Kung Pao Cauliflower

Kung Pao Cauliflower

Kung Pao Cauliflower

Ingredients:

1. 1 medium cauliflower cut into medium florets
2. 2 tablespoons oil
3. 1 bell pepper any color you like cut into 1 inch cubes
4. 3 medium cloves garlic chopped
5. ¼ cup peanuts roasted
6. 1 teaspoon Sichuan (regular) peppers or numbing peppers
7. 2-3 dried red chillies

Stir fry sauce

1. 1 tablespoon each of vinegar, soya sauce
2. 1 heaped tablespoon corn starch
3. 2 tablespoons tomato sauce
4. ½ cup water
5. ½ teaspoon each of salt, black pepper
6. 1 teaspoon sugar

Mix all the ingredients for sauce mix and set aside.

In a pan heat the oil and fry the Sichuan peppers and red chillies for a minute. Add cauliflower and fry covered for 5-7 minutes, until they become a little tender. Add bell peppers and garlic and fry for few more minutes. Add the sauce and stir well to combine. Add roasted peanuts and garnish with cilantro and enjoy

Chicken 65

This Chicken 65 recipe is super simple to make and super delicious and it will fly off the table like a bird with wings

Chicken 65 Dry (Shallow fried chicken)

Chicken 65

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breast cut into small cubes

2 tablespoons corn starch

2-3 tablespoons rice flour

2-3 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon each of vinegar, soya sauce

Handful of curry leaves

2 big or 3 medium garlic pods chopped

2 thai green chillies or serrano peppers chopped

Red onions chopped (optional)

Ingredients for Marinade:

1 heaped teaspoon ginger garlic paste

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

½ teaspoon each of turmeric, lemon pepper or regular pepper, red chilli powder

¾ teaspoon salt

Marinade the chicken with the ingredients in marinade and set aside for for atleast 45 minutes. Add the rice flour and corn flour and stir to coat well .

In a non stick pan heat the oil and add the chicken in one layer and on medium low flame fry the chicken  for 10 minutes. If using onions add onions around 7-8 minutes. Add the garlic, chillies and curry leaves and stir well and fry for 1 more minute. Add vinegar and soya sauce and  stir well. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy immediately

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

Carrot pulihora

As any other mother I am always trying to sneek-in some vegetables into my meat eater's diet. He loves the plain old tamarind rice or yellow rice or pulihora. So I am startng to make it with different vegetables. Today it is with Carrot and it is super delicious and healthy

Carrot pulihora (Rice with carrots cooked in tamarind juice)

Carrot pulihora

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups rice cooked according to directions
2. 2 cups finely grated carrot
3. 3 tablespoons oil
4. 1 handful each of cashew pieces and peanuts
5. 1-2 tablespoons sliced onions
6. 1/2 teaspoon each of cumin, mustard seeds, asafoetida, salt, turmeric, finely chopped ginger
7. 1 teaspoon each of urad dal, chana dal (soaked for 10 minutes), sesame seeds
8. 1 big or 2 green chillies chopped, few curry leaves, 2 dried red chillies
9. Cilantro for garnish
10. 1 cup of thick juice from 1 lemon sized tamarind

*Soak the tamarind in warm water and get the juice


In a pan heat the oil fry the peanuts for two minutes. Add cumin, mustard seeds, urad dal, cashew pieces and let them splutter. Add onions, ginger and carrots and fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the tamarind juice and cook for 5-7 minutes on high till oil floats on top.  Now add rice and mix well. Garnish with cilantro and let it cool a bit and enjoy

Sweet and spicy Korean beef

• Sweet and spicy Korean beef (Beef cooked in sweet and spicy sauce with veggies)

Korean Beef with vegetables

Sweet and Spicy Korean beef

 Ingredients:

1. 2-3 tablespoons brown sugar
2. 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
3. 1 tablespoon white or rice wine vinegar 
4. 1 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes, or sambal
5. 1 teaspoon each of  ground ginger, garlic, minced, corn starch
6. 1 pound ground beef or fine beef cubes
7. 2 green onions, thinly sliced
8. 1/4 teaspoon sesame seeds
9. 1/2 cup each of cubed carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, chopped onions and broccoli
10. 1/2 tablespoons oil (only if using beef cubes else skip)

Heat a pan and cook the ground beef without oil or beef cubes with oil for 7-8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Mix the sugar, vinegar, red peppers or sambal, soya sauce and corn starch along with 1/2 cup water.

Add onions and carrots to the pan and cook for 3 minutes. Add the rest of the veggies and garlic and ginger and stir and cook for 5 minutes. Add the beef back to the pan along with the sauce reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes

Garnish with cilantro and green onions and serve over plain rice

Shrimp with Okra

Goan Shrimp with Okra(Shrimp with Okra in coconut gravy)

Goan Shrimp with okra

Ingredients:

1. 12-15 oz large shrimp
2. 12 oz frozen cut okra thawed
3. 1 medium onion ground to paste
4. 1 tomato chopped fine
5. 1 heaped teaspoon ginger garlic paste
6. 1 cup desiccated coconut or 1 cup coconut milk + 1 tablespoon dried coconut
7. 1 heaped teaspoon coriander powder
8. 1 teaspoon each of cumin powder, turmeric
9. salt to taste
10. 1 chicken bouillon
11. 2 tablespoon oil
12. 1/2 cup thick juice from a mini golf ball sized tamarind

Marinate the shrimp with salt and  turmeric for 15-30 minutes.

If using only dried coconut, grind it to paste. 

Heat 1 tablespoon oil and fry the okra on medium high for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Heat 1 more tablespoon oil in a pan and fry the ground onions till golden brown. Add all spices and ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add tomatoes and cook for 6-7 minutes until the tomato gets all pulpy. Add shrimp and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes  Add coconut milk and tamarind juice along with the chicken bouillon and the okra and 1 cup water and simmer for 15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and sliced green chillies and serve.

Cashew stir fried cauliflower

This is one of the most delicious and fasted dishes you would ever make and it is super healthy too. You can serve it with roti or with rice and dal

Cashew stir fried cauliflower 

Cashew stir fried cauliflower

Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cauliflower chopped in food processor to about 1/2 cm pieces
2. 1 tablespoon oil
3. 1/4 cup chopped onions
4. 1/2 cup cashews
5. 3/4 teaspoon each of salt, coriander powder, cumin powder, finely chopped garlic

In a pan heat the oil and fry the onions for 5 minutes. Add garlic and cashew and fry for 1 more minute. Add the rest of the ingredients, reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy