CHINESE GARLIC CHICKEN

• Ingredients

Boneless chicken               - 500 gm

• To marinate

Egg                                  -1
Cornflour                         - 1 tbsp
White flour                       - 2 tbsp
Garlic flakes crushed        - 4-5
Salt                                 - needed

Make a batter of above ingredients .Add chicken to this and allow to marinate.Then deep fry the chicken pieces.

• For stock

Water                            - 2 cups
Chicken bones
Soyasauce                     -  1 tbsp
Vinegar                          - 1 tbsp
Celery   stalk                 - 1 chopped

Boil the above ingredients together to prepare the stock.

• For gravy 

Garlic                          - 1 bulb sliced
Ginger                         - 1 tsp sliced
Celery                         - 2 tbsp sliced
Spring onion                - 2 tbsp sliced
Soyasauce                   - 1 tbsp
Tomato sauce              - 2 tbsp
Chilly paste                  - 1 tbsp
Cornflour                     - 1 tbsp
Oil                              - 2 tbsp

• Method of preparation

Heat oil in a pan. Add garlic and ginger. Saute for 2 min, then add celery and spring onion. To this add all the sauces and chilly paste. Mix well. Add chicken stock, allow it to boil. Then add fried chicken pieces. When this boils, add cornflour mixed in a little stock and allow it to boil again. When the gravy turns to needed constituency turn off the gas. Garnish with  chopped spring onion and grated carrot.

Easy recipe.......goes well with noodles, fried rice, chapatti and naan.

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CHICKEN CHEESE STICK

Ingredients

Chicken                    -  1 cup
(cooked with salt and pepper, and then minced)
Cheese                     -  2-3 tbsp
(mozzarella preferred)
Onion chopped        - 2 tbsp
Salt                          - needed
Pepper powder        - needed
Cornflour                 - little (if needed)
Egg                          - 1
Bread crumbs           - needed
Oil                            - for frying
Tooth picks

Preparation method

Mix all the ingredients except cornflour. If the mixture is loose, add a little cornflour.  Make small balls of this mixture on the tip of tooth picks. Dip one by one in egg, then in bread crumbs. Fry in oil till golden brown . Serve hot with sauce.
             
This is an easy snack recipe, which children will love. Everyone should try.

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SPINACH AND MUSHROOM BHAJI

• Ingredients

Fresh spinach           -900gm(shredded)
Button mushroom     -450gm(thickly sliced)
Tomatoes                -400gm(chopped)
Garlic clove             -2 (chopped)
Ginger                     -1inch piece (chopped)
Large onions           -2 thinly sliced
Mustard seeds        -1tbsp
Coriander seeds     -2tsp
Cumin seeds          -1tsp
Turmeric pow        -1/4tsp
Chilly pow             -1 1/2 tsp
Veg oil                   -50ml
Desicated coconut -4tbsp(garnish)
Salt                       - needed
Pepper pow          -needed

• Preparation method

Dry roast mustard, coriander and cumin seeds till a nice aroma comes. Remove from fire and let it cool. Now grind these into a paste with ginger and garlic.Heat oil in a pan add onions saute, till it turns golden. Now add the paste, turmeric pow, chilly powder saute again for 5 min.Add mushrooms, stir well so that the mushrooms get well coated in the spice mix.Then add tomatoes, stir and bring to boil. Simmer for 10 min stirring occasionally. Add spinach stir well. Add salt and pepper pow.Reduce flame cover and simmer for 15 min, stirring frequently to blend in spinach.Check the seasoning and adjust accordingly. Now serve hot, sprinkled with coconut. This goes well with rice and rotis.

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GRILLED GRAPE FRUIT WITH ICE CREAM

• Ingredients

Pink grape fruit       -2
Sugar                     -1tbsp
Vanilla ice cream    -4 scoops

• Preparation method

Cut the grape fruit into half.Cut around the edge, between the pith and the flesh. Separate the segments, and sprinkle each half with sugar.Put in ramekins and put them with their flesh side up and put on a grill pan. Grill for 2-3 min until starting to lightly brown. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top of each, immediately. This is a delicious dessert and easy to make kids eat fruits..........

