Baingan Gosht Pulao

 Baingan gosht or Eggplant lamb curry is one of my favorite recipes. It goes great with white rice. But today I made a one pot rice dish with eggplant and lamb and it is super delicious and easy to make for a satisfying dinner.

Baingan Gosht Pulao (Rice cooked with spicy Lamb and eggplant)

Eggplant Lamb pulao

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups chopped eggplants (if using American eggplant, peel it and then chop into 1 cm cubes)
2. 1 lb lamb cut into bit size pieces
3. 2 cups basmati rice washed
4. 1 tablespoon oil
5. 1 medium large onion sliced thin
6. 1 teaspoon each of salt, garam masala powder
7.  2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
8. 1 cup coconut milk (optional)
9. 2-3 green chillies slit
10. handful of coriander leaves and mint leaves chopped

In a pressure cooker, heat the oil and fry the onions till they start turning brown. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add lamb and fry for a minute. Add eggplant and all the spices and mix well. Add 1/4 cup water and cook for 3 whistles.

Let the steam escape and add 1 cup coconut milk + 11/2 cup water or 21/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Add the rice and cook for 3 whistles and cut the heat. Let all the steam escape. Open the cooker and stir the rice and service with Raita and/or Gravy for Biryani

Delicious Cajun Chicken Pasta

 I have made a number of different pasta dishes ...but this one takes the cake. This pasta recipe is super simple but is so flavorful. The original recipe is here

Delicious Cajun Chicken Pasta (Pasta cooked in spicy Cajun seasoning)

Delicious Cajun Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb chicken breast cut into small bite size pieces
2. 1 tablespoon each of butter, olive oil, Cajun seasoning
3. 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
4. 1/2 cup chopped onions
5. 2 tablespoon each of cream cheese and sour cream
6. 1 cup mushrooms quartered (optional)
7. 3 cups of your favorite paste cooked to package directions
8. 6 oz tomato paste
9. 2-3 cups chicken stock
10. salt to taste +Salt to put in the water for boiling pasta

While the pasta water is boiling, in a pan heat the oil and fry the onions for 5 minutes. Add garlic and fry for a minute. Take care to NOT burn them. Add chicken and stir well. Add mushrooms if using and cook for minutes. Add tomato paste and chicken stock and the Cajun seasoning and mix well. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cream cheese and beaten sour cream and stir to combine. Add drained pasta. Garnish with chives, parsley or cilantro and enjoy

Good for you Chicken Rice

 This rice dish has good for you ingredients in it. It is like an Indian Pulao or Pilaf. You can want you can use regular white rice but since it is "Good for you" Chicken Rice, I made this with Brown rice.

Good for you Chicken Rice (Brown rice and Cauliflower with Chicken)

Cauliflower brown rice with Chicken

Ingredients:

1. 1.5 cups cooked chicken
2. 2 cups cauliflower rice
3. 1 cup brown rice soaked in water for 30 minutes.
4. 1 medium small onion sliced
5. 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
6. 1 teaspoon each of coriander powder, cumin powder, chilli powder garam masala, salt, chopped mint
7. 1-2 tablespoons oil

After the brown rice has been soaked for 30 minutes, discard the water. Cook it in a rice cooker with 2.5 cups of water.

In a pan heat the oil and fry the onions till they start turning dark brown. Add cauliflower and all the spices and mix well and cook covered for 10 minutes. Add the cooked rice and mint and mix well. Taste test for salt and add more if needed. Serve with boiled eggs if desired. Enjoy!!!

Click here for nutritional information

Creamy chicken pasta

 This recipe would be great with the Fettuccine but yesterday I realized I barely ever get Fettuccine. I had different varieties of Veggie Pasta (...the reason all moms get it...sneak some veggies into your family's meal). Anyway, the dinner was great.

Creamy Chicken Pasta

Creamy Chicken Pasta

Ingredients:

1. 10 Oz Fettuccine or spaghetti cooked to package directions
2. 7 oz Canned chicken breast or substitute left over cooked chicken and 1/2 cup chicken stock
3. 1/2 cup heavy cream
4. 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
5. 2 big or 4 small cloves of garlic minced
6. 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
7. Salt and pepper to taste
8. 1/2 teaspoon pepper flakes
9. More cheese for sprinkling.
10. 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
11. 1 zucchini or yellow squash cubed
12. 1 cup fresh baby spinach and 1/2 cup peas (optional)

While the paste is boiling in a well seasoned water,  In a pan heat the oil and fry the vegetables for 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and fry for 1 more minute. Add the chicken and stir to combine. Add chicken stock and cream and cheese and stir to combine. Add the boiled paste and seasoning and pepper and mix well. Give it a taste test and add salt sparingly. If the dish seems watery cook for 1 minute more. The paste will absorb the liquid and turn more yummy.

Serve topped with pepper flakes and more cheese.

Stove top Chicken Biryani

Hyderabadi Dum ka Biryani is the only kind of dish my Big B would call Biryani. He would probably put me in a corner for calling the dish I made "Biryani". But when you are short of time and are craving yummy food, anything goes.

