Spring Onion Fried Rice / Scallion Fried Rice

Scallion, green onion, and spring onion are eaten either raw or cooked. They all belong to the same family except for the fact that in Spring onions, you'll notice that they have small onion bulbs at the base. Scallions have a milder taste than most onions.

Spring Onions may bring a tear to your eye, and pungency to your breath, but they will most certainly bring delight to your taste buds. Despite its plain looks, has an intense flavor and is a beloved part of the cuisine of almost every region of the world.

Spring onions grow all year round. Also known as salad onions, green onions, and sometimes scallions, these mild-tasting onions are young plants, which if left in the ground, would develop into mature onions. Spring Onions comprises of Whites and Greens. Spring onions may be cooked or used raw as a part of salads, salsas, or Asian recipes. Diced scallions are used in soup, noodle and seafood dishes, as well as sandwiches, curries or as part of a stir fry.

Today I am going to make simple fried rice with Scallion / Spring Onion.

Ingredients:

White rice, medium grain, cooked – 2 cups ( I used Basmati rice)

Eggs - 3 nos (optional)

Vegetable oil –  2tbsp + 1 tsp

Spring onions / Scallion, chopped - 1 cup

Fried Onions, - 1/4 cup( for garnish)

Garlic, chopped - 1 tsp

Ginger, ground -  1/2 tsp

Onion, chopped - 1/2 cup

Soy sauce – 2 tbsp.

Sesame oil - 1tsp

Black pepper – ½ tspn

Method:

Heat 1 tsp oil in pan, crack and add the eggs. Season with salt & pepper and scramble it well. Keep this aside.

Heat the remaining oil in another pan; Add chopped garlic, ginger and sauté for a few seconds, Now add the chopped spring onion and sauté for few more seconds.  

Now add cooked rice, soya sauce, sesame oil, salt, pepper powder, scrambled eggs and mix well and check for seasoning.

Cook for another 2 minutes or until piping hot. Garnish with fried onions & Serve hot!!!

Restaurant Style Chilli Chicken / Chilli chicken recipe

Chicken is one meat that is a favoriterea of all beyond belief! When cooked, it can be presented in many guises. Sauté it, fry it, toss it, bake it, steam it – eat it the way you want to. Chilli chicken is one of the most popular Indo-Chinese style chicken appetizer or starter that is served in Chinese restaurants across the globe. Vegetarian alternates to this are chilli paneer, chilli mushroom, chilli gobi(cauliflower) and tofu chilli… Boneless chicken (fillets or cubes) are marinated in soya sauce, chilli sauce and pepper. Then deep fried and then seasoned in sauces. It’s spicy, it’s got a crunch from the flour coating over the chicken and the capsicum, and it’s really quite delicious.

Ingredients:

Boneless chicken 500 grams

Red chilli crushed – 1 tspn

Onion – 1 medium, big cubes

Green Bell Pepper/Capsicum – 1 medium, big cubes

Oil 2 tablespoons

Garlic chopped 5-6 cloves

Ginger chopped one-inch pieces

Tomato ketchup – 2 tbspns

Soya Sauce – 2 tbspns

Chilli sauce – 2 tbspns

Salt to taste

Cornflour/ corn starch – 1 tbspn

Egg 2

Spring onion greens 2-3

Method:

Cut the boneless chicken into one to one and a half inch sized pieces. Heat oil in a pan, add chopped garlic, ginger, onion & capsicum and sauté for two minutes. Add tomato ketchup, soya sauce, half of the chilli sauce and mix. Add one cup of water and mix.

Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce heat and let it simmer for five to ten minutes. Meanwhile take chicken pieces in a bowl. Add salt, remaining chilli sauce, cornstarch, half of the crushed red chillies and mix.

Add a whole egg and mix. Heat sufficient oil in a wok and deep-fry the chicken pieces taking care that they do not overcook. Fry on high heat for two to three minutes for colour only.

Drain onto an absorbent paper. Add salt and the remaining crushed red chillies to the sauce and stir. Add cornstarch blended in water. Cook, stirring continuously, till the sauce thickens.

Arrange the fried chicken pieces on a serving plate. Beat one egg. Remove the sauce from heat and add the beaten egg slowly in one flow. Mix gently and pour over the fried chicken pieces.

Garnish with spring onion greens and serve hot as an appetizer or main dish with fried rice, Schezwan fried rice, Hakka noodles or Schezwan noodles.

Recipe Source: SanjeevKapoor.com!!!

Easy Hummus Recipe / Make your own Hummus

Hummus typically an Egyptian food dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas or other beans, blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic. Today, it is popular throughout the Middle East (including Turkey), North Africa (including Morocco), and in Middle Eastern cuisine around the globe. As an appetizer and dip, hummus is scooped with flat bread, such as pita. It is also served as an accompaniment to falafel, grilled chicken and fish.  It’s generally garnished with whole chick peas, a sprinkling of paprika and a drizzle of olive oil. Some of the other garnishes that goes with it are chopped tomato, cucumber, coriander, parsley, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms.

