Chicken Gold Coin

I have a colleague who celebrates Chinese New Year.  Every year she make lots of dishes mostly non-vegetarian. One of them was chicken gold coin. She had got few for us to taste, it was yummy.  That’s when I thought that I will try making it at home.  The recipe credit goes to her and Sanjeev Kapoor link. The final product was more than I thought.  It’s a very good starter and   kids love it as evening snacks.

So do try it.

Ingredients

Bread Slice -  12

Minced Chicken – 250gm

Onion – 1 small (finely chopped)

Ginger – 2 tsp (finely chopper

Garlic – 2 tsp finely chopped

Soya sauce – 1tsp

Corn starch – 2tsp

Pepper powder – 1tsp

Green chill – 2 optional (finely chopped)

Egg – 2

Sesame seed – 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil to deep fry

Method

1.           Cut the bread slices into roundels with a round cutter or a kattory(steel bowl) as shown.

2.           Take the minced meat into a bowl.

3.           To this add the soya sauce, onion, ginger, garlic, greem chilli, pepper powder, corn flour, 1 egg, and salt. Mix well to make the filling.

4.           Now in a separate bowl break the second egg, add pinch of salt and 1tsp water and beat it well to make the egg wash.

5.           Take the prepared round bread, lightly brush the egg wash on one side.

6.           On top of this keep a little filling of chicken.

7.           Again brush the egg wash on top of the chicken filling.

8.           Spread sesame seed and press lightly.

9.           Do the same with the other bread roundels

10.      Now refrigerate it for 15 min.

11.      Heat the oil to fry in a wok.

12.      When it is hot to fry, first lower the heat, and then fry the prepared gold coin with the chicken side down for 10 min and turn and fry for 2 min.

13.      Remove from the oil and strain the excess oil.

14.      Chicken gold coin is ready to eat with sauces or dips. 

Aloo Palak Paratha / Potato Spinach Paratha

The story of healthy cooking continues. This time the focus is on greens. And what best than spinach. It’s an easy tiffin food for kids.

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour – 2 cups

Besan /Gram flour – 1/3 cup

Boiled potato – 2, well smashed

Spinach leaf – 1 cup, finely cut

Green chilli – 2 finely chopped

Curd – 4 tbsp

Oil – 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Oil for cooking

Method

1.      Knead all the ingredient to a dough ( if the dough is watery add the flour and if the dough is dry add more curd).
2.      Take big lemon size portion of the dough.
3.      Lightly flour the surface and roll it into a thick paratha.
4.      Heat a nonstick roti pad/tava. 
5.       Cook both sides on a tava (griddle) in medium heat till both sides a cooked properly.
6.      Apply little oil on the paratha and serve hot.
7.      With this dough, you will be able to make about 10 paratha.

Dal Vada / Parupu Vada

Parupu vada is a snack specially made in south India.  You can also call it the street food of south India.  Especially in Kerala you will find it at every tea stall.

In the monsoon if you are in Kerala and if it is raining, stop at any road side tea stall and try the combination of  a hot cup of tea with these vadas.  It is amazing.

I learnt it from my mother-in-law. I can never reach to that standard. It is soft from inside and crispy from outside. She made it as evening snacks. So, this time I also made it for my kids as an evening snack which they relished after their play time.

Ingredients

Channa Dal – 1 cup ( socked in water for about 5 hrs)

Onion – 1 finely chopped

Green chilly – 2 finely chopped

Ginger – 1 tsp finely chopped

Curry leaves – 10 finely chopped

Asafetida – ½ tsp

Salt as per taste

Oil to fry

Method

1.      Drain out the water completely from the soaked dal and grind it coarsely (there should be few whole dal left.  Please don’t make it into a paste.

2.      Mix all the ingredient except the oil.

3.      Take small lemon size portion of this mixture, make a small ball and flatten them between your palms.

4.      Similarly, make all the vadas and keep it on a plate to fry.

5.      Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan.  

6.      Deep fry the vada till it is golden brown( approx. 5 min)

7.      Now remove and drain the excess oil on a paper towel. 

Caramel Popcorn

I love caramel popcorn, and wait for movie trips to the malls, so that I can buy a big packet of hot caramel popcorn. So finally after lots of internet surfing, I try this at home and it turned out lip-smacking. So no more waiting for movie trips.  

Ingredients

Unpoped dried corns – ½ cup

Vegetable oil – 1 tbsp

Butter – 50 gm ( ½ cup)

Packed brown sugar – 1 tsp

Corn syrup – ¼ cup

Baking soda – ¼ tsp

Vanilla essence – 1 tsp

Method

To make the pop corn

1.      Heat a big pan which has a lid.  Add oil and the corn to it.  Cover the lid.

2.      In 5 min the corn kernels will start popping. Keep shaking the pan with the lid on it.

3.      When the popping stop, immediately transfer the popcorn to the heat proof bowl and let it cool.

4.      Spread the popcorn in to baking sheet and keep it ready

Note: From this point you have to be quick and alert

To make the caramel popcorn

5.      Heat a heavy bottom pan and add the butter, sugar and corn syrup.

6.      Bring it to boil and bring the heat to medium.

7.      Let it boil for 3 min with continuous steering, don’t let the syrup burn.

8.      Immediately add the baking soda and vanilla essence.  Mix it thoroughly.  ( the mixture will fuzz up due to the reaction of the baking soda).