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CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS

• Ingredients

Soft margarine                    -100gm
Caster sugar                       -225gm
Big eggs                             -2
Full fat yoghurt                   -150ml
Milk                                  -5tbsp
White flour                        -275gm
Soda Bicarbonate             - 1tsp
Dark chocolate chips        -175gm

• Preparation method

Preheat the oven to 190C.Keep paper cases in muffin tin.Cream margarine and sugar in a bowl with a  spoon till it becomes light and fluffy.Beat in eggs, milk and yogurt until combined. Sift together flour and soda bi carbonate and add to the mixture with chocolate chips.Stir until just blended.Spoon the mix into muffin cases and bake for 25min.

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CHEESE AND RICE CASSEROLE

• Ingredients

Brown rice                  -200gm
(cooked and cooled)
Onions                       -3 chopped
Cottage cheese          -200gm
Dried dill                    -1tsp
Parmesan cheese       -50gm grated
Milk                          -125ml

• Preparation method

Preheat oven to 180 C.Lightly grease a large casserole dish.Mix really well all the ingredients in a bowl and pour this into the casserole dish. Bake for 15 to 20min, until its hot and melting. Serve hot. 

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CREME CARAMEL

• Ingredients

Sugar              -175gm
Milk                -750ml
Caster sugar    -75gm
Eggs               -4
Vanilla ess       -1tsp

• Preparation method

Preheat oven to 160 C.Brush eight ramekins or cupcake holder with butter.Put granulated sugar and 50ml of water in a pan and heat it. Bring to boil and reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture turns golden and caramalised. Remove from the heat and pour hot caramel to the bottom of the ramekins to coat the base.In another pan heat the milk until almost boiling, and then remove from heat. Whisk together caster sugar, egg and vanilla essence for 2 min, then stir in the warm milk. Strain this mixture and pour into ramekins.Put the ramekins in a baking dish, and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the ramekins.Bake for 30 min or until the custard is done. Allow to cool and refrigerate for at least 2hrs before serving. Serve the creme caramel upside down so that the caramalised portion come on top. This is a beautiful and delicious classic dish.

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BERRY ORANGE SMOOTHIE

I

Smoothies are easily made healthy breakfast. You can use any fruits and vegetables.Smoothies are full of anti oxidants, vitamins, protein and much more.

• Ingredients

Navel orange       -2
(peel, remove pith and cut into chunks)

Blueberry          -1cup
(frozen)
raspberry          -1cup
(frozen)

• Preparation method

Blend all the ingredients till smooth serve chilled. A very healthy fulfilling breakfast.

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BATTURA

• Ingredients

White flour               -250gm
Baking pow             -1/2 tsp
Soda bi carb           - 1/4 tsp
Salt                         - as needed
(sift together all the above ingredients)
Curd                       -1/2cup
Sugar                      -1tsp
Egg yolk                 -1
Milk                       - as needed
Oil                         - as needed

• Preparation method

Mix sugar, egg and curd , add this to the sifted flour. Knead well, adding milk as needed to make a soft dough. Keep it aside to rise for about 4 hrs. Knead again. Make into balls, roll the balls like puris,a little thick.Fry in hot oil. Use as little milk as needed, if too much milk is used then the dough wont rise.Serve hot with curry.

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BANANA CUTLET

• Ingredients

Steamed banana             -2cups
( mashed without seeds)
Sugar                             -2cups
Grated coconut              -1/4 cup
Cardamom powder        -1/4tsp
Vanilla essence               -1/4tsp
White flour                     -1/2cup
Bread crumbs                 - as needed

• Preparation method

Mix together all the ingredients except flour and bread crumbs. Make small balls and shape into cutlets. Make a thick batter with flour and water. Dip the cutlets in batter and then coat it with bread crumbs.Deep fry in hot oil. Serve hot.........very yummy.

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GARLIC BEEF

• Ingredients

Veal                            -1/2kg
Oil                               - 1/4 cup
Garlic flakes                 -2tsp
(crushed with skin)
Dry red chilly               -3
(seeds removed )
Ginger slivered             -2tsp
Cornflour                     -2tsp
Soy sauce                    -2tsp
Ajinomotto                  -2 pinch
Beans and carrots        - 1/8 cup each
(slivered)
Cashew nuts                -1/4cup
(fried)

•      For marination

Soy sauce                  -2tsp
Vinegar                        -2tsp
Finely chopped celery  -1tbsp
Salt                              -as needed

