Spring Roll - Ramadan Special

Just like Samosas, this is one of the other favorite Ramadan delicacy that we make before hand and freeze it for a rainy day :)... You always have to plan your Ramadan out if you are working full time. I really wish that one of these Ramadan months, I will be able to take the entire month off and be actually able to celebrate it as I want and make fresh new dishes every day for the loved ones. For now it seems like I have a long way to go for getting the entire month off.

Anyways, people say that these are easier to make compared to samosas. However, to me they are both the same, neither one is more complicated than other.

Ingredients:

1. Two chicken breasts - boiled and shredded into small pieces
2. Half pack of frozen mixed vegetable (green peas, corn, carrots, and green beans)
3. 7-8 green chilies
4. One tsp red chili powder
5. One tsp dhaniya powder
6. One tsp turmeric powder
7. Salt per taste
8. Two tblsp soy sauce
9. Three tblsp finely chopped ginger and garlic
10. Fresh cilantro - finely chopped, a bunch
11. Salt per taste
12. TJY Spring Roll Pastry Sheets - thawed
13. For sticking purposes - mix three tblsp of warm water with one tblsp of all purpose flour, making a thick paste
14. Three tblsp cooking oil

Process:

1. In a wok, heat oil.
2. Add in shredded chicken and ginger-garlic. Mix well.
3. Add in mixed vegetable, soy sauce, chili powder, dhaniya powder, turmeric powder, salt, and green chilies. Mix well.
4. Cover and let it cook for 5-7 minutes.
5. Add in chopped cilantro and mix well.
6. Let it cool before making the rolls.
7. Take one spring roll sheet, place chicken mixture in one corner of the sheet, fold the corner over covering the mixture.
8. Fold the right side sheet, then fold the left side sheet.
9. Roll it over, place some sticking maida on the last corner and close. (See steps 1-7 in picture below).
10. The above mixture should make about 125 spring rolls.
11. You can freeze them by place it in Ziploc bags.
12. Thaw rolls prior to frying.
13. Heat oil for deep frying, and fry the rolls till golden brown.
14. Serve hot with soy sauce or ketchup.

Sending this to Ramadan Friendly Recipes Event hosted by The Halal Foodie and Joy from Fasting to Feasting - V hosted by Yummy Food.

ENJOY!!!



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Nargis Kababs!!!!

So remember my Shami Kababs and Chicken Shami Kababs, well this Nargis Kababs are made using the exact same process, except, you put an egg in between patties, merge them, and deep fry. They are super-duper easy to make and are very filling! One or two nargis kabab will be more than enough for someone like me. It is a great appetizer to serve when you have a big party.

Ingredients:
1. Two chicken breast or One pound ground goat meat or beef
2. Half cup Chana dal – soaked in water for 3-4 hours
3. One medium potato – boiled
4. One medium onion – sliced
5. One tblsp garlic-ginger paste
6. One tblsp green chilies paste
7. Three cloves
8. Three black peppers
9. One cinnamon stick
10. A pinch of turmeric powder
11. Salt to taste
12. Half glass of water
13. A bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped
14. A bunch of fresh mint, finely chopped
15. Five hard boiled eggs
16. One beaten egg for coating
17. Oil for fry

Process:
1. In a pressure cooker, add in water, chicken, chana dal, garlic-ginger, green chilies, onion, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon stick, turmeric powder and salt.
2. Let it cook for 15 minutes or till you think the dal is cooked.
3. Take out the boiled/cooked mash from pressure cooker into a bowl.
4. If there is excess water, carefully take it out with spoon or whichever way is best for you.
5. Take out all the whole spices from the mash – cloves, black pepper & cinnamon stick.
6. Add boiled potato, coriander and mint to the mash and mix up everything with hand till it becomes a smooth mixture.
7. Divide the mixture into 10 portions and make flat patties out of the mixture.
8. Take one Pattie in hand, place the hard-boiled egg, and place another Pattie on top of it.
9. This will make an oval shaped kebab; cover the egg with the Pattie mixture in a way that you don’t see the egg.
10. Coat each Kebab with beaten eggs and deep fry in heated oil.
11. Serve hot!

ENJOY!!!