Looking at the nutrition aspect home-made hummus is an excellent source of vitamin B6, manganese and dietary fiber. It is a good source of protein, vitamin C, folate, phosphorus, iron, zinc, copper and sodium.

I am personally a great fan of Hummus, it’s a great dip and quite easy to prepare. Here’s the recipe.

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed ( 200 gms if using dried chickpeas, soaked it for 4 hrs and cook till its soft)

1 medium garlic clove, peeled and smashed

Juice of 1 medium lemon

1/4 cup roasted tahini

1/4 cup water, plus more as needed

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve

Salt to taste

Paprika for garnish

Method:

Place chickpeas, garlic, half of the lemon juice, tahini, water, olive oil, and a big pinch of salt in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment and process until smooth. If the hummus is too thick, add in more water, a tablespoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached. Check Taste, adjust salt and lemon juice as needed. To serve, place in a bowl, make a small cavity of hummus like a swirl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle some paprika.

Traditional Hot Cross Buns Recipe / Easter Special Hot Cross Buns

"Hot cross buns! Hot cross buns!"

One a penny, two a penny,

Hot cross buns!

All of us grew up singing this song… But as we grew older we realized Hot cross were not just rhythms but has its significance during the Easter times too… Today is Easter...Nothing says Easter like traditional Hot Cross Buns! One a penny, two a penny, hot cross buns. Save a penny and make hot cross buns for everyone who loves the heavenly spice fragrance of this traditional currant-studded Easter treat.

These special sweet buns, marked with a symbolic cross, are a fixture on many Easter tables. Hot Cross buns are traditionally baked to be eaten during Lent, the 40 days before Easter. The bun acquired mythical properties over the centuries and early literature reveals that the hot cross bun was also known as the Good Friday bun.

There are many stories as to when the first Hot Cross Buns were made, and the story I like is related to the Anglo Saxons. It comes from Alan Davidson's "The Oxford Companion to Food". He tells us they were first made in honor of their goddess of spring, Eostre, from whom the name Easter is derived. Today they are traditionally served at Easter and there is a superstition that Hot Cross Buns baked on Good Friday never became moldy and it was good luck to save one bun until the next year's buns were made.

Another famous story says that the origins of the hot cross bun date to the 12th century when an English monk was said to have placed the sign of the cross on the buns to honor Good Friday. Throughout history the bun has received credit for special virtues, among them that of ensuring friendship between two people sharing a bun. An old rhyme states, "Half for you and half for me, between us two, good luck shall be." The buns mark the end of Lent and different parts of the hot cross bun have a certain meaning, including the cross representing the crucifixion of Jesus, and the spices inside signifying the spices used to embalm him at his burial

When it comes to Easter, you can't beat indulging in a lovely, sticky hot cross bun. Nothing beats the scent of freshly baked buns wafting from the oven at Easter.... This is the first time I am making hot cross buns, and these turned out really well, great recipe! Give this recipe a go – I promise you'll never use the shop bought one. Happy Easter!!!

Ingredients:

1 cup (240 ml) milk

1 package (1/4 oz.) (7 grams) active dry yeast

1/2 teaspoon granulated white sugar

3 1/2 - 4 cups (455 - 520 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (55 grams) light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon salt

5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter, melted

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup (80 ml) candied fruit and peel mix

1/3 cup (80 ml)  raisins

Glaze:

1/2 cup (60 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar

1 tablespoon milk or cream

Method:

Step 1: In a small saucepan, or in the microwave, heat the milk until lukewarm. Add the yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar and stir to combine. Set aside for about 10 minutes or until the yeast is foamy.

Step 2: Meanwhile in the bowl combine the flour, sugar, spices, and salt. Once the yeast is foamy, gradually add to the flour mixture and mix with wooden ladle until the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the melted butter and egg and beat until incorporated. Now gradually add the candied and dried fruit and continue to knead the dough until it is silky smooth and elastic. Add more flour if necessary.

Step 3: Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, turning the dough once, so the top is lightly greased. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot to rise until it has almost doubled in size (about 1 1/2 - 2 hours).

Step 4: When the dough has doubled in size, gently punch it down to release the air, and divide into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a small round ball and place on a parchment lined baking sheet (They should be spaced so they have enough room to double in size.) Make an egg wash of one beaten egg with 1 tablespoon milk, and brush the tops of the buns with the wash. Lightly spray a piece of plastic wrap with a non-stick cooking spray, and place lightly over the buns. Place in a warm spot until almost doubled in size (about 60 minutes).

Step 5: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Brush the tops of the buns with the egg wash, and with clean lightly greased kitchen knife, cut a 'cross' in the top of each bun. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the buns are nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.

Glaze: Combine the confectioners’ sugar and milk and mix until smooth. Place the glaze in a paper cone or a small plastic bag. Cut the end of the cone or bag and pipe a 'cross' on the top of each bun.

Recipe Source: Joy of Baking!!!

Karamani mezhukkupuratti or Long Beans Stir Fry

Karamani or Yard long beans are a good source of protein, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, iron, phosphorus, and potassium, and an excellent source for vitamin C, folate, magnesium and manganese. They are also rich in fiber.