• Preparation method

Marinate the veal for 1hr and then cook it with marinade and enough water.When the meat is cooked and the marinade is reduced to 1 cup remove the meat from the gravy. Cut the strained meat in slivers. Steam the vegetables taking care not to loose color. Fry garlic in hot oil and remove and discard. To this oil add dry chilly and ginger. Saute. Add cornflour to this and saute properly. When the flour is seasoned, add soy sauce. As soon as the sauce becomes frothy, add the gravy of  marinade, stir well ans let it boil. Stir in the ajinomotto and reduce the flame. Now add the slivered meat.When it boils remove from the fire. Serve hot garnished with steamed vegetables and fried cashew nuts. This is a very tasty dish , goes well with fried rice and rotis.      

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CHICKEN CHOPS

• Ingredients

Chicken                             -1/2kg
(cut into big pieces and gashed at several places)
Onion                                 -1/2cup

(finely chopped)
Green chilly                        -1 tsp
(finely chopped)
Ginger                                -1tsp
(finely chopped)
Ripe tomatoes                    -1/4cup
(finely chopped)
Raisins (ground to a paste)  -1tsp
Chilly powder                     -1tsp
Coriander powder              -1/2tsp
Turmeric powder                -1/4tsp
Pepper powder                   -1/8tsp
Aniseed powder                  -1 pinch
Curd                                   -1/4 cup
(not sour)
Salt                                     -as needed
Refined ground nut oil          -2tsp
Butter                                  -2tsp
Curry leaves                        - a few

• Preparation method

Mix chicken pieces with all the ingredients except curry leaves in a pan.Close it with a deep lid containing water and cook. Chicken has to be  well cooked with all the gravy absorbed and oil separated , remove the lid. Add curry leaves , and let it fry well. Remove and serve hot.

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DATE CAKE

• Ingredients

Dates (chopped)      -1cup
Egg white                 -1
Powdered sugar       -1cup
White flour               -1 2/3cup
Baking soda             -1tsp
Butter(melted)          -1/2 cup
Egg yolk                   -1
Vanilla essence         -1tsp
Hot water                -1/2 cup
Chopped nuts         -1/2 cup

• Preparation method

Preheat oven to 350degree F. Beat egg whites, till it become fluffy. Beat again after adding the powdered sugar.Sift flour with baking soda. Mix separately egg yolk and butter and pour this mix into the flour. Fold well. Then fold in the egg white mixture. Soak the dates in hot water for 10 min. Strain the dates and add the dates and nuts to the cake mix. Fold again. Pour the mix to a greased cake tin and bake for 1hr. Its a delicious cake.

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TEA CAKE

• Ingredients

White flour           -250gm
Baking pow         -1tsp
Milk                    -1/4 cup
Powdered sugar  -250gm
Butter                 -250gm
Egg yolks           -4
Orange rind        -1/4tsp(grated)
Lime rind            -1/4tsp(grated)
Egg whites          -4
Vanilla essence   -1tsp
sugar                  -2tbsp

• Topping

Butter                 -2tsp
Cinnamon           -1tsp
Caster sugar       -1tsp

• Preparation method

Pre heat oven to 400 degree F.Sift together flour and baking powder. Soften the butter. Cream together butter, sugar and yolks slowly so that it becomes a fluffy mixture. Add the orange and lemon rinds to it. Fold in flour alternatively with milk in two batches.Whisk together egg whites, essence and sugar.Fold this into the cake mix.. Butter the base of round cake pan. Pour the mix. Bake for 35-45 min or until the skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.Let the cake cool in pan for 5 min.Reverse the cake so that the top is upper most.When cake is still hot spread butter and sprinkle sugar and cinnamon. Topping is optional. Slice and serve. As the name suggests, an excellent companion for tea.

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COCONUT LADDOO

• INGREDIENTS

Coconut flakes         -3cups
Milkmaid                  -1tin
Butter                       -1tbsp
Cardamom powder  -1/2 tsp

• Preparation method

Melt butter in a pan add milkmaid, coconut flakes and cardamom powder. Mix well till the mixture leaves the sides of the vessel.Remove from fire. When cooled a bit, make into balls.Take some coconut flakes in a plate. Then roll these balls in flakes so that the balls are coated with flakes.Can be garnished with pista or badam or cashew nut or raisins. Enjoy. This laddoos are easy to make, tasty and will stay fresh for  few days.

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