Chicken Kathi Roll made at home :-)

Hello... today I wanted to share a quick recipe of Chicken Kathi Roll to be made at home.

Below recipe is for making 4 chicken kathi rolls -

For the Chicken Filling -

2 pieces chicken breast, cut in small cubes

1 Tablespoon Oil

1 Tea-spoon Jeera

1 Cup Sliced Onions

1 Table-spoon Ginger-garlic paste

1 Cup chopped tomatoes

1 tea-spoon turmeric powder

1 tea-spoon garam-masala powder

1 tea-spoon coriander powder

1 tea-spoon jeera powder

Salt for taste

1/2-1 cup water

1. Heat Oil in a deep pan. Once hot, add jeera.

2. Add sliced onions as jeera starts spluttering. Fry till translucent.

3. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till oil separates from mixture.

4. Add tomatoes and all the spices, salt and fry till masala is cooked, and oil starts separating from the mixture.

5. Add chicken and cook covered on medium flame.

6. If mixture sticks to bottom of pan, add 1/2 cup water and cook till chicken is done.

7. Ensure the chicken mixture is not runny.. but dryish..

To Make the Square Paratha -

Use the same wheat flour (atta) dough, leveraged for making roti's.

Make 4 round-balls of the dough with approx, 4-5 cms diameter

Roll out the dough, as you would for roti. To make square paratha's follow the below steps -

1. Once you have made a round roti.. add little oil from one corner of roti to another, running from center

2. Fold opposite sides of the roti towards the center

3. Apply little oil on the folded section, and fold the other two sides of the roti towards the center.

4. Dab the square with loose atta, and roll it out into a larger square.

5. Ensure, the dough is not rolled out too thin..keep it a little thick.

Now, on a hot tawa, put the rolled out square dough. Once, you see small bubbles popping out, flip the paratha. Flip after 3-4 minutes.. you will see the surface has brown small dots. Apply a little oil on this side, and spread all over. Flip the side, and apply a oil on the other side as well. Fry till both sides are dark brownish..

Keep aside on Kitchen tissue to soak out excess Oil.

To make the Egg Paratha -

1. Beat 3 eggs in a bowl with little salt.

2. Heat pan and sprinkle little Oil.

3. Pour in little mixture of egg, and on the wet surface itself, put the paratha prepared above.

4. Let it cook for a while..till the mixture is soaked and cooked and remove the paratha from the pan.

5. Repeat the process for the other 3 parthas.

To Assemble the Chicken Kathi Roll -

Apart from the egg paratha, chicken pripared above, you'll need -

Non-stick Baking Paper

1 cup sliced Onion

Green Chutney/ Tomato Sauce

Lime juice

1/2 cup sliced green capsicum

1. Lay out a square inch of baking paper.

2. Put the Paratha on top.

3.Spread Green-chutney/ tomato sauce

4. Put chicken in center of the paratha

5. top it with onion, capsicum and little lime juice

6. Roll the paratha and wrap ti in the baking paper..

Enjoy with chutney.. :-)

Weekend Breakfast Idea....

Don't you just love weekend... I bet it would be practically impossible to find someone who doesn't enjoys waking up to a lazy weekend..full of one golden promise..a relaxing no pressure day. In making the morning of such a lovely day more treasured, a wonderful lay of breakfast plays a critical role.

I am sharing here one of the weekend breakfast ideas, which I love to dabble with..it isn't that difficult..so you sure will enjoy it...

Pancakes...with Spanish Omelette and bread with Rasberry Jam...

For the Pancake -

I use Betty Crocker mix...easily available in all super markets.

100 gms of pancake mix

150 ml of milk

45 ml of water

1 egg

Oil to fry

1. Mix all the ingredients into a smooth batter

2. Heat oil in a small non-stick pan

3. add 1-2 serving spoon amount of batter and let it cook on medium/ low flame.

4. Once the top is not runny any more, flip the pancake and cook the other side.

5. Cook each side till they have a brownish/ dark-brownish tinge as on cover of Betty crocker pancake mix.

Above measurements - make 8 pancakes...half it if you'r cooking for just two..

For the Spanish Omelette -

Okay..now here, what you put into your omelette is totally your call.. I mean, from Mushrooms, to colorful capsicum, onion, boiled potato, chicken salami, tomato, cheese.. you can choose your filling and go with it.

In recipe below, I will be using filling of colored capsicum (coz I so love them), mushrooms, chicken salami and cheese..

3 Eggs

1/2 cup finely chopped yellow & red capsicum

4-5 small mushrooms chopped finely

3-4 chicken salami ( I use Zorabian brand)

1 small cube of cheese (go by your desire for cheese)

Salt

Pepper

1. Mix all the above ingredients with the eggs.

2. heat Oil in a small span and pour in the mixture.

