Mughlai paneer pockets

These are similar to paneer paratha or my version Palak paneer paratha but the stuffing is different and the way its made is different. This is easy to eat on the go. Usually Indian food is not very portable, but these are super portable and delicious for kids school lunch

Makes 4 to 6

Mughlai Paneer Pockets (Cottage cheese stuffed wheat pockets)

Mughlai Paneer Pockets

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups wheat flour

Ingredients for filling/stuffing:

1. 1-1.5 cups grated paneer
2. 1 medium carrot grated
3. 1/2 cups chopped capsicum/bell pepper
4. 1 tablespoon chopped cashew nuts (optional)
5. 1/4 cup green peas
6. 1/4 cup chopped onions
7. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, amchur powder
8. 1 tablespoon oil
9. 1 green chilli finely chopped
10. 1/2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste / finely chopped garlic
11. Ghee/ butter for frying the pockets

In a pan heat the oil and add the onions and carrots to it and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add cashews and bell pepper and add all the spices and mix well. Let cook for 5 minutes. Add peas and paneer and mix well and cook for 5 more minutes. Garnish with cilantro, cut the flame and mix again. Set aside to cool

Mix the flour with water and form dough and set aside covered for 15-20 minutes.

Divide into 6 parts.

Roll the dough into 8 inch. Add 2 tablespoons stuffing into the center and fold the edges onto the stuffing, making a pocket.

In a pan heat 1 teaspoon butter and on medium low flame add the pocket to the pan. Cover and let fry for 2 minutes. Flip and fry covered for 2 more minutes. Cut the pocket into 2 triangles and serve with ketchup

Apple Cider Pumpkin bread

It is the season of the the Pumpkins and the apple ciders....mmmmmmmmm Apple Cider...One of the best drinks . So I got a whole gallon of Apple cider and after having my fill...now I need ways to use the rest of it. And here comes the apple cider Pumpkin bread. Yummy for a quick break fast. Toast a slice and serve it with butter or as is

Apple Cider Pumpkin bread

Apple cider pumpkin bread

Apple cider pumpkin bread with home made cream cheese frosting

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup each of apple cider, pumpkin puree
2. 2 large eggs
3. 1/4 cup vegetable oil
4. 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
5. 2 cups all-purpose flour
6. 2 teaspoons  baking powder
7. 1/2 teaspoon each of salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg
8. 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
9. 1 medium apple peeled, cored and chopped

Preheat oven to 350°.

In saucepan, boil cider until it's reduced to about 1/4 cup; let it cool.

In bowl, whisk together well pumpkin purée, eggs, oil, brown sugar, and cider.

In bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Stir in walnuts or pecans if using, and stir in apple pieces.

Pour batter to a well-buttered 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" loaf pan.

Bake in middle of oven 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean.

Let bread cool in the pan.

Pear upside down cake

The super market has been having a whole lot of pears recently and they look super fresh and super delicious. I got a whole pack and after eating all the pear as can, I had to find other ways to use the pears and the cake recipe I found and made is super delicious.
We practically ate this cake for breakfast.

Pear upside down cake

Upside down pear cake

Ingredients:

1. 2 large or 3 medium small pears, peeled, cored and sliced length wise into 1/4 inch thick slices
2. 4 tablespoons butter melted
3. 1 egg
4. 1/2 cup granulated sugar + 1/4 cup brown sugar
5. 2/3 cup milk
6. 1 teaspoon each of cinnamon + vanilla extract
7. 1/2 teaspoon ginger + salt
8. 2 teaspoon baking powder

Butter the bottom of 8 inch baking pan and spread the pears on the bottom. 

Melt the butter and beat it with the sugar into a smooth cream. Add milk, egg and vanilla and beat again. Sift the dry ingredients together and milk them into the wet ingredients.

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Add the batter on top of the pears and bake for 30-35 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Take the pan out and set aside for 5 minutes. Put a plat on top of the pan and turn the pan so that we get the upside down cake.

Enjoy with whipped cream

Chicken Stir fry Indian Style

I love making stir fries which are quick and easy and have some meet and a ton of vegetables in it. When I started searching for the recipes all I could find are Chinese...ofcourse Stir Fry is all Chinese I know (roll eyes)

   but but but...I like stir fry and I do not always want to eat Chinese.

