Punjabi Chicken Masala and The sun juice

This recipe from my dear friend S's recipe collection.Thanks to her, for lending me such a nice collection recipes.I always have a double mind while adding yogurt to a dish, as from my previous not-so-good experiences, the dish turns out to be a little bitter.But this time it came out really well.As turned the heat to low while adding the yogurt mixture, this helped.I am sending this to Srivalli's Curry Mela.



Ingredients

Chicken breasts - 4 ( cut into small pieces)
Garlic - 5 cloves
Ginger - 1 1/2 in ch piece
Onion - 2 (medium sized)(chopped)
Chilli powder - 2 tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Jeera powder- 1 1/2 tsp
Yogurt - 3 tbsp (well beaten)
Cardamom - 3
Cloves - 3
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Crushed Tomato - 1 cup
Salt - as needed
Kasuri methi - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - for garnishing
Oil - 3 tbsp

Method

Marinate minced garlic in yogurt for about 15 minutes.In a pan, heat oil and fry 1 chopped onion.Fry till they are translucent.Now add chilli,coriander and jeera powder.Fry till the raw smell goes away.Grind this mix into a paste.In a heavy bottomed pan, heat oil and fry cardamom, cloves and then add the second chopped onion.Once onions are fried ,add minced ginger.Saute well and then add the grounded onion mixture.Saute well till the oil separates.Now reduce the heat to medium low and slowly , one spoon at a time, add the garlic yogurt mix.Keep stirring continuously until the whole yogurt mix is well Incorporated into the gravy.Now add the crushed tomatoes,sugar and salt.Finally add the chicken pieces.Cook till the chicken is cooked through and gravy thickens.finally add the kasuri methi.When the gravy is thick enough , switch off the heat.Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.Serve hot with roti,naan or rice.





The Sun juice

I know the name sounds interesting..but this is what came thru my mind when i finished blending this juice.This YUM yellow color juice is the product of blending mango and pineapple.

Ingredients

Ripe Mango pieces - 1 cup
Pineapple pieces - 1 cup
Sugar - as needed (optional)

Method

Blend mango and pineapple together well in a blender until smooth.Add sugar if it is not sweet enough for you.Strain the blended juice, if needed.



This is my entry to Aartee'S SUMMER SPLASH and Sia's WBB - Summer Feast


My second jewelry making project.I am trying to make set for all the individual pieces of jewelry i have.So this one,I made this bracelet and earrings to match with my store brought necklace..

Iced Mocha Latte

I got this recipe from Splenda recipe book, which came with the newspaper.I used sugar instead of splenda..:-D ( i know).I am sending this CLICK - Coffee & Tea hosted by Jai & Bee.Also to WYF - Juices and Ice creams by Easycrafts,to Sweet series - Cool Desserts by Mythreyee.

Iced Mocha Latte





This Picture is the entry for click event.


Ingredients

Instant coffee granules - 2 tbsp
Sugar - 2/3 cup
Dutch process Cocoa - 2tbsp
Boiling water - 2 cups
Fat free half and half - 2 cups

Optional garnish - whipping cream,chocalate syrup

Method

Combine Coffee,Sugar,Cocoa in a small bowl.Gradually whisk in boiling water,whisking until blended.Stir in 1 cup of half & half .Pour mixture into ice cube trays.Freeze for 8 hrs.Pour remaining 1 cup of half & half into blender.Gradually add frozen mocha cubes,blending until smooth.Serve immediately.Garnish with whipping cream and chocalate syrup.

Chicken Kabob and Baked chicken with Spicy Raspberry Sauce and Raspberry Smoothie

AFAM - Raspberry, as soon as Dee of Ammalu's Kitchen announced it, the first thing came to my mind was Little Meha blowing raspberries while i am trying hard to feed her cereal...:D.This month, i wanted to participate at any cost.So made two dishes using a single sauce.And a raspberry smoothie to wash all the spicyness down..:).





Chicken Kabob with Spicy Raspberry sauce







Ingredients

For the sauce :

Frozen Raspberry - 5 oz
Dijon Mustard - 2tsp
Tabosco Pepper sauce or red chilli hot sauce - a dash
Cayenne pepper - 2tsp
Salt - as needed
Sugar - 1/2tsp
Tumeric powder - as needed (optional)

For the Kabobs

Chicken breasts - 2 Pieces (cut into small dice)
Onion - 1 (cut into big pieces)
Red,Yellow bellpeppers - 1 each (cut into big pieces)
Bamboo skewers - as needed

Method

In a sauce pan, heat the frozen raspberries.Mash them well as they are cooking.Add mustard,sugar,cayenne pepper,salt and turmeric powder.Heat it upto a boil.(add water if necessary.Cool the mixture.In a ziploc bag, put the cut chicken pieces and add the raspberry sauce.Mix it well by mushing the ziploc bag well.Let it marinate for atleast a hour.