3. Let the mixture cook for 4-5 minutes in low to medium flame.

4. Use a flat spoon to release the omelette sticking to the pan.

5. Once yo see the base of the omelette is firm.. use a plate to cover the pan.

6. Keeping the plate firmly on top of the pan.. flip the pan on the plate.

7. Slide the omelette back to the pan..with the gooey side now down and firm side up.

8. Cook for 5-10 minutes more..or till down.

Remove from pan..

You can check this flipping the omelette trick on the web.. it's really helpful..search for how to make perfect spanish omelette and you'll get many links..

Toast the bread and serve with your favorite jam.. enjoy :-)

Sunday Lunch Idea...Grilled Fish...

Well considering my roots...and the awesome benefits of Fish..somehow it's not a surprise for me that I am so in love with Fish. Below is a Sunday Lunch menu..which works well for Mr. B & me.... easy to make , yum to eat.

Grilled King Mackerel with Vegs' in Black Pepper Sauce

3 Fillet of King Mackerel (Surmai)

For Marination

9-10 Garlic peeled and sliced.

7-8 Fresh Basil Leaves chopped

7 - 8 Fresh Oregano Leaves chopped (you can also used the Oregano available in market, coarser one, not fine powdered)

Cilantro Leaves chopped

50 ml White Wine

2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Tsp Chilli Flakes

1 Tbsp Fish Sauce

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Tsp Paprika Powder

Salt as per taste

Pepper as per taste

1. Clean the Fish well and pat dry with Kitchen Towel

2. Marinate the Fish in the above ingredients for 30 mins

3. Grill the Fish using an Electric Grill. Sprinkle Olive Oil on the grill before placing the Fish. In interim, apply the marinade liquid while grilling the fish and turning it

4. Use the remaining marinade as sauce. For same, heat the marinade in a small plan, and reduce by 50%

5. Remove the Fish and place on a plate of serving and pour the reduced sauce on top before serving. Serve and enjoy without much wait (don't let the fish cool :-) )

NOTE: If you don't have an electric grill, you can fry the Fish on a pan, with little Olive Oil.

For the Vegetable Side Dish

1 Cup chopped Cabbage

1/2 Cup Chopped Spinach

1 Tomato de-seeded and sliced in long thin strips

1/2 Yellow & 1/2 Red Capsicum sliced in long thin strips

1/2 Cup Carrot sliced in long thin strips

7-8 Button Mushrooms sliced

Add the vegetables that you like.... it's your take.

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Salt as per taste

Pepper as per taste

1-2 Tbsp Black Pepper Sauce

1. Heat Olive Oil in a large Pan

2. First add Cabbage to same, followed by Spinach and sprinkle a little Salt

3. Once they soften, add the mushroom and cook till half done

4. Add the carrot, Capsicum and Tomato's and cook for a while. Sprinkle Salt and pepper as required

5. Once you can see the vegetables are almost done, add the Black pepper sauce and mix well

6. Close the heat and transfer the vegetables on plate

For Bread...I usually pick Olive or Garlic bread...choose as per your taste, and enjoy the meal with a glass of white wine with your loved ones.

Black & White...if only

Damn if only things were black and white

Not the facades and not the masks strewn aside

Why messy them have so conflicting personas

Immoral and disturbed..vouching for rules & order

I sometimes find enactments so surreal

Pinching myself to feel was that really real..

If only Atlas Shrugged was just a book

If only it could be really made to come up to boot

The great Lady sure did talk some sense

For back then too people disturbing crawled to no end

And you wondered...why what is right and wrong

Where does one draws the line and says I am so done

I'll tell you what...maybe she did find it out

Maybe there is John Galt...

Recipe: Chicken in home-made Funky Sauce

Hello Again... now Chicken is something which most of us love to eat..and boy there sure are tons of ways to make same. I kinda mixed matched different recipes to come up with one that I sure love and enjoy a lot. It's the ideal thing to go with Port wine or white wine on a Friday evening party with Mr. B. Below is the recipe of same for same...try it, it's kinda good :-)

Chicken in Home-made Funky Sauce

500 gms Chicken Breast

1 Bulb Garlic ..peeled and cut in thin slices

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tbsp Cedar Vinegar

1 tbsp Light Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce

1 Tsp Fish Sauce

1 Tbsp Honey

2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

2 tbsp Ketchup

1 Cup Water

1 tsp Paprika Powder

Salt & Pepper for seasoning

1. Wash the Chicken breasts and cut into small pieces. Season salt & pepper for Marination in a bowl.

2. Heat Olive Oil in a non-stick sauce pan

3. Add Garlic and fry till golden brown

4. Add all the Sauces and water. Bring to Boil

5. Boil the Sauce mixture for 1 min.

6. Pour the mixture onto the marinated chicken.

7. Seal the bowl with plastic film and let it rest for 30-45 mins.

8. After 45 mins...heat a non-stick pan and pour the chicken and sauce mixture into it.

9. cook in slow flame till 20-30 mins...till chicken is done. In between, if the sauce dries..add a little water.