Reposted this recipe at http://desizayeka.blogspot.com/2012/07/ramadan-collections.html
Submitting to the following events (see further details at the link above):

Joy from Fasting to Feasting - V

Ramadan Friendly Recipes

 

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Tandoori Chicken

If you are a non-veg, then you know that no Indian party meal, or an Indian website, or an Indian Blog runs without a mention of this dish, and yet it took me so long to post this recipe. Tandoori Chicken is very much famous with Non-Indians as well. At least in Boston, if you talk to someone about India, food would be the first thing that they will mention; and the most famous/favorite item is Tandoori Chicken and Samosas. I still remember my English teacher in high school who was originally from Russia would go crazy about samosas. My mom made some home-made samosas for her at my last day of school. I wonder if she still thinks samosas are the best Indian food she had ever came across. If she does, then she has to try these tandoori chicken, I bet she will go gaga over this!  

I recently made these for a dinner party that I held for a close family friend. Without a doubt these were a hit. It was also my first time cooking the entire dinner for 14 people on my own! I must tell you it was a great experience, not that I never cooked for these many people before, I have, but under mom’s supervision. This was my first time on my own and everything came out perfect. By the end of the dinner, I was quite surprised by myself, but was way too tired to figure out how the hell I was able to do all this. 

Ingredients:

1. One Chicken – cut in small pieces (at the meat shot that I regularly visit, they have standard sizes for small, regular, and BBQ pieces, I normally get the small ones).
2. One cup yogurt
3. Red chili powder – three tblsp (adjust it according to your taste)
4. Dhaniya powder – two tblsp
5. Ginger-Garlic paste – two tblsp
6. Lime juice – four tsp
7. Turmeric powder – half tblsp
8. Salt – per taste
9. Red food color (if desire)
10. Cooking oil spray

Process:

1. Mix and marinate ingredients 1 through 9.
2. Marinate it overnight, if you can. If not, then at least marinate it for 3-4 hours.
3. Preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Spray cooking oil on baking tray.
5. Arrange chicken pieces on the baking tray; spray another coat of cooking oil over the chicken.
6. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, flipping the chicken at an interval of 10 minutes, till the chicken is fully cooked.
7. Serve hot over a salad.

NOTES: alternatively, you can also deep fry the chicken. Adjust spices and baking time according to your taste and oven, respectively.

ENJOY!!!

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Spicy Garlic Chicken Noodles

December 2006 was the year I got married, in India. That was my trip to India after 6 years! My city (Ahmedabad, Gujarat) had changed significantly the last time I was there. Not just the infrastructure, the looks, the pollution, the people, but also food! Out with my to-be-husband then, we went for a dinner, to try out Indo-Chinese cuisine. That was the first time I heard this term, I thought it much be a regular Indian food with some Chinese sauces, and I was 100% sure that I won’t like it, but how can I tell this to my to-be-husband then? I thought he would feel bad, as he was so excited about it. On our way to the restaurant, I could picture myself hardly gulping the food and was having this weird anxiety to throw up all of a sudden.

We reached the restaurant, he parked his bike, and we walked in. The aroma filled in the restaurant was mesmerizing, all of a sudden that entire anxiety disappeared, ‘coz I knew from the smell that this place has some good food! We sat down and the menus were given to us, with items like Schezwan and Manchurian. I wasn’t quite sure what to order, so I told my husband-to-be to order for me. He ended up ordering a lot of food and that ended up being the BEST dinner that we I ever had!

Indo-Chinese was something very new in our city in 2006 and was most favorite cuisine among youngsters by 2007. My husband just loves this cuisine and so do I. Prior to our marriage, I only knew how to make Chicken Chili – read my ‘new bride trying to impress in-laws’ story here. Now I make, almost everything that I read about in this cuisine.

This brings me to today’s recipe – Spicy Garlic Chicken Noodles. Very much Chinese but some Indian spices touch in it. This dish turned out to be very spicy, so adjust the spices according to your taste.

Ingredients:

1. One chicken breast – boiled and shredded in pieces.

2. One pack thin angel hair noodles – cooked per package instructions.

3. Six cloves garlic – minced.

4. One medium onion – thinly sliced.

5. One cup mixed vegetable

6. Three green chilies – slit in half lengthwise

7. Two table spoons crushed red peppers.

8. One table spoon chili sauce.

9. Two table spoon soy sauce.

10. Three table spoon cooking oil.

Process:

1. Heat oil in a wok.

2. Add garlic and chicken. Sautee for about a minute or two.

3. Add in one table spoon crushed red chilies, half table spoon chili sauce, and one table spoon soy sauce.

4. Mix well and let it cook for about 3-4 minutes.

5. Add in mixed vegetable, onion, and green chilies – stir well.

6. Add in cooked noodles, rest of crushed red peppers, chili sauce, and soy sauce.

7. Mix well and let it cook for about 10 minutes.

8. Serve hot!!!

NOTE: I didn't had salt as one of the ingredients because soy sauce is salty enough for this dish, you can add some according to your taste.

