Soy Chunks Pepper Roast | Indian Soy Recipes

Ever wonder what to make for the meat-savvy converts to vegetarianism. These soy chunks pepper roast is sure to please the spicy meat lover in you. If you are an omnivore, you could still enjoy this dish for the sheer aroma and color which will fool you into believe you are in for a real non-vegetarian treat.

Ingredients:
Dry Soy chunks / Soya Vadi / Mealmaker - 1 cup
Oil - 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Cinnamon - 1" piece
Cloves - 2
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Peppercorns - 3/4 tsp
Red chillies, seeds removed - 2
Curry leaves - a few
Salt - to taste

Method:
Heat about 4 cups of water. When the water comes to a boil, add the soy chunks and remove from heat. Keep covered for 30 minutes. Drain the water and squeeze the soy chunks. Wash with 3 to 4 exchanges of cold water, squeezing the excess water every time. Cut into small pieces if desired and set aside.
Heat a tsp of oil in a pan and roast the cinnamon, cloves, cumin, pepper and red chillies together until slightly toasted. Allow to cool and make a fine powder. Heat the remaining oil in a non-stick pan and add a little salt. Add the soy chunks and fry for a minute or two. Now add the ground spice powder, curry leaves and mix well. Continue to roast in medium heat until the soy chunks is roast well and becomes a little dry. Serve warm as a side or a snack.
Linking this to Priya's Vegan Thursdays.

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Potato Boats ~Twice Baked Potatoes

I love having a few bags of these in the freezer.
 Whenever I make them I always make a big batch
while I'm at it and freeze the extras.  

Stuffed potatoes go great any grilled meat.

 We'll have two with our steak dinner tonight.

I freeze the extras on a cookie sheet until solid,

then  pop them, two in each sandwich bag, 

In the freezer for future easy dinners.

 First, bake or microwave russet potatoes
until soft. Cut in half and scoop out leaving
about 1/4 inch potato in shell..

 Mash with remaining ingredients.

 Mix in sour cream.

 Evenly distribute among potato shells.

I sprinkled the top with minced chives, a

little more cheese and a dash of paprika.

 These are frozen and I can let them thaw and 
bake in a toaster oven  (bake longer if still frozen).
The ingredients are very flexible to adjust to 
your liking. Here's how I make mine. 

Twice Baked Potatoes

6 large baking potatoes

1-1/2 t garlic salt

1/4 to 1/2 t pepper

1/4 C butter

1 C milk

1/2 C sour cream

2 C shredded Cheddar cheese

5 green onions, thinly chopped

 or 4 T minced c hives

paprika for garnish

Pierce skin of potatoes and bake @ 425º for about

50-60 minutes, until tender. Slice potatoes in half and 

scoop out the pulp into a bowl. Mash with milk, butter, 

garlic salt, and pepper, until fluffy. Stir in the sour cream, 

half the cheese and half the chives. Spoon the  mixture 

into the potato skins, dividing evenly. Sprinkle with

 the remaining cheese and chives. Sprinkle a little

paprika on top for color. Refrigerate until needed or bake

 right away at 375º for 15 minutes. You can freeze extras

on a cookie sheet and when solid pot them into 

plastic bags. Thaw before baking.

Enjoy!

links:  Between Naps on The Porch

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Cherry Baby ~ Pie

 I must have cherry pie when cherries

 are in season. It's my favorite fruit pie.

You'll need about 3 cups of fresh dark cherries.

It's easier to weigh them to 

get 1-1/2 pounds

The first thing that stops most people

 from attempting cherry pie is pitting 

the cherries. 

If you don't have cherry pitter, 

I have a handy-dandy alternative.

I use a hard plastic straw, 

the kind that comes with insulated 

beverage containers works the best. 

Line up the straw on the end of the cherry and 

push straight down through to the other side

Viola! You've just removed the pit. 

You'll start to get the hang of it after a you've

 done few cherries.  Just give the straw a little 

twist when you feel the pit inside.

