Chicken Fried Rice

   Fried rice is one of the most popular recipes in Asia. This is a versatile dish since you can use any combination of vegetables, meat or seafood that you like. My mother used to make it for us when we were kids and it was a treat for us. Every one have their own way of making fried rice. I got this basic recipe from vahrevah.com to which I have made a few changes. The best rice to make fried rice is left-over rice since each grain will be separate. This delicious dish is extremely easy to prepare. Be careful not to overcook the vegetables, they should be crunchy. Kids will love it.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

 

1.  Cold cooked rice - 3 cup (I used basmati rice)

2.  Chicken breast halves (skinless boneless) - 2 finely diced

3.  Green bell pepper - half finely chopped

4.  Red bell pepper - half finely chopped

5.  Carrot - 1

6.  Beans  - 50 gm

7.  Onion - half finely chopped

8. Garlic - 3 minced

9.  Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

10.  Corn flour - 1/2 tsp

11.  Soy sauce - 1 tbsp or to taste

12. Vinegar  - 1 tbsp

13. Egg - 3 beaten

14. Spring onion - 2

15. Celery - 2 stalks

16. Salt - To taste

17. Sugar - 1/2 tsp

18. vegetable oil or butter - 1 tbsp

 

 

Method

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1)  To the chicken pieces add pepper powder, few drops of egg, salt and corn flour.  Shallow fry them in oil.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2)  Heat 1 tbsp oil or butter in a wide pan. Add chopped garlic, onion and saute till onion turns light brown. Now add beans. Saute at high heat for a minute. 

 

 

 

 

 

3)  Add carrot and bell pepper.  Saute for a few minutes at high heat. Add soy sauce, vinegar

and mix well.  Add the chicken pieces (you can chop the fried chicken pieces if you want) . Mix well.

 

 

 

 

 

4) Now add rice and stir fry for a few minutes. Add sugar and garnish with spring onion and celery.  Check salt.  Scramble the eggs in a separate pan and mix well with the rice. Serve hot.

 

 

 

Tips:

 

1.  Vegetarians can avoid egg and chicken.

2. Use left-over rice to make fried rice.

3.  You can use other veggies like green peas, corn, broccoli, bean sprouts, babycorn, mushroom etc.

 

 

Aloo Gobi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

 

1. Cauliflower florets - 2 cups 
2. Potatoes – 2 cubed
3. Onion - 1/2 medium chopped
4. Tomato - 1 medium
5. Green chilli - 4
6. Fresh Ginger Garlic crushed - 1 1/2 tsp
7. Coriander powder - 2 tsp
8. Chilli powder - 1 tsp
9. Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp
10. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
11. Hing - 1/4 tsp
12. Lime juice - 1 tsp
13. Dry methi leaves - 2 tbsp
14. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
15. Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
16. Salt - to taste
17. Oil - 1 tsp
18. Coriander leaves chopped - to garnish

Method

 

1. Coarsely grind the onion, green chilli and tomato in a mixer.

 

 

2. Heat oil in a pan and splutter the cumin seeds .Then add hing and the ginger garlic at low heat.

3. Add the ground mix, salt and mix well.

4. Microwave the cauliflower and potatoes separately with salt and pepper powder for few minutes so that it will be half done(optional, by doing this you can save time).

5. Once the oil start separating from the paste add the coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, pepper powder and the dry methi leaves. Mix well and add the lime juice.

6. Then add potatoes and cauliflower florets ,mix well and sprinkle some water. Cover it with a lid and cook in medium heat. Stir in between.

7. It will be ready within 30 mts.

8. Garnish with coriander leaves.

9. Serve hot with chappathi, puri or nan.

 

Tips:

1. Deep fry the cauliflower and potatoes with little salt and pepper and directly add to the gravy. This one is more tastier.
2. You can also sprinkle some gram masala just before serving.

Fried Idli

     If you have some left over idli, don’t waste it. We can change it into a yummy snack for tea time. It’s a 10 minute easy recipe with minimum ingredients.