9.      Add the syrup to the ready popcorn and mix nicely so that the caramel gets coated on the corn.

10.  Now bake the caramel corn for 15 min at 120⁰C ( don’t let it burn).

11.  Cool it and serve it. 

Potato Bread Roll

After a busy days work at the office, when I reached home, my stomach was craving for something chatpata.  The first option was to order something from outside but I was not really interested in street food.

So, thought of lots of snacks which I could make at home, but most of these  need some pre-preparation.  Then I thought of my mother and what were her evening snacks for us.  The first think that came to my mind was bread roll and all ingredient needed was at home.  So here is how prepared it.  It is lovely but a little oily.    

Ingredients

Brown bread – 10 slices (trim the hard sides)

Potato – 2 large

Onion – 1 cut

Tomato – 1 cut

Coriander leafs – 2tbsp finely chopped

Dry mango powder /amchur – ½ tsp.

Red chilli powder – 1tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Chat masala – ½ tsp

Salt as required

Water to dip

Oil to fry

Method

1.     Boil the potato.

2.     When it is still warm peel and smash the potatoes.

3.     To this mix all the ingredient except bread, water and oil.

4.      When it is all incorporated, divide it into 10 to 12 portions and make oval balls.

5.      Take a slice of bread, dip in water and immediately remove it.

6.      Squeeze excess water by keeping the bread slice in between your palms.

7.      Place the potato filling in the center of the bread.

8.      Roll the bread and close the edges and press it tightly to make a even roll.

9.      Prepare all the rolls in the similar way.

10.  Now heat oil in a kadhi/wok.

11.  Deep fry these prepared rolls till it is crisp and golden brown.

12.  Remove it from the oil and keep it on a kitchen paper tissue, so that all the excess oil is removed.

13.  Serve it with Tomato ketchup.

Hot Cross Buns

My younger son Hansel has started going to formal school.  Where he was taught the famous rhyme “Hot Cross Buns, One a Penny, Two a Penny, Hot Cross Buns”.  After this, the demand was to eat hot cross buns. But this is something which you can’t get it in the market.  So, I promised him this Good Friday I will bake for him Hot Cross buns.  And I kept my promise. 

The recipe is the adaptation from a recipe in BBC good food by James Martin. I have not done any variation to the original recipe.

So do try and enjoy.  And don’t forget to leave back your feedback.

Ingredients

For the dough

Maida – 450gm

Yeast – 7gms

Caster sugar – 50gm

Warm milk – 150ml

Warm water – 50 ml

Egg – 1

Salted Butter – 50gm, melted

Butter or oil for greasing

Cinnamon powder – 1tsp

Nutmeg powder – ¼ tsp

Black current – 100gm

To decorate

Maida – 4 tbsp

Granulated sugar – 2 tbsp

Method

1.      In a large bowl mix flour, yeast, caster sugar cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder and the black current.

2.      Mix well and make a well in the center.

3.      To this pour the warm milk, warm water, beaten egg and melted butter.

4.      Mix everything together to form dough. ( if the dough is too dry, add a little more warm water and if it is too wet add more flour).

5.      Transfer this dough into a floured kitchen platform and knead until the dough becomes smooth and springy.

6.      Transfer this dough to a clean lightly greased bowl and cover it with a plastic cling.

7.      Leave this in a warm place for about an hour. ( the dough would roughly rise to double it original size.

8.      Punch the raised dough in the center. Then knead it lightly.

9.      Now divide this dough into 8 equal portions.

10.  Shape each portion into a smooth round shape.

11.  Place this on a greased baking sheet, leaving space between each bun for it to rise.

12.  With a sharp knife mark a cross on the top of each bun.

13.  Cover it with a damp towel and leave in a warm place for about an hour. It will double in size.

14.  When the bun is ready to bake, mix the plain flour with just enough water to make a thick paste.

15.  Spoon into a piping bag and pipe a white bag into the crosses you cut earlier.

16.  Pre- heat the oven at 200 degree C.

17.  Bake for 15-20 min at the same temperature.

18.  When the buns are done, when it is still warm, melt the granulated sugar with 1 tbsp of water in a small pan to form a thick syrup.

19.  Then brush this syrup over the bun.

Sabudana Vada

My all-time favorite snacks. I can have it at any given time. It is Maharastrian delicacy, made specially during fasting.  It is made out of sago.  I love it with thick curd, but you can always have it with green chutney or tomato sauce. Its best when it is hot, as it becomes very soggy when it becomes cold.

This post is specially dedicated to Anju Bhabi, my colleague Pradeep’s wife who keeps satisfying my taste buds by regularly supplying it when every she makes it for chaturti.  She makes the best Sabudhana Vada I have ever had. She is the one who inspired me to try making it.  The first time was a disaster, the second time took some tips from her and it was better. Now it is perfect but not to her level.