Use a cutting mat to collect any juices and 

also protect your surface from stains.

Toss the cherries with the filling ingredients. 

I sometimes use 1/3 C brown sugar and 1/3 C white. 

If you don't have almond extract, use vanilla 

or leave it out. If your cherries are very tart,

you can add more sugar and leave out the lemon juice. 

The basic filling is just fresh cherries, some sugar

 to sweeten, flour, and butter to thicken,

pretty much the same for any fruit pie. 

The other ingredients are personal preference.

 Roll out your crust. I think homemade crust

 is the best, HERE.

But you can use also store-bought. 

 Line the pie pan with the bottom crust,

 fill with the cherry mixture and dot with

 butter pieces. Top with crust. Trim edge

 leaving about 1" overhand. Fold overhang over 

edge and under bottom crust edge. 

Pinch together and flute.

Cut small vent slits on top.

 Bake @ 400º for 50-55 minutes, until

 crust is golden and filling is bubbly.

 Cool on rack until just warm. 

Bada Bing Cherry Pie!

Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Top with vanilla ice cream, if desired. 

Cherry Baby ~ Pie

3 C fresh cherries (about 1-1/2 lbs.) pitted
2/3 C sugar (can use half brown/half white)
1/4 C flour
1 T lemon juice
1/4 t almond extract
1/8 t (pinch) cinnamon
1/8 t (pinch) salt
2 T butter, cut into small pieces
double-crust pie pastry
Toss pitted cherries in a bowl with sugar, flour, lemon juice, extract, a pinch of cinnamon and salt. Line the bottom of a 9" pie dish with pastry. Fill with cherry filling, dot top with the small butter pieces, and top with remaining pastry. Trim edge leaving a 1" overhand. Fold overhang over edge and under bottom crust edge. Cut vent slits on top. Pinch together and flute. Bake @ 400º for 50-55 minutes, until crust is golden and filling is bubbly. Cool on rack until just warm. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Top with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Enjoy!

(Click here for the music)

Links: Between Naps on the Porch

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Kuzhi Paniyaram | Indian Breakfast Recipes

Kuzhi Paniyaram, these little pillowy delights native to South India are loved at my home. They also go by the name gulittu, guntu pongalu or unniappam. These are crispy on the outside and soft in the inside and make a great snack or breakfast item. I made this for my LO's breakfast one day with Tomato Sambar and he loved them. They are made with a special pan called the Paniyara kal which have little spherical indentations for frying the batter with oil. These can also be made with the ebelskiver pan available in other parts of the world.

Ingredients:
Serves - 2-3
Dosa batter, slightly sour - 4 cups (see notes below)
Oil - 2 tsp + more for making paniyarams
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Chana dhal - 1 tsp
Onion - 1/2 cup, chopped
Green chillies - 2, chopped (see notes below)
Curry leaves - a few
Salt - a pinch

Method:
Heat 2 tsp of oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add the chana dhal and fry until it takes a slightly darker shade. Add chopped green chillies and onions. Continue to saute until the onion is cooked through. Add a pinch of salt and mix with the batter. Heat the paniyaram (aebelskiver) pan in medium-high heat and pour about 1/4 tsp of oil in each kuzhis (indentations). Fill it with batter until the brim. When the batter puffs a little with bubbles on top, flip them over with a chopstick by pricking and rolling it over. Cook until all the sides are golden brown. Remove and serve hot with a 
chutney or sambar. I served it with Tomato Sambar.
Notes:
Use a day old dosa batter which is slightly sour for a nice crisp and tangy taste. If feeding kids, just slit the green chillies before sauteing and remove it before adding to the batter. 
You can add grated carrots to make it more colorful and get your kids their share of vegetables.

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The Easiest Chicken & Rice Dinner EVER!

This is just the kind of no-fuss simple chicken 

dinner recipe you need for those days when

 you are starring at thawed chicken and can't

 think of a thing to do with it. 

Haven't we all been there?

Like when:

1) You're too busy. No time to chop and saute'.