ENJOY!!!!

 

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Chicken-Chole (Chickpeas) Curry...

Few days ago, I was shaken by the fact that the onion prices have gone up to ~100 Rs. Per Kilo in India. The untimely rain has ruined the crops, resulting in the inflation but the poor planning by the Government added misery to the situation. The exports were continued even after the shortage was recognized. In fact, The Times of India reported that India was importing stocks from Pakistan that it had just exported some time ago.

I can’t help but think of those poor house maids or of those families who live on a day to day wages back home. As much as it kills me, I couldn’t help but think about the way Government or the System works in India. I was very young when we came to United States and I don’t fully understand how the System works in India but I sure do understand that however the System works, it sure does not take the poor into consideration.

Had the Government done the proper planning, this unfortunate day wouldn’t have come; and even after this situation has arise; the Government should not have allowed the imports of vegetables but should have bought the stocks (whatever condition it may be in) from farmers of India. This would have helped the poor farmers as well as some unfortunate people who live on a day to day wages.

For those of you who know Indian cooking, would obviously know the importance of an onion in an Indian meal. The dish is incomplete without it. I just wish and pray that this situation gets resolved soon and more importantly the sad saga of poverty gets eliminated from this world. It will be like a dream come true for me…

Anyways, so much for my ramblings, getting back to today’s recipe. I was at a bank when I heard two Desi (South-East Asian Origin) talking right behind me. Even though I am a U.S. Citizen, I maintain my “Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani” (Still Indian at Heart) spirit 24x7. I couldn’t help myself but eavesdropping on their conversation. I know… I know… bad manners… but… anyways… so one of them mentioned that he (yes, it was a guy) just made Chicken Chole (chickpea) for the dinner and was inviting the other one (a guy as well) for dinner…

**BLING**

**BLING**

Chicken-Chole – what a nice combination!! I had to give this a try! I stopped eavesdropping and started thinking of the recipe and this is how I made it…

Ingredients:

1. Half cup chickpeas (Chole) – soaked in water overnight and boiled the next day.
2. Two Chicken breast – cleaned, cut in cubes.
3. One medium onion – grind to paste
4. One medium tomato – grind to paste
5. Half tblsp cumin seeds.
6. Two to three – whole black peppers and cloves.
7. Half inch cinnamon stick
8. Two cardamoms.
9. Red spice mix – One tblsp red chili powder, one tblsp Dhaniya powder, one tblsp Ginger-garlic paste, a pinch of Turmeric powder.
10. Salt per taste
11. One tblsp lime juice
12. Three tblsp cooking oil.
13. Half cup warm water.

Process:

1. Heat oil in a big wok.
2. Add in cumin seeds, black peppers, cloves, cinnamon stick, and cardamom.
3. Let it cook for about 2-3 minutes.
4. Add in onion paste – cook till golden brown.
5. Add in tomato paste – cook till oil separates.
6. Add in red spice mix, salt, lime juice.
7. Cook till oil separates.
8. Add in cubed chicken and boiled chickpeas.
9. Let it cook till oil separates and chicken is fully cooked.
10. Add in warm water to get the consistency of a gravy – OPTIONAL.
11. Serve hot with roti or plain rice.

ENJOY!!!

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Pineapple Fried Rice

It has been really cold, freezing, windy, and from today on snowy, in our neck of the woods. Amazing how we and our body react to the changes that the Mother Nature brings in. Weather is the hottest topic around here, yes, the shopping, Christmas parties, holiday trips, all have been beaten by none other than our own beautiful but unpredictable Mother Nature!!

I have been really sick for past couple of weeks, which started off as a sinus, turned into sore throat, turned into stuffy nose and unstoppable headaches, turned into coughing nightmare – which still hasn’t really gone yet… I jokingly told my friends that this cold has fell in love with me and does not want to leave me. I want this cold to know that with the blessings of Allah (swt) I have a lot of people who love me more than ‘it’ (cold) does and needs to leave me ‘cause even though you give me the reasons to take off from work and sleep (which is my best hobby), I don’t really need you!! Sorry to break your heart dear, but you really need to leave.

