.



Peel the eggplant.



Mash the pulp along with the garlic cloves. Keep aside.



Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin and let it splutter. Now add the onions. Saute till onions are golden brown. Add the tomatoes and mix well. Now add salt and all the masala's. Stir well and cook till oil leaves the sides.

Add the green peas and the mashed eggplant. Mix well. Lower flame and cook for 10-15 minutes. The peas should be cooked. Eggplant will ooze out the oil. Remove from flame.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.





Sending this for my event "Healing Foods - Eggplant" started by Siri and hosted this month by me.

Eggplant Fry

A quick and easy preparation. Goes perfectly well with Dal.

Ingredients :
Eggplants : 1 Big
Mustard Seeds : 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp
Coriander Powder : 1 tbsp
Turmeric : 1 tsp
Salt : To Taste
Oil : 2 tbsp
Coriander Leaves : For Garnishing



Recipe :

Cut eggplant in big cubes.

Heat oil in a non stick pan. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let them Splutter. Add turmeric. Wait till it darkens in colour. Add the eggplant and salt. Mix it well. Lower flame and cover and cook till eggplant is done. Don't let it be too soft.

Remove and cover and increase flame. Fry till eggplant turns golden brown on all sides. Add coriander powder and mix well.

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot.

Sending this for the event "Healing Foods - Eggplant" started by Siri and hosted this month by me.

Fruit Salad

Just wanted to eat something sweet. Opened the fridge and came across leftover fruits and cream. Couldn't think of a better way to use it all. Also, fitted perfectly to send to a few events. Quick and easy.

Ingredients :
Fresh Cream : 100 grams
Sugar : 3 tsp
Vanilla Essence : 4-5 drops
Strawberry : 6
Blueberry : 15
Cherry : 7-8



Recipe :
Take a bowl. Add cream, sugar and vanilla essence. Whisk it till cream is fluffy and light.

Cut the cherry and de-seed. Cut the strawberry. I did'nt cut the blueberry. Add all the fruits to the cream. Mix it well.

Chill it in refrigerator for 15-30 minutes. Serve Cold.

Sending it for the event "Cooking With Fruits" by Smitha of Taste Buds.

Cheese & Onion Pasty

All my blogger pals who stay in UK must have had these at Greggs. I go out to the High Street almost everyday and land up eating them also, esp in this cold weather. Hot pasty tastes just yummy and makes me warm and with cheese oozing out, its just irresistible. So today I decided to make these at home for my family to enjoy as well. My daughter eats with me on the HS but hubby dear more often than not is left out.
So here it goes.

Ingredients For Pasty Dough :
All Purpose Flour (Maida) : 1 Cup
Butter : 1/2 Cup
Salt : 1 tsp
Water : To Knead
Egg Wash

Ingredients For Filling :
Onions : 2
Cheddar Cheese : 100 grams Grated
Salt : To Taste
Freshly Grounded Black Pepper : To Taste
Oil : 2 tsp

Recipe For Pasty Dough :
We require butter to be cold for this dough. If you already keep butter in the fridge then you are ready to go. Otherwise cool the butter for atleast 30 minutes before starting. Also cool an empty bowl in the fridge in which you are going to make the dough.





Now take out the empty bowl from fridge. Add the flour, salt and the the cold butter. Mix all of it vigorously with your fingers. Do it quickly or the butter will start to melt with the touch of your fingers.

Mix till the flour takes on a breadcrumb like consistency. Its better if you do it in a food processor (If using food processor, you should be done in 15 seconds. Remove it in a cold bowl now).



Now make a well in between and pour little water in it.



Now using your hands like a whisk, knead the dough. Knead a dough till its on a soft consistency.



Spread flour on the platform and knead the dough some more.



Wrap it in cling film and refrigerate it for a minimum of 15 minutes and maximum of 30 minutes.



Recipe for Filling :
Chop the onions very finely.



Heat oil in a pan. Add onions. Saute till onions are translucent. Remove from flame. Cool it. Add grated cheese, salt and black pepper. Mix well.



Recipe For Pasty :
Preheat oven for 190C for 15 minutes.

Take the dough out from fridge. Take a ball sized dough. Roll it in round shape.



Cut a square from that round. Repeat the process and make same sized squares.




Place the fillings in between the square.



Cover with another square. Seal edges with a fork.



Give it an egg wash and place it in oven. Cook for 20-25 minutes. The pasty should be golden brown and crispy.

Serve Hot.




Sending this as my entry for the event "Winter Warmers" by Jyoti of The Veggie Hut.