Skew the chicken,peppers,onion into the bamboo skewers alternatively.Set oven to Broil.Spray the broiling pan with nonstick spray.Place the bamboo skewers iinto the pan.Broil for abt 7 minutes and turn and broil for another 7 minutes..Baste this skewers with remaining marinade in between.Serve chicken kabobs with any rice pilaf.I served it with simple rice-peas pilaf.





Baked chicken with Spicy Raspberry sauce

Ingredients

Spicy Raspberry sauce - as needed
Chicken breasts - 2
Olive oil - 2tbsp
Salt - as needed
Pepper - as needed

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.Take the two chicken breasts and pound them well into flat pieces.Season them with salt and pepper.In a large oven proof skillet heat olive oil with medium high heat.When the oil is hot, add chicken breasts.Brown them on both sides by turning once.After browning switch the heat to low and add raspberry sauce.Bake this chicken in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked through.Place the chicken in a serving platter and pour the remaining sauce over it.Serve it hot with any salad on the side.






Raspberry smoothie with Vanilla ice cream





Ingredients

Fresh or frozen Raspberry - about 10-12
Vanilla Icecream - 1 big scoop
Cream cheese - 2tbsp
2% milk - 1 1/2 cup
Sugar - as needed
Ice cubes - as needed

Method

Blend all the ingredients well in a blender.Garnish with fresh raspberries and serve immediately.

Cappuccino n' Paruppu vadai

Cappuccino, an excellent coffee drink , with simple ingredients and a twist this drink becomes special.Got this recipe from my lil sis who learned it from her friend.It's so funny how we first made this together.We made this together while talking over the phone and she was dictating me.We both we kept beating coffee+sugar mixture and asking each other "is the this the right color?".she knows the right color 'coz she had seen her friend make this.So finally after beating(?) we finally made to that particular light brown color and the flavour was amazing.

Paruppu vadai, another famous south Indian snack.We use Yellow split dal instead of channa dal or toor dal for this vadai.Yellow split dal adds more taste.


Ingredients

Instant coffee - 2tsp
Sugar - 4tsp
Water - 1/2tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Cocoa powder - for garnish

Method

Mix coffee and sugar using 1/4 tsp water and beat it well with a fork.If you need more water, just sprinkle little bit at a time.The paste should b thick not watery.Keep beating it till the color of coffee-sugar mix is somewhat light brown.Heat milk in a pan and add a tsp of coffee-sugar mixture to milk.(Amount of coffee mixture added to milk depends on how strong you want your cappuccino to be).Garnish with cocoa powder.Serve it hot.
P.S: You can add grated or chopped ginger if you like.





Paruppu vadai

Ingredients

Yellow split dal - 1 cup
Red chillies - 7
Asafoedita - a pinch
Curry leaves - as needed
Onion - 1/2 (chopped)
Jeera - 1tsp
Salt - as needed
Oil - for deep frying

Method

Soak yellow split dal (pattani paruppu) for 2hrs.Take out 2 tbsp of dal and keep it aside.(Got this tip from Priya of sugar n' spice).Grind remaining dal+red chillies+jeera into a coarse paste.Mix in asafoedita, chopped curry leaves and the 2tbsp dal.Add slat and mix well.Make small patties out of it and deep fry them till golden brown.I served it hot with coconut chutney.





Tips : You can store the beated coffee-sugar mixture in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

For the love of strawberry...

These are my entries for this month's AFAM - Strawberry and Pooja's Valentine's day special.Pooja had asked share your valentine experience with the recipes you are posting.While posting this recipe i didn't have enough time to write about and totally forgot about it until Asha reminded me.



So sharing a few milestones of my journey with my H .His name is Subbarayalu and he is the most loving and fun to be with and will always choose him to be the better half if i get a chance to choose every time.Though ours is the arranged marriage, we got a whole year before marriage to experience love from both end of the world.He was working here in US and i was working in India.Poor guys tells me , he lost a fortune on telephone bills.I take each day as it comes while he thinks ahead like for 10 years.Perfect match isn't it?.I still behave like a out of control teenager while he acts for his own age..i mean like an adult :D.This is just a start, the list goes on.But all these differences make the life fun right?.We have our own differences and interests and during the course of these years of marriage learned to respect those.I feel secured and can do whatever i want whenever he is around and feel that he will always rescue me from any trouble i am in.It's been almost five years since we shared our lives and i surely think the most fun is yet to come.

Strawberry Ginger Lassi





Ingredients

Strawberry flavoured drinkable yogurt(non fat) - 1 (8 oz)
Sugar - 1-2 tbsp
Vanilla essence - 1tsp (optional)
Ginger - 1tsp (grated)
Ice cubes - as needed

Method

In a blender , mix yogurt,vanilla,sugar,ginger and ice cubes and blend very well till it foams up.Serve it chilled and garnish with fresh strawberry.