In my last post, I had shared with you a warm and spicy fusion dish, Chicken Chili!! I had served it with pineapple fried rice; which turned out to be a really good combination of a little sweet, a little hot, and a little tangy!! We all loved it and I hope you will too…

Ingredients:

1. Two cups basmati rice – washed three times with warm water.

2. Four cups – hot water.

3. Half tblsp – crushed black peppers.

4. Half tblsp – crushed red peppers.

5. Three tblsp – vegetable oil.

6. One full cup of mixed vegetables – green peas, corn, carrots, green beans, and green bell pepper. (You can add more veggies if you like).

7. Half cup – shredded cabbage.

8. Half cup – cubed pineapple.

9. Five tblsp – soy sauce

10. One tblsp – hot sauce (or per taste).

11. Half cup – boiled and shredded chicken (for vegetarian dish – skip this).

12. Salt per taste.

Process:

1. In a large wok, add in hot water, one tblsp oil, ¼ tblsp of crushed black pepper and red peppers.

2. Once the water starts to boil, add in basmati rice.

3. Let the rice cook for about 10 to 15 minutes or cook till the rice is 90% cooked.

4. Remove from heat, drain all the water, and keep aside.

5. In a large wok, add in two tblsp of oil.

6. Once heated, add in mixed vegetables, pineapples, and chicken.

7. Add in ¼ tblsp of crushed black peppers and red peppers, mix well.

8. Add in soy sauce, salt, and hot sauce, mix well.

9. Add in cabbage, mix well.

10. Let it cook for about 5 minutes.

11. Add in boiled rice and mix well.

12. Let it cook for about 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

13. Serve hot with Chicken Chili.

ENJOY!!!

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Chicken Chili - Newer Version

Earlier this year, I had shared with a little story of newly wedded bride (that would be me) trying to impress in-laws by making Chicken Chili in her own way, but it didn't really go as she (I) had planned it :( ... Read the full story and two different versions of chicken chili here.

Anyways, I learned my lesson and also learned a different style to make this delicious dish!!

One of the aunties, that I know of, is from Mumbai. We are close family friends and she used to make this dish every now and then for us. However, now she is in FL and we are in MA; so I don't get to eat her yummilicious dishes anymore :(

I vaguely remembered how she made this version of chicken chili and gave it a try over the weekend. It was freezing cold in our neck of the woods and I thought that this is the perfect time to try this hot and spicy dish!

Ingredients:

1. Two chicken breast - washed, cut in cubes and boiled.
2. One medium onion - finely chopped.
3. One medium green bell pepper - chopped in cubes. 
4. Two tblsp cooking oil. 
5. One tblsp - black pepper powder
6. Half tblsp - vinegar
7. Two tblsp - Soy sauce
8. Garlic salt - pinch
9. Salt - per taste (I didn't used any salt at all. Soy sauce and garlic salt was enough. BUT you may need to add some salt based on the saltiness of your soy sauce). 
10. One tblsp corn flour.
11. Four tblsp lukewarm water.
12. One glass of lukewarm water.

Process:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add onions.
2. Let it cook till golden brown.
3. Add boiled chicken and green bell peppers.
4. Let it cook for about 2 minutes.
5. Add in black pepper, soy sauce, salt, vinegar, garlic salt and mix well.
6. Add in one glass of lukewarm water.
7. Let it boil for about 2 minutes.
8. In a small bowl, mix together corn flour and four tblsp lukewarm water.
9. Add it to chicken chili, while stirring.
10. Leave it on low heat for about 10 to 15 minutes.
11. Serve hot with roti, plain rice, or pineapple fried rice (recipe coming soon!)

ENJOY!!!

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Chicken Biryani

The time is running by so fast... I can't believe we are already in the second last month of the Year 2010. A lot is left to be done before the year ends... I still have so many incomplete resolutions which I am sure will become my 2011's resolutions :)... One of the things that I had in my list was to learn how to make a perfect chicken biryani... this dish is famous and a must in all South-East Asian Muslim gatherings that we have... be it a birthday party, a wedding, an aqiqah, an eid party, or just a simple gathering of families and friends. A lot of Pakistani Aunties that I know of make an awesome chicken biryani!! However, us Indians (ones that I know of) lacks that taste for some reason... I don't know what it is but I am never able to make chicken biryani like my Pakistani Aunties :)... But 'Never say Never'... I am sure one day I will learn.. but here is my Indian version of Chicken Biryani that I made last weekend and came out so good. How do I know this? Well, my dear Hubby was silent and so indulged in eating the entire time. When something like this happens, you know that the dish is good! So what does he do when the dish is not so good... criticize BIG time!!