Do try it, and leave back your comments.    

Ingredient

Sabudana – 1½ cup

Potato – 2 (boiled)

Powdered Roasted Groundnut – 2tbsp

Coriander leaves – 2tsp finely chopped

Green chilli – 1 finely chopped

Salt as per taste

Oil to fry

Method

1.    Soak the subudana ( clean the sabudana with water and put very little water ( 2 to 3 table spoons) and keep it for an 2 hrs. I keep it overnight.

2.    Mash the boiled potatoes
3.    Mix sabudana, mashed potato, .groundnut powder, coriander leaf, green chilli and salt. Best is to mix it with hand so that of them blends together.
4.    Take a lemon size portion, roll it to make a ball and them flatten it to make a vada.  .Make all the all vadda (you can prepare this and store this in the refrigerator.  Use it when required).
5.    Heat oil in a pan and deep fry.
6.    Serve hot with green chutney or thick curd.

Instant Suji Uttapam

A recipe, which I got from one of Nita Mehta’s book.  Thanks to her for this recipe which has been added to my morning breakfast list. It is fast, the ingredients can be mostly found in Indian homes, it’s healthy and quite filling. So, how could I not share it with you’ll.    I have done some minor changes to the original version according to my convenience and taste. 

Many a time’s guests walk in when you have just finished you lunch or dinner.  This recipe of uttapam comes very handy.  Do try it and let me know if you liked it.

Ingredient

Suji / Semolina – 1½ cup

Curd – 1½ cup

Mitha Soda / Soda-bi-carb – 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder – 1tsp

Garam Masala – ½ tsp

Tomato – 2 finely chopped

Spring onion – 2 finely chopped

Coriander leaves – 2 tsp finely chopped

Water – ¼ cup

Salt to taste

Oil

Method

1.      In a bowl mix suji, curd, red chilli powder, garam masala and soda-bi-carb. Beat well. Leave it for 15 min. 

2.     Now mix the vegetable and add the water and make a thick batter.  (Be careful with the batter consistency as if it becomes very thin, the uttapam would be very sticky). Leave it for 5 min.

3.   Heat a non-stick pan. Spread about 2-3tbsp of the batter to make it round with the back of the spoon. (don’t make it very thin or it may break when you turn). Cook on low flame till the upper side starts cooking.

4.     Add some oil and cook for one more minute. Now turn. (If the lower side sticks to the pan and you find it difficult to turn. Pour some oil on the sides.)

5.     Continue to cook on low flame till the uttapam become crispy (for about 5min).

6.     Serve it with green chutney or coconut. 

Cauliflower Tikki

This is an experimental recipe which I tried with leftover grated cauliflower. The result was really yummy.  So, try making it and post your comments.  

 

Ingredient

Cauliflower – ½ kg (grated)

Spring onion – 2 (cut finely)
Coriander leaf – 1tbsp (finely chopped)
Mint leaf / pudina – 1tsp (finely chopped)
Gram flour / besan – 5 tbsp or as required
Red chilly powder – 1tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Garam masala – ½ tsp
Dry mango powder / amchur – ½ tsp
Salt as per taste
Oil for shallow frying

Method

 

1.       Mix all the ingredient except gram flour. Mix it nicely with hand and keep it for 10 min. the mixture will become moist.

2.      Now add the gram flour one tablespoon each at a time and mix till the batter become into a thick consistency.  The mixture should not be watery nor should it be thick like a dough. No extra water should be added.

3.      Take a table spoon on the mixture and make small round flat tikkies from this mixture. Prepare the tikkies with the rest of the mixture in a similar way.

4.      In a flat bottom pan add 2tbsp oil and heat.

5.      When the oil is hot add the tikkies, cover the pan and cook the tikkies in medium heat, till the lower side becomes light brown.

6.      Now turn the tikkies, press it with a spoon so that the tikkies become little flat. Cook it on medium heat till other side also become golden brown.

7.      When it is done remove it from the pan and serve it hot with sauce or chutney.

Salted Shankarpara

I made this for my elder son, because he like it and carries it to school as tit-bit snacks. In our childhood day, mummy use to make it regularly. Any time we are hungry and she is not there, there was a standard steel container which was always filled with it. Now I wonder, when she use to fill it. Anyway try it with a evening cup of tea and let me know how it feels.

Ingredient

Maida/ all purpose floor – 250gm

Salt – as per taste
Ajwain/carom seeds – 1 tsp
Ghea – 1 tsp
Water – as required
Oil – to fry
 
Method

1.  In a big bowl mix all the dry ingredients.
2.  To this add water little by little to make dough. It should not be sticky ( similar to a chapatti dough.
3.  Take a lemon size piece of dough, roll it into a chappati.
4.  No with a zig zag cutter / pizza cutter / knife cut the chappati’s length wise into long strip.
5.  Then cut it diagonally to get diamond shape.
6.  Fry this diamond cuts till it becomes golden brown.
7. This can be served as snacks and can be stored in a airtight container for a week.