Our today recipe is a simple stir fry and can be served with rice, Dhal/ Sambhar and also goes well with roti.

Ingredients:

Karamani or Long Beans - 1 cup(cut into 1½  inch pieces)

Fresh Coconut thin pieces – 2 tbspn

Onions – 1 medium ( sliced)

Red chillies flakes – ¼ tspn

Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Curry leaves – 7 to 8 nos

Turmeric powder – ¼  tsp

Green chillies –  1 to 2 nos

Oil - 3 tsp

Salt - As reqd

Method:

Boil water with ½ tspn salt and add cut beans to it and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Have an ice bath ready and plunge the beans into it to stop cooking.

Heat oil in a pan. Crackle mustard seeds, add sliced onions, when it starts tp become brown add curry leaves, chilli flakes and green chilly.

To this mixture, add cooked long beans and mix well, Sauté well, close the lid and allow it to cook in a low to medium heat. Check and adjust salt accordingly. No need to add water. Stir occasionally. This should take 2 to 3 minutes.

Karamani or Long beans mezhukkupuratti is ready to be served. Serve hot with steamed rice and sambar/rasam or any rice variety.

Peanut Chutney / Groundnut Chutney

Groundnut is just another term for peanut. This protein rich peanut chutney is made quite often at our home for breakfast. Coconut and Peanuts make and awesome combination for Chutneys. Peanuts elevate a simple Coconut Chutney to the next level.

Ingredients:

Grated Coconut – 1 cup (fresh or frozen)

Dry Roasted Peanuts – a small handful

Red Chillies – 1 or 2 (Alter according to your spice tolerance)

Peeled Ginger – a small piece

Salt – to taste

Water – 1/4 cup

For Tempering:

Oil – 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp

Sliced Shallots – 2

Curry Leaves – a small sprig

Method:

Grind coconut, peanuts, red chillies and ginger along with water to form a medium-thick paste.

If the paste is too thick, you can add a little more water. Season with salt( At our home we like it little thick)

You could also add tempering to it. I have not did it as I prefer it as it is.

Steps for tempering:

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Throw in the shallots and curry leaves and quickly sauté for a few seconds. Pour the coconut-peanut paste into the pan. Stir everything and remove from heat.

Restaurant-Style Tandoori Chicken / Tandoori Chicken Recipe / Oven Roasted Chicken Tandoori

Tandoori chicken as a dish originated in the Punjab before the independence of India and Pakistan. Although tandoor cooked chicken dates back to as early as the Mughal era, the dish is believed to be invented by Kundan Lal Gujral, a man who ran a restaurant called Moti Mahal in Peshawar(Source Wikipedia). The Chicken drumsticks are marinated in warm, fragrant spices and yogurt that tenderises them, and the marinated chicken is skewed on to the skewer and cooked in a heated clay oven known as the Tandoor to make a mouth-watering appetizer. Tandoor is heated by charcoal or wood which also add to the smoky flavour. (A tandoor, or an outdoor clay oven is traditionally used to make tandoori chicken, along with other delicacies like naan or tandoori roti.)

Rather than mostly being eaten as in starters and appetizers, Tandoori chicken sometimes is also eaten as a main course traditionally with naan (an Indian Flatbread).  It is traditionally cooked at high temperatures in a tandoor (clay oven), but can also be prepared on a traditional barbecue grill.

Tandoori chicken is an Indian classic for a reason. No Indian celebration is complete without mounds of these tasty, delicately spiced, grilled chicken pieces, coupled with cucumber and tomato slices, sprinkled over with cilantro and with lemon or lime slices beside them to squeeze over. Traditionally tandoori chicken is served with a yogurt raita and a mint/ chutney, which adds another level of freshness and flavour to this simple, elegant dish.

My husband is a great fan of Tandoori chicken. This paired with Tandoori Roti & Garlic Mayo dip is his all-time favorite. In India whenever we go out for dinner this is the first thing that we order. But after coming to Canada, we rarely visit any Indian restaurants, so I started making this at home. This Indian classic Tandoori Chicken is actually very easy to make at home in the oven! Here’s the recipe.

Ingredients:

Chicken drumsticks - 4 – 6 nos

Cooking Oil – 1 tbspn

Marinade:

Plain yogurt - ½ cup

Tandoori masala - 4 tbspns

Kashmiri chilli powder (optional) - 1 teaspoon

Cooking oil - 1 tbspn

Garlic – 3 cloves, minced

Ginger - ½ inch piece, grated

Juice of 1 medium size lemon

Salt to taste

Method:

Whisk together all the ingredients for the marinade. Rub into the chicken pieces and marinate for at least 4 hours, or ideally overnight, in the refrigerator. When ready to make the tandoori chicken, preheat oven to 450 F. Brush a heavy baking tray with about 1 - 2 tablespoons oil, then arrange the drumsticks in a single layer. Bake for about 20 - 25 minutes, depending on the size of your drumsticks, turning once or twice, or until cooked through.

Serve with Lemon slices, Yogurt Raita (plain yogurt, chopped cucumber, chopped cilantro and salt to taste) or Mint Chutney