Tomato Coconut Chammanthi

This a spicy as well as tangy condiment that pairs very well with your dosas or idlis. Feel free to decrease or increase the spice level as per your taste. The below measurement will yield you a moderately spicy chammanthy. The flavour imparted from the roasted red chillies, combined with the sour taste of the tomatoes and then mixed with the natural sweetness the coconut, makes this chammanthy really delicious. A perfect combination of flavours!

Ingredients

1 medium tomato chopped

3-4 whole red chilies (as per your spice level)

1 cup grated coconut

salt to taste

1.5 Tbsp oil
 

Method

• Heat the oil in a pan.
• Toss the red chilies and fry for a few seconds.
• Add the chopped tomato and fry on high heat until the tomato turns soft and starts getting charred slightly.
• Add salt to taste.
• Add the grated coconut and mix everything well and remove from heat. Allow it to cool.
• Once cooled, grind coarsely without adding water.
• Serve with piping hot crispy dosas or soft idlis.

Carrot Orange Ginger Soup

Soups are always considered to be a healthy, filling and delectable treat. Especially on those cold winter nights, rather than making an elaborate dinner it is sometimes good to settle down with a  bowl of hot soup and snuggle early to bed. 
This Carrot orange ginger soup is a great soup for those chilly  days with the goodness of carrots, vitamin C of orange and ginger to take care of your immunity during the season.


 Recipe courtesy : Tasneem

 Ingredients

1 onion chopped

a big piece of ginger chopped(2 inch piece)

1 carrot sliced

2 tsp grated orange rind

1-2 Tbsp orange juice

1 Tbsp butter

4 cups stock/water

1 soup cube(optional)

(salt and pepper to taste if soup cube is not added)

Method

• Heat butter in a saucepan.
• Add the chopped ginger and 1 tsp orange rind. Saute for a few seconds.
• Add the chopped onion and saute until translucent.
• Add sliced carrots. Saute
• Pour the stock or water and the soup cube(I have used maggi soup cube). Cover and cook until the carrot is soft and cooked.
• Cool and then blend.
• Heat again the blended soup. Pour the the orange juice and add the remaining rind and serve hot.

I have not added salt or any other seasoning as I have added a soup cube . Adding the soup cube is optional. You can skip that and add salt and other seasonings as per your taste. However the soup cube imparts a very nice flavor to the soup.

Dragon Chicken Restaurant Style

 

Dragon Chicken is a contemporary Indochinese dish wherein chicken strips are marinated, fried and then tossed in a spicy, sweet and tangy sauce loaded with crisp cashews, onions and peppers. A lovely starter or as a side dish to fried rice, noodles etc. 

 I have no idea about the origin of this recipe but somehow I believe that the dish must have acquired its name from the appearance of the chicken strips (dragon like when marinated and fried) and its fiery color and taste (when it is tossed in a spicy , tangy and sweet sauce). Whatever said or done this is a super tasty dish, something that we always order when we eat out at any Indochinese eatery. 

I have tried recreating it at home several times( I have uploaded a dragon chicken recipe long before on the blog) for the kids but then the love for the restaurant ones never subsided, until I made it this way:). Now this is favorite at home, something that very closely tastes like the restaurant ones.

Ingredients

250 gm boneless chicken, cut into thin long strips

For the marination

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp dark soy sauce

1  1/2 tsp red chili paste

1  1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 egg

3 tsp cornflour

2  1/2 Tbsp all purpose flour

oil for frying

For the sauce

2 1/2 Tbsp oil

10- 12 cashew nuts, chopped roughly

3 whole red chilies

a handful of sliced red and green capsicum

1/2 onion sliced

1  1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1  1/2 tsp red chili paste

1/4 cup tomato ketchup

1  1/2 tso soy sauce(dark)

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

1  1/2 to 2 Tbsp water 

Method

• Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients mentioned under marination and marinate for 15 minutes.
• Heat oil and fry the marinated chicken strips until golden brown on all sides.
• To prepare the sauce, in another pan, heat oil(you can take from the oil used to fry the chicken). Add the chopped cashew nuts and red chilies.
• Fry for a few seconds. Then add the onions and sliced capsicums. Fry on high heat for a few seconds.
• Add the ginger garlic paste and red chili paste. Saute for few seconds.
• Add the tomato ketchup, followed by soy sauce. Mix everything well.
• Add salt, sugar and water. Mix well.
• Toss in the fried chicken. Mix well so that the the sauce coats the chicken pieces well. Fry for 1-2 minutes on high heat.
• Serve hot as a starter or with fried rice, noodles, white rice etc.

 

Egg Fried Rice - Korean style

Have been exploring the Korean cuisine lately and have found  some of the Korean recipes to be really easy and at the same time very tasty too. This egg fried rice is one such recipe that I came across recently and immediately gave a try. It was a hit at home and has been repeated frequently now as it is so so easy!

Ingredients

• 2-3 sprigs of spring onion, chopped
• 2 cups cooked white rice(basmati or jasmine rice)
• 2 eggs
• salt to taste
• 3-4 Tbsp oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced or chopped 
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp crushed pepper

Method

• Break the eggs and add to the cooked rice. Add salt and mix gently. Keep aside.
• In a pan, heat the oil and add the chopped spring onion and garlic. Saute on a high flame for a few seconds.
• 
  
• Add the rice and egg mixture. Stir fry continuously until the eggs get scrambled. 
• Add soy sauce and mix well.
• Finally sprinkle the crushed pepper and give a thorough mix.
• Serve hot garnished with chopped spring onion.

Stir Fried Broccoli

  Broccoli,a member of the cruciferous vegetable family is considered to be a powerhouse of nutrients. A vegetable that is low in calories but contains a wealth of nutrients including fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron, and potassium. It also boosts more protein than most other vegetables. Cooking method of this veggie is quite crucial in order to maintain its freshness and nutrient content. Just blanched or steamed broccoli is the best way to have it. To boost the taste we can stir fry it with just a dash of soy sauce and garlic. Adding too many ingredients and cooking broccoli is not advisable as this tastes the best with very limited ingredients. Moreover as the cooking time is very less for this veggie you should be quick so that you don't end up overcooking it.

This recipe was shared by to me by Tasneem and it is so simple, easy and very tasty too. With minimal ingredients you can get your lunch or dinner ready and be satisfied that you had a healthy and hearty meal. Stir fried broccoli with some plain white rice is a pure bliss especially on those days when you want to eat something healthy, light and at the same time easy to make.

 

Ingredients

1 head broccoli cut into florets - approximately 4 cups broccoli florets

4-5 garlic cloves, sliced

1 Tbsp sesame oil

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp cornflour diluted in 1 Tbsp water

salt (if required, as soy sauce has high salt content)

Method

• Boil plenty of water in a saucepan.
• Add the broccoli to the boiling water. Blanch the broccoli for just a few seconds and as they Turn bright green drain them from the water and keep aside.
• In a pan heat sesame oil. Add the sliced garlic and saute on high flame for two seconds and Then toss in the broccoli and stir fry on high heat for 1-2 minutes.
• Add the soy sauce and saute.
• Pour the cornflour dissloved in water and mix well for a few seconds.
• Serve hot with steamed white rice.

 

There is no need for adding salt as usually the soy sauce has enough salt. But if you feel you can add salt and pepper as per your taste. I haven't added here any extra seasoning as I prefer it this way.