2) You're too tired and not motivated to 

    look up a recipe.

3) You're late and need something in the oven

    fast.

4) You haven't been to the store and are 

    out of everything.

5) You're sick and can barely get out of bed. 

6) You need to delegate something easy 

    for another family member to prepare.

This one will be here for you.

 After you've made it once, you'll have it 

memorized. Uncomplicated. 

You can just pop it in the oven for an hour and

have time to do whatever you want; walk the dog,

go for a bike ride, read emails, or just relax,
shower, and get yourself ready for dinner.

You can make a small dinner too.

You can use whatever chicken pieces you have;

 chicken breasts, a cut-up chicken

 or 6 thighs. Salt and pepper both sides.

Start: Spray a 2-qt baking dish and add the rice. 

Shake the dish a bit to cover the bottom.
I like Uncle Ben's Long Grain.

Lay the chicken on top of the rice.

Slowly pour the broth over everything. 

It will seem like lots of broth. You need that

 to cook the rice and keep it moist when done.

I used  homemade stock because I had some

 on hand, but I've also used the broth in a box,

canned or just 2 bouillon cubes (or 2t granuels)

dissolved in 2-1/2 C hot water.

Sprinkle seasoning on top. I season the chicken 

well with: seasoned salt, garlic and onion powder, 

pepper, herbs of choice; a sprinkle of parsley, 

and a shake of thyme. (Other options below.)

Cut up the butter and put a pat on each piece

 of chicken. Don't leave off the butter. It helps

 to brown the chicken and keeps it moist 

(since it's been skinned). It also flavors the rice.

In the oven, uncovered for 1 hour.

 All you need to add is a salad or green vegetable

 for a complete dinner.

Now you may be tempted to add mushrooms,
 canned or fresh, chopped onions, doctor-it-up
 with a little curry powder or parmesan cheese,
strew some fresh chopped parsley on top...
all good variations. You could also replace the
 white rice with a bag of yellow rice.
 I'm just giving you the 101 version.

Change-up the flavors by adding any one of 

these sprinkled on the top of the chicken 

before baking: soy sauce, or paprika, or 

chili powder and cumin, or curry powder, or
add poultry seasoning along with cut-up
carrots and celery (yum), or try parmesan cheese,
basil and chopped tomato. Make it yours and
change it up a bit whenever you make it.

I sometimes sprinkle a little soy sauce on it
before serving, or when I'm reheating
any leftovers for lunch. Gives it a different
flavor. So easy. 

               

The Easiest Chicken and Rice

1 C raw rice

Cut-up chicken, skinned

(4 breasts or 6 mixed pieces)

2-1/2 C chicken broth

Seasonings of choice:

(garlic powder, onion powder, 

seasoned salt,pepper,herbs)  

 2 T butter

1-Put the rice in the bottom of

 a 2qt sprayed baking dish

2-Put the chicken pieces on top

3-Pour over the broth

4-Season the chicken well

5-Dot the chicken with pats butter

Bake uncovered for 1 hour @350º

Enjoy!

tip: you can also use a cup of my Seasoned Rice Mix.
Links: Between Naps On The Porch,
Savvy Southern Style, The Scoop, A Stroll Thru Life

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Lahori katlama

Lahori katlama

Ingredients

• Flour 2 cups heaped
• Oil ¼ cup
• Salt 1 tsp
• Water to make dough

Ingredients for paste to apply on katlama

• Eggs 2
• Anar dana crushed 2 tsp
• Crushed red pepper 1 ½ tsp
• Chili powder ¼ tsp
• Crushed cumin roasted 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves 2 tbsp
• Coriander seeds roasted and crushed 1 tsp
• Salt 1 tsp
• Red color pinch

Method

• Make dough with flour, salt, oil and knead with water into medium hard dough. Leave it covered for 30 minutes. Make a roll with prepared dough, make into 3 balls, put oil on surface, roll to a dinner plate size, make into round or oval paratha, and prick with fork, spread with prepared paste using brush. Deep fry in a tai, put the paratha size on base and filling side on top, splashing oil on top, fry till crisp. These parathas should be rolled thin.