Tips : You can substitute strawberry yogurt with fresh strawberry and plain non fat yogurt.


Double layered Fruit Sandwich


Ingredients (for one sandwich)

Filo dough - 6 sheets
Cantaloupe - as needed (sliced into medium sized pieces)
Strawberry - as needed ( sliced)
Whipped cream - as needed ( i used cool whip,lite)
Olive oil/butter - as needed

Method

Thaw filo dough as per package instructions.Take one sheet and place securely on a parchment paper lined baking plate.Brush olive oil on the sheet and place another sheet on top of it.Like this, layer 6 sheets on top of each one.Now divide this in to three equal pieces.Fold carefully into small sized squares.Bake this until golden brown.Let it cool down.Now spread whipping cream on the base square, and then add fruits.Like this add another layer and top it with another filo square and some fresh sliced strawberries.




Recipe source , got it from filo dough package cover.


Fruit skewers


Ingredients

Cantaloupe - sliced
Strawberry - sliced
Tooth picks - as needed
Whipping cream - for garnish

Method

Spear sliced strawberries and cantaloupe onto toothpick by making a sandwich.Drizzle chocolate syrup all over the fruit skewers.Garnish with a dollop of whipping cream.





Chocolate dipped strawberries


Ingredients

Semi sweet chocolate chips - 1/4cup
White chocolate chips - 2tbsp
Fresh strawberries - as needed

Method

Melt both the chocolate separately by placing them in microwave for about a min.Stir the chocolate nicely and make sure no lumps are there.Dip strawberries in the melted semi sweet chocolate and place them in a parchment paper.Dip a fork in the white chocolate and drizzle it all over the strawberries.Keep them side till they are dry and set.





Recipe source for Choc.dipped strawberries : Food network

Inji Kashayam

Inji kashayam, a medicinal drink made with fresh ginger,pepper,coriander seeds and jaggery.This is mother in law's famous recipe to make us all feel better when we are down with cold,indigestion or even nausea.Simple and easy to make and this is my entry for JFI-Ginger by Rosie.

Ingredients

Fresh ginger - 1 inch piece
Coriander seeds - 1tbsp
Whole Peppercorns - 1tbsp
Jaggery - 3tbsp(use it according to your taste)
Water - 2 cups

Method

Crush ginger in a mortar.Add water in a sauce pan and heat it.While its heating add ginger,coriander seeds, pepper and jaggery.Bring this to a boil and let it boil for about 5-6 minutes.Sieve it through a tea filter.Serve hot to feel better.



Tips : While buying ginger, look for the longer ginger root 'cause, the longer the ginger root, the fresher it is.

Banana-Strawberry shake.

Thanks you all for the AFAM-Banana entries.Hope to receive more entries from rest of you.This is my second entry to AFAM - Banana.This again one of my son's fav.milk shakes.




Ingredients

Banana - 2
Strawberry - 4 Fresh or frozen (i used pretty big ones)
Sugar - 5tsp
Milk - 2 cups(cold)
Ice cubes - a few
Vanilla/strawberry flavored iceceram - 1 scoop (optional)

Method

Blend all the ingredients together till it's foamy and serve immediately.again i use skim milk and no ice cream for me.And for the lil' one i use whole milk and ice cream.If you are using ice cream then skip sugar.




Tips : Frozen strawberries are the best for drinks like this.They are much more easy for storing and economical.

Banana-Peanut butter smoothie.

Snow...yeap..it was snowing the whole day yesterday.After about a full month of pretty "hot" winter, we are just slowly getting the touch of the real winter.Maybe mother nature thought...hmmm..OK....that's just enough for these people..letz bring out the snow.Yesterday it was snowing the whole day and i had to get out for groceries.Though H alerted me day before itself and asked me to buy everything which of course i neglected.So today here i am stuck with whatever in the pantry.Wanted to make banana milkshake but no ice cream and suddenly my fridge stopped making ice cubes..duh..so got stuck with bananas, which of course i brought a bunch as soon as it was selected as theme.So finally decided to make smoothie with banana and peanut butter which is Ram's favourite.So here goes the recipe,hope you enjoy it.This is my entry for AFAM-Banana





Ingredients

Banana - 1 (riped)
Peanut butter - 1 1/2tsp (used the fat free one)
Sugar - 1tbsp ( he likes it sweet, so i added lilttle more)
Cold milk - 1 cup (i use whole milk for him and 2% or skim milk for me)

Method

Blend all together till smoothie is foamy.Garnish with banana slices.Serve it immediately.





Tips : To make bananas ripe faster, place them in a paper bag overnight.Frozen bananas are also good for smoothies.While making fruit salads using bananas, use little bit of lemon juice to prevent banana from turing brown,





For more about Banana and it's benefits click here