   

 

 

 Ingredients

 1. Idli - 4

2. Finely chopped onion - 2 tbsp

3. Finely chopped ginger & garlic - 1 tsp

4. Tomato ketchup - 3/4 tsp

5. Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tsp

6. Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp

7. Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

8. Salt - to taste

For tempering

1. Oil - 2 tsp

2. Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp

3. Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method

 

1. Cut the idli in cubes.

2. Heat oil in a pan, splutter the mustard seeds, then add curry leaves.

3. Add the onion, sauté it well, add little salt (remember there is salt in the idli) and chopped ginger & garlic.

4. When its light brown add the ketchup, chilli powder & turmeric powder. Mix well.

 

 

5. Immediately add the idli, mix well and close with a lid.

6. Cook in low flame for 5 minutes, stir in between.

7. Then remove the lid and mix well so that the idli will be fried and covered with the gravy.

8. Finally garnish with coriander leaves.

9. Serve hot with tea/coffee.

Tips:

1. You can also make idli upma by adding some carrots, nuts, green peas and grated coconut after sautéing ginger and garlic.
2. Use ghee instead of oil for kids.
3. You can deep/shallow fry the idli for kids, they will love it (it will taste like uzhunnu vada).

Sweet Boli

             Sweet boli is one of the traditional sweet served with payasam in South Indian weddings. I love boli even without payasam and used to buy from the store. Once I saw Lakshmi Nair’s recipe, I just wanted to try it. The boli turned out to be so yummy. Even though it takes a long time to make, the result is just superb. Do try this.

 

 

Ingredients

1. Chana dal (Kadalaparippu) - 2 cups

2. Sugar - 2 cups

3. Sesame oil - ½ cup

4. All purpose flour (Maida) - 2 cups

5. Cardamom powder - ¼ tsp

6. Ghee - 1/4 cup

7. Rice flour - to make the rolls, so it won’t stick

8. Turmeric - a pinch (optional)

 

Method

 

1. Cook the chana dal in a pressure cooker until soft or till 1 whistle in low flame, or you can switch off the heat when the pressure is almost filled so that the dal can be cooked in that pressure (dont overcook it,  should be just soft) . Drain it very well.

 

2. Make a dough from maida with water (add gradually, usually 1 cup for 2 cups of maida), pinch of turmeric (for colour) and a pinch of salt. The dough must be soft (than chappathi dough). After making the dough pour the sesame oil on top of it and keep for at least 1 hr (you can also add the oil to the dough and incorporate it well).

 

3. Grind the cooked dal in a mixer till you get a paste.

 

4. Heat the paste in medium heat. Add the sugar and ghee to this. Mix well and cook until the mix starts separating from the pan (should be soft). Add the cardamom powder.

 

5. Make lemon-sized balls from this.

6. Also make small lemon-sized balls from the maida  (smaller than the dal balls).

7. Keep the maida ball in your left hand and spread it with your right hand.

 

8. Place the chana ball in the center of maida sheet and wrap it well with maida sheet.

 

 

9. Press the layered balls between your hands and keep it on the rice flour.

 

10. Repeat the same for all the other balls.

11. Finally make very thin round sheets from the balls like chappathi. Use the rice flour to make the sheets so that it won’t stick.

 

12. Fry the sheets in a very hot tava(no need to add oil). Turn and fry the other side. It will take only a few seconds. Take care not to burn it or else it will have burnt spots.

 

 

 

Its best combination is with payasam. You can refrigerate these bolis for more than a month.

Tips:

1. Can cook and make the chana paste a day before.

2. Make all the balls at a strech. (ask your better half to do this :-)).

3. When half of the sheets are done, start frying and in between make the remaining sheets.

Mixed Sprouts Salad

                         

            Sprouts are full of nutrition and the best source of a balanced food. Sprouts are alkaline in nature and hence improve the health in many respects. They are helpful in complete purification of the body and also improve the disease fighting capacity of the body. Sprouts also increase the nutritional value of food.

  So let us try an easy, nutritional and tasty salad.

Sprouts of

1. Green gram (cherupayar) -  2 tbsp
2. Red chori( vanpayar) -2tbsp
3. Fenugreek (oluva) - 1tbsp
4. chick peas (kadala) – 1tbs

 

Fruits

1. Apple - 1/4 chopped
2. Pear - 1/4 chopped
3. Grapes - 1/2 chopped
4. Pomegranate – 2tbsp

Spring onion – 1chopped

 

Lemon juice -  1tbsp

Salt - to taste

Method

 

Mix all the above and serve.You can mix other fruits also.

 

How to make sprouts?