Chicken in funky sauce is ready to be served.... enjoy

Basic Chocolate Cake... :-)

It has been claimed that the scent of fresh baked goods lifts the mood and makes people nicer.

Well not to overlook such a strong motivator..I believe investing in baking goes beyond just making you nice... it kinda makes me happy..feeding yummy food to loved one's & seeing the joy in their faces sure makes my day. Below is my recipe for Basic Chocolate Cake. You would need a Microwave with Convection mode facility for same..and off you go..

Basic Chocolate Cake

4 Eggs

1 Cup Flour (Maida..ensure you keep it in Sun for some time so that it looses all moisture)

2 tsp Banking Powder

4 tbsp Cocoa Powder

1 Cup & 4 Tbsp Powdered Sugar (this is important, if you don't have powdered sugar, just grind regular sugar to make some)

1/2 Cup Milk

1 Cup Oil

2 Tsp Vanilla Essence

Handful of Cashews (broken) and Raisins

1. Sift Flour with Baking Powder and Cocoa powder and keep aside (Use a sieve/channi for same)

2. Beak eggs & sugar till the eggs turn fluffy and more than double of their initial volume. Add essence. (Ensure you don't beat the the mixture too much either...if using an electric hand mixer..usually 2-3 minutes is enough)

3. Add Oil tot he beaten mixture and mix well (beat for 30 seconds with the electric hand mixer)

4. Now gently fold in the flour gradually till all flour has been used (You would need to be careful at the this step...for folding, put a little flour i the mixture and always move the spatula only in circular motion clock-wise till it is dissolved..continue the process till all is mixed)

5. Once mixed..add Milk to the mixture to get a slightly thinner consistency.

6. Pre-heat the oven at this time by keeping your Microwave in Convection mode at 200 degrees Celsius.

7. Grease a deep bowl (I use Borosil's baking dish) by spraying/ spreading a little oil in it and coat it lightly with loose Flour. Ensure you don't let excess Flour stick to the baking dish.

8. Pour the mixture into the bowl and top it with the cashews and raisin.

9. Now bake it in Convection mode for 45 Minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. Ensure you place the dish on a low rise grill inside the oven so that heat reaches the center of the dish as well.

10. After cooking and 15 minutes cooling inside the oven..remove the cake from the Microwave using baker gloves.

11. To remove the cake from the dish..place a plate on-top of the dish and invert it. The cake with fall onto the plate upside down. Move away the baking dish and by using another plate at bottom of the cake, invert the cake upside.

Easy chocolate cake is ready to be served... enjoy with family and friends :-)

Suji Kakara Pitha - Odiya Delicacy for Puja Days

Whenever I think about my childhood and the festive occasions gone by...what strongly comes to my mind is the amazing food that Ma would cook for us. I would hang around the Kitchen to steal from the first batch of food cooked, and gobble it down the minute it was out..all pipping hot..tears flowing from my eye, but a big smile beaming across my face.... the food Ma cooked was heavenly.

Job..marriage..all happened and I moved out of my parents home...what I miss most is my Mom's food.. whatever she would make was always soooo good, that it would just make your day. I remember my Mom cooked some of the best dishes when she cooked in a hurry..juggling work...running around in mayhem..and then emerge with a platter full of heavenly bites...ohhh boy old days :-)

I think the passion I have for cooking comes from her...from Ma's family..well I'll spill the beans on them some other time.. Today I am going to share a fantastic recipe of one of my Mom's chosen festive dish - Suji Kakara Pitha

Recipe -

500 gms Suji

6 Tablespoons sugar

Salt to Taste

1 Shredded Coconut

1 Tsp Cardamom Powder

Oil to Fry

2 Tablespoon Ghee

1. Boil 1 Litre water (as a rule: boil water equal to double the amount of Suji taken)in a deep pan (Kadhai)

2. Once water is boiling add 3 Tablespoons of Sugar and Salt and mix well.

3. Reduce the flame, and add the Suji slowly..mixing with other hand through-out. Ensure no lumps are made.

4. Once the mixture is ready..close the flame and let it cool.

5. In another pan, heat the shredded coconut but mixing it with 3 Tablespoons of Sugar and Cardamom powder. Once mixed, close the flame and keep it aside to cool.

6. Once the Suji dough is cooled...kneed the dough with Ghee to make it softer.

7. Make small round balls from the dough. Flatten them and fill the coconut mixture in them. Close it to make a ball again and flatten a bit by pressing from both sides.

8. Keep some flattened balls plain..with no filling.

9. Heat Oil in a deep pan (Kadhai) and fry the flattened balls till they turn golden brown on both sides.

10. Enjoy once done :-)