And anything close to a "Biryani" on a week night after a long day's work and home cooked f is "the best" no matter what you call it. So call what you may...I present
Stove top Chicken Biryani (Stove top One pot chicken and rice dish )

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb chicken breasts or better yet chicken tenderloins cut at a biase, into 3/4 inch slices 1-2 inches long  
2. 1/2 teaspoon each or salt, turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala powder, cumin
3. 1 teaspoon each of coriander powder, ginger-garlic paste
4. 2 tablespoons oil
5. 1 medium large onion sliced thin
6. 1 bay leaf
7. 2 cups (Measure uncooked) Basmati rice cooked according to package directions. Cooked with 1/2 teaspoon salt
8. 1/4 cup warm milk + pinch saffron (optional)
9. few mint leaves

Marinate the chicken with the spices and set aside.

In a wide pan heat the oil and add the bay leaf and cumin and fry for a minute. On medium high flame fry the onions till 90% of them turn brown. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add the chicken and fry for 10-12 minutes until they start turning golden brown. Add the cooked rice , topped with saffron soaked in warm milk if using, garnish with mint and cover and cook for 2-3 minutes, on very low flame.

Garnish with 1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice and coriander with available on hand.

Enjoy with Gravy for Biryani
More recipes...
Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani
Shrimp Biryani 
Egg Biryani
Fish Biryani

Tuna casserole

I have made this many times before and its super and delicious, but I never posted it here...for posterity...and in case aliens come looking for any recipes for one pit dinners :)

Tuna Casserole 

Tuna Casserol

Ingredient:

1. 2 cups dry egg noodles 
2. 10 ounces canned tuna in water drained and flaked
3. 1 cup milk warm
4. 1/2 cup water
5. 2 tablespoons flour
6. 1/2 teaspoon salt
7. 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
8. 1/2 cup each of frozen peas, chopped carrots
9. 1 cup bread crumbs
10. 1/4 cup onions
11. 1 teaspoon garlic minced
12. 2 tablespoon melted better

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 1 1/2 quart baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

Cook the noodles according to package instructions.

In a pan heat the butter and fry the onions and carrots for 5 minutes. Add garlic and fry for a minute. Move the onions and garlic to a corner and add the flour and stir for 2 minutes. Add warm milk and water and stir until there are no lumps. Add salt and pepper and tuna and stir together. Then stir in the peas and the cooked noodles.

Add to the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with breadcrumbs and some butter

Bake for 20 minutes.  Enjoy

two bean rice

This is the most yummy delicious one pot, super quick dinners one can make and it vegetarian.
The ingredients are minimal and everyone has them in their pantry...so go ahead, make it in the time it will take you to decide what you want to eat + order them + get them .

Two Bean Rice (Rice with green beans and kidney beans)

Ingredients:

1. 1.5 cups of white rice cooked with 1/2 teaspoon salt
2. 1 can kidney beans drained and washed
3. 1 can green beans drained ( I had frozen green beans instead...so used 1.5 cups thawed)
4. 1 tablespoons each of oil, lemon juice (optional), toasted sesame seeds (optional)
5. 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
6. Few curry leaves + 2 dried chillies + 1 teaspoon turmeric (Just for an Indian touch...if you have them)
7. 1 large or 2 small garlic chopped fine
8. 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

In a pan heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. Cover and let splatter for 1 minute. Add curry leaves and dried chillies if using .Add the green beans and fry for 5-7 minutes until they are cooked through. Add garlic and fry for 30-40 seconds. Add salt and turmeric and mix well. Add the rice and the kidney beans and stir to combine on low flame. Add sesame seeds and lemon juice and mix well and enjoy

Shrimp Fajita Pasta

Living in Los Angeles you are introduced to the myriad of Mexican recipes. And my favorite of them all where the dishes which had a ton of sauce in them. And the next favorite were fajitas.  The dish I made today is with Pasta and it us super saucy and delicious

Shrimp Fajita Pasta (Pasta in enchilada sauce with Shrimp)

Shells with Shrimp Fajita

Ingredients:

1. 16 oz frozen shrimp thawed, peeled and deviened
2. 1/2 can black beans
3. 2 cups small pasta like small shells or dittalini
4. 2 tablespoons oil divided
5. 1 bell peppers chopped into 1 inch cubes
6. 1 medium onion chopped fine
7. 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, , garlic powder, black pepper, salt, chilli powder, coriander powder, Finely chopped garlic
8. 1 cup enchilada sauce, plus extra if desired

Cook pasta according to the package directions.

Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and chilli powder and set aside for 10-15 minutes.

Heat a pan and add 1 tablespoon oil. Fry the shrimp and cook until the shrimp curl up and cook through. About 5 minutes. Drain and set aside

In the same pan add the remaining oil and fry the onions and bell pepper until they start changing color. Add garlic and fry for a minute. Add black beans and enchilada sauce and everything else and mix well. Add cooked pasta and lower the heat and simmer covered for 5 minutes. Add shrimp and mix well. Top with cheese and serve