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Noor Mahal Pulao

Noor Mahal Pulao

Ingredients

• Chicken 1 kg 12 pieces
• Milk 1 cup
• Water 1 cup
• Onion 1 chopped
• Ginger 1 inch piece chopped
• Garlic Crushed 1 tsp
• Coriander Seeds 1 tsp
• Black Cardamom 1 crushed
• Cloves 3
• Black Pepper 6
• Green Cardamom 3
• Cinnamon 2 sticks
• Salt 1 ½ tsp
• Oil ½ cup
• Brown Onion ½ cup
• Ginger Garlic Paste 1 tsp
• Almonds Blanched and Grinded 2 tbsp
• Cream ½ cup
• Kewra Water 1 tbsp
• Rice ½ kg soaked for 30 minutes

 Method

• Boil chicken with milk, water, chopped onion, whole spices, salt and ginger garlic chopped till chicken half done, strain the stock and remove the chicken and discard the rest. Heat ½ cup oil add ½ cup brown onion with ginger garlic paste, boiled chicken, salt, almond paste, cream, fry well add leftover stock when boiling add soaked rice then add Kewra water, mix and cover. Cook on high flame for 5 minutes then lower flame, leave it on simmer for 15 minutes.

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Cocktail fried shashlik

Cocktail fried shashlik

Ingredients

• Boneless chicken ½ kg 1 inch cube
• Ginger garlic 1 tsp
• Salt 1 tsp
• Black pepper ½ tsp
• Chili powder 1 tsp
• Ketchup 2 tbsp
• Wooster sauce 1 tbsp
• Chili garlic sauce 1 tbsp
• Vinegar 2 tbsp
• Capsicum 1 large cut into 1 inch cube
• Onion 2 small cut in square cube
• Egg 1
• Bread crumbs as required

Method

• Marinate chicken with Ginger garlic 1 tsp, Salt 1 tsp, Black pepper ½ tsp, Chili powder 1 tsp, Ketchup 2 tbsp, Wooster sauce 1 tbsp, Chili garlic sauce 1 tbsp, Vinegar 2 tbsp, in a toothpick put onion, chicken, capsicum, repeat, dip tooth pick in beaten eggs, roll in bread crumbs and deep fry.

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Chicken 65

Chicken 65 

Ingredients

• Boneless chicken ½ kg cubes
• Yogurt 2 tbsp
• Soya sauce 1 tbsp
• Corn flour 2 tbsp heaped
• Flour 2 tbsp
• Ginger 1 tbsp finely chopped
• Garlic 1 tsp finely chopped
• Chili powder 1 tsp
• Crushed red pepper 1 tsp
• All spice ½ tsp
• Lemon juice 1 tsp
• Egg 1
• Salt 1 tsp leveled
• Green chilies 4 cut in strips and deep fried
• Orange red color pinch
• Curry leaves 15 to 20
• Oil for deep frying

Method

• In a bowl mix together Boneless chicken ½ kg cubes, Yogurt 2 tbsp, Soya sauce 1 tbsp, Corn flour 2 tbsp heaped, Flour 2 tbsp, Ginger 1 tbsp finely chopped, Garlic 1 tsp finely chopped, Chili powder 1 tsp, Crushed red pepper 1 tsp, All spice ½ tsp, Lemon juice 1 tsp, Egg 1, Salt 1 tsp leveled, Orange red color pinch, marinate chicken in this for 2 hours, heat oil in a fry pan when the oil is hot deep fry chicken pieces until reddish brown, deep fry chicken until golden brown, heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok add curry leaves deep fry green chilies add your fried chicken toss well, serve hot with onion rings and lemon wedges.