So I made my own...Chicken stir fry with Indian spices and boy oh boy it was yummy

Chicken Stir fry Indian Style

Chicken Stir Fry with Indian spices

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb chicken cut into 1 inch cubes but only 1/4 inch thick.
2. 1 tablespoon each of coriander powder, 
3. 1 teaspoon cumin powder
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt + more to taste
5. 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
6. 1 teaspoon dried mango powder (optional) (substitute fresh squeezed lemon juice)
7. 2 tablespoons oil
8. 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
9. Your choice of vegetables (I used mushrooms cut into thick slices, onions, bell pepper) (Can also include Zucchini and Squash

Marinate the chicken with salt, chilli powder and ginger garlic paste and lemon juice for 30 mins.

In a pan heat 1/2 the oil and add the mushroom and fry on high for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the vegetables and fry for 5-10 minutes. Drain.

Add the rest of the oil to the pan and add the chicken and fry for 10 minutes until its cooked through. Add the vegetables back and add the spices and add salt according to taste.

Garnish with hand full of cilantro and enjoy with white or brown rice

Chicken quinoa fried rice

I have been making Chicken Quinoa Rice for a long time and it is awesome and pretty simple to make. Today I made a Chicken quinoa fried rice, which is super awesome too

Chicken Quinoa fried rice 

Chicken quinoa fried rice

Ingredients:

1. 1 cups quinoa and 1/2 cup rice (optional) cooked according to directions and cooled 
2. your favorite vegetables cut into small cubes (my mix of vegetables is carrots, cabbage,onions, yellow squash and green bell pepper) (purple cabbage would look awesome)
3. 2 tablespoons sesame seed oil or canola oil
4. 2 tablespoons low sodium soya sauce
5. 1 teaspoon white vinegar
6. 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
7. 2 cups shredded chicken

In a pan heat the oil and cook the vegetables until tender. Add garlic and stir for a minute. Add chicken and 1 tablespoon soya sauce and mix well. Add the cooked rice and quinoa and the remaining soya sauce and vinegar and stir to combine. Cook on high for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and serve with black beans or as is

Ginger Chicken

When we get nostalgic the first thing we think of are all the people you spent your time in the "good old days" and the second thing we think of will be either the food or the beautiful locations where you spent your most relaxing evenings.

Today I am thinking more of the food...the ginger chicken my Big brother would get for me form one of the road side roti stands in the Old City of Hyderabad. When I think of it, all the love the dish used to encompass also come to my mind and I start missing all the people involved...my parents...my Bade Bhaiyya...the house etc etc.

Anyway, I have been trying to recreate that taste for a very long time and this time I got pretty close. And it was very tasty and I hope I am creating the same kind of memories for my children...for which, one day they will become nostalgic.

Ginger Chicken (Chicken cooked in a ginger based curry)

Ginger Chicken

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb chicken cut into small pieces
2. 1 medium onion ground to paste
3. 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
4. 2 tablespoons each of fresh squeezed lemon juice, soya sauce, 
5. 3 -4 inches of ginger about an inch thick...ground to paste as little water a possible
6. 1/2 teaspoon or more salt to taste
7. 1 teaspoon chilli powder
8. 3 tablespoons oil
9. 1 teaspoon garam masala 

Wash the chicken well and pat dry it. Mix it with lemon juice and soya sauce and ginger garlic paste and set aside for atleast 1 hr. Then add 1/2 teaspoon salt and chilli powder and set it aside.

Heat the oil in a non stick pan. Ground the onion to fine paste and on low heat fry this ground paste for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally, making sure not to burn the paste. Add the ground ginger and fry for 10 more minutes. Raise  the fire to medium and add chicken and fry for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup water and let it boil for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and if the gravy becomes too thick add some more water. Taste test for salt and adjust accordingly. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy with Romali roti

Sabudana khichadi

Sabudaana or tapioca balls are the ones you find in bigger sizes in the Boba milk or bubble tea. These are good for you. But cooking with them is a little tricky. But once you get the idea down, the items turn out to be pretty yummy.

Sabudana khichadi (Tapioca balls stir-fried )

Sabu daana khichidi

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup sabudaana
2. 1 tablespoon peanuts
3. 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, mustard seeds
4. 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger
5. 1 tablespoon oil
6. 3/4 teaspoon salt
7. 1 Serrano chili chopped fine
8. 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

Wash the sabu daana twice or thrice. Overnight soak the sabu dana in a cup of water.

In a pan heat the oil and fry the peanuts for 5 minutes . Add cumin and mustard seeds and a few curry leaves and fry till they start to splutter. Add the rest of the ingredients and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the sabudaana and lemon juice and salt and stir to combine. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy immediately