Ingredients:

1. Two chicken breast - washed, cleaned, cut in cubes
2. Masala for marination - One tblsp red chili powder, one tblsp dhaniya powder, a pinch of turmeric powder, one tblsp of ginger-garlic paste, salt to taste, and one tblsp of lime juice.
3. Two medium onions - grind to paste
4. Two medium tomatoes - grind to paste
5. Half tsp cumin seeds
6. Three cloves
7. Three cardamoms
8. 4-5 Whole black peppers
9. Half inch cinnamon stick
10. Red Masala - One and a half tblsp red chili powder, one tblsp dhaniya powder, a pinch of turmeric powder, one tblsp of ginger-garlic paste, salt to taste, and one tblsp of lime juice.
11. Four tblsp cooking oil
12. Three cups basmati rice - washed three times with warm water
13. 2-3 bay leaves
14. Three cups of water to boil the rice.
    
    

    

    
    

Process:

1. Mix well chicken and masala for marination (item #2). Marinate for at least half an hour.
2. While you prepare the chicken masala for the biryani, heat three cups of water in a large wok, add rice, bay leaves, and salt per taste. Let it cook for about 10-15 minutes on high heat or till the rice is 90% cooked. Drain all the water from the rice.
3. Heat oil in a wok, add in cumin seeds, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, and black pepper.
4. Add in onion paste and cook till golden brown.
5. Add in tomato paste and cook till oil separates.
6. Add in red masala (item #10), and cook till oil separates.
7. Add in marinated chicken, and cook till chicken is fully cooked and oil separates out.
8. In the same wok (used in step #2), heat oil, place a layer of boiled rice, then a layer of chicken masala curry, then a layer of boiled rice again.
9. Sprinkle three tblsp of water.
10. Let it cook for 15-20 minutes on a medium to low heat.
11. Serve hot with fruit salad and cold raita (recipe coming soon).
    
    
    

NOTE: I also boiled some eggs and placed it in the biryani when I served it. This is optional but I did it 'cause my dear hubby loves EGGS!!

ENJOY!!!

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Shahi Chicken

Shahi Chicken, one of the favorite items of everyone of us in the house!! My Mom would make this every time we have someone over and I grew up watching her make this dish. Every guest would be delighted by the richness of this dish and would always ask her on how she made it. I would listen to her giving the recipe but was always scared to try this out as I thought that I am not as good as Mom so I would never be able make this one on my own... However, not each day is not alike. My Mom was in India and we had to invite someone over as they had recently came from India and would be gone by the time my Mom came back. So I decided to make this dish, trying to impress the guests and guess what I succeeded, unlike my first try to impress my in-laws. :)

The recipe is quite simple but have to be careful on measures that you use. A little bit more onion or less cream would ruin this dish... So here it goes...

Ingredients:

1. One and a half pounds of boneless chicken, cut in cubes, washed and drained.
2. Red (lal) masala - 2 tblsp red chili powder, 1 and a half tblsp dhaniya powder, One tblsp ginger-garlic paste, and a pinch of turmeric powder.
3. One medium onion - grind to paste
4. One medium tomato - grind to paste
5. Half tsp cumin seeds
6. Salt per taste
7. Lemon juice - 2 tsp
8. Oil - 3 tblsp
9. Oil for deep frying
10. Half & Half - Two pints
11. Four Cashews - grind to paste (add one-two tblsp of water if necessary)

Process:

1. In a large bowl, mix together chicken, red (lal) masala, salt and lemon juice.
2. Marinate for at least two hours.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan and deep fry chicken pieces till golden red. Keep aside.
4. Heat oil in wok, add cumin seeds and onions.
5. Fry onions till golden brown, then add tomato paste.
6. Fry till oil separates.
7. Add fried chicken pieces and mix well.
8. Add half & half and mix well.
9. Let it cook for 6-7 minutes.
10. Add cashew paste and remove from heat.
11. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rotis.

ENJOY!!!

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