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Hot and Sour Chinese Noodles

Hot and Sour Chinese Noodles

Ingredients

• Boneless Chicken (cut into cubes) 300g
• Capsicum (cut into cubes) 1 pc
• Tomato (cut into cubes) 2 pcs
• Onion (cut in cubes medium size) 1 pc
• Bake Parlor Tomato Ketchup ½ cup
• Garlic Chopped 1 tbsp
• Cooking Oil 4 tbsp
• Water 3 cup
• And Bake Parlor Chinese Noodles, Bake Parlor Masala Mix Sachet (inside the pack)

Method

• Boil Bake Parlor Chinese Noodles in boiling salted water for 5-7 minutes or cook till tender but still firm to the bite. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Mix 1 table spoon of oil and set aside.Heat oil in a pan, add garlic and fry for a minute. Add chicken and fry for 3 minutes. Add Bake Parlor spice mix sachet in water and mix it. Add to the pan while mixing it. Add Bake Parlor Tomato Ketchup, onion, capsicum and cook for a minute.Now add tomatoes. Now fold in the noodles. Serve hot.

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Creamy Mango Oatmeal | Baby & Toddler Food Ideas

Did you know that Oatmeal with fruits is a delightful breakfast. After my attempt with Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal, I have been looking ways to sneak in fruits to oatmeal. This is another one of my successful try in making my LO love oatmeal. A sweet and creamy mango oatmeal with a hint of cardamom is more like pudding than a oatmeal. LO didn't make any fuss on seeing the bright sunshine colored breakfast. Now that he is identifying colors, he loves to have a colorful breakfast. Yellow as in Mango Oatmeal and Blue in his Blueberry oatmeal (his another favorite).

Ingredients:
Rolled oats - 1/2 cup
Water - 1/2 cup
Whole milk - 1/4 cup or more
Cubed Fresh Mango - 1/2 cup + more for topping
Sugar/Honey - 1 tsp
Cardamom powder - a pinch
Salt - a dash

Method:
Mix the oats with water and salt in a microwave proof bowl. Microwave for 1-1/2 minutes. Mix once and cook another half a minute. Puree the mango with milk. Mix the mango puree with the oatmeal and cook another minute in the microwave pausing and mixing once in the 30 seconds mark. Allow 2-3 minutes of standing time. Mix the sugar if using and serve warm topped with cut mango cubes.
Notes: For babies less than 10 months, use an immersion blender to puree the warm oatmeal before serving

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Badshahi Gosht

Badshahi Gosht

Ingredients

• Mutton ½ kg
• Yogurt 1 cup heaped
• Ginger Garlic 1 tsp
• Tomato Paste 1 tsp
• Salt 1 tsp leveled
• Chili Powder 1 tsp heaped
• Turmeric ¼ tsp
• Dry Whole Milk ½ cup
• Coriander Leaves 2 tbsp chopped
• Green Cardamom Powder ½ tsp
• Nutmeg ¼ tsp
• Mace ¼ tsp grinded
• Cream 4 tbsp
• Oil ½ cup
• Onion 1 cup chopped

Method

• Marinate mutton with yogurt, ginger garlic, tomato paste, salt, chili powder and turmeric for 2 hours, heat oil ½ cup add 1 cup chopped onion fry till light golden, add marinated mutton, fry well add 1 cup water, cover and cook till mutton nearly done, add dry whole milk, grinded cardamom, mace and nutmeg powder, cream, chopped coriander leaves, leave it on simmer for 10 minutes, serve with sheermal.

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Kachri Kabab

Kachri Kabab

Ingredients

• Beef Mince ½ kg (do not wash)
• Onion 1 sliced
• Poppy Seeds 1 tbsp
• Desiccated Coconut 1 tbsp
• Roasted Gram 2 tbsp
• Ginger Garlic 1 tbsp
• Salt 1 tsp
• Chili Powder 1 tsp heaped
• All spices 1 tsp
• Kachri Powder 1 tsp
  

Method

• Grind together mince and onion very finely in chopper, keep aside. Dry grind poppy seeds, coconut and roasted gram and add to the mince with all the rest ingredients and grind once again, make into kababs and shallow fry. Keep the coal on simmer.

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