 

             Sprouts of kidney beans, fenugreek, gram and other grains can be made in a glass jar or damp cloth. Wash the grains or lentils thoroughly in water at least three to four times. Remove the bad seeds and place the good ones in a glass jar and fill it with four times water. Soak overnight, and spread on a cotton cloth, tie it nicely and keep it aside. During summer season, sprinkle cold water on the sprout  bag prepared in this manner to retain the moisture. Sprouts appear the next morning. The sprouting process takes more time during winter season than summer season. Sprinkle water inside the jar at regular intervals.

Chicken Cutlet

Ingredients

 

 

1. Boneless chicken - 250 gm 
2. Potato - 2 medium sized
3. Thai Green chilliies chopped very fine - 6-7 (Thai chilli)
4. Ginger chopped - 2 tbsp
5. Garlic chopped - 2 tbsp
6. Curry leaves - 3 sprigs
7. Lemon juice - 2 tsp  
8. Coriander leaves - ½ cup
9. Pepper powder - 1 ½ tsp
10. Garam masala powder - 2tsp
11. Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
12. Salt - to taste
13. Egg white - of 2 egg
14. Bread crumbs -Around 1/2 cup
15. Oil - for deep-frying

 

 

This yields around 20-25 cutlets

 

Method

 

1. Marinate the chicken with turmeric, salt, pepper powder(1/2 tsp), chopped ginger and garlic(1/2 tsp each) for around 1 hr. Pressure cook for 1 whistle.

2. Mince the cooked chicken.

3. Cook the potatoes and mash it well with little salt and turmeric.

4. Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped onion. Sauté until light brown.

5. Add the chopped green chillies, ginger and garlic. Sauté for 2 min.

  

6. Add the pepper powder, garam masala and salt.

7. Now add the minced chicken and potatoes. Mix well and add lemon juice , coriander leaves and curry leaves. Check for salt and add more if needed. Stir until the moisture content is completely gone.

8. When it cools down make small balls out of it.

9. Beat the egg white and add little salt to it.

 

10. Flatten the balls to desired shapes. Dip them in the egg-white and then in the bread crumbs.

 

11. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the balls (you can also shallow fry it).

12. Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Instead of chicken you can also use beef. 

Tips:

1. You can refrigerate the flattened balls dipped in egg white and bread crumbs for 2 days or can even freeze them.
2. You can add more bread crumbs/ maida  if the cutlet breaks while frying or if it doesn’t hold shape.
3. You can also use store bought mashed potatoes.

 

 

Vegetable Stew

 

  Ingredients

 

1. Potato - 1 large cubed

2. Onion - 1/2 of medium sliced

3. Carrot - 1 cubed

4. Fresh Beans - 1/2 cup cut into small pieces

5. Green Beans - 1/2 cup frozen

6. Cauliflower - 4 florets cut into small pieces

7. Ginger - 1/2 inch chopped

8. Cloves - 5

9. Cinnamon - 1/2 inch

10. Cardamom - 5

11. Black pepper corns - 8

12. Green chillies - 8 sliced

13. Salt - to taste

14. Turmeric powder - a pinch

 

15. Coconut milk - 1/2 cup (thick)

16. Curry leaves - 2 sprig

17. Coconut oil - 1/2tbsp

 

Method

 

 1. Cook all the vegetables and onion with salt, turmeric powder,the whole garam masalas, green chillies and ginger in little water.

2. When the vegetables are cooked ,reduce the heat,check for salt and add the coconut milk.

 

3. Add water if needed.

4. Finally add the coconut oil. And mix well.

   Serve this with appam / idiappam.   Happy cooking:)

Vegetable Pulav

     This is a different style pulav, which is easy and tasty too. It will go with chicken curry, chick peas curry, or any vegetable curry, even with curd and a pickle.

 

 Ingredients

 

1.Basmati rice - 3 cup

2.Carrot - 1 grated

3.Beans -  ½ cup cut diagonally

4.Green peas - ½ cup

5.Onion - ½ (medium-sized)

6.Raisins - ¼ cup

7.Cashew -1/4 cup

8.Cloves - 6

9.Cardamom - 4

10. Cinnamon stick - ½ inch

11. Black pepper corns - 8

12. Ghee - 1 tsp

13. Salt  - to taste

 

Method

 

 

1. Soak the rice for 20 minutes.

2. Drain it.

3. Shallow fry the raisins, cashews and keep aside.  

4. Fry the onion. 

5. Then shallow fry the beans with a pinch of salt. 

6. When the beans are half-done add the carrots and shallow fry them(add oil if needed). Keep these fried vegetables aside.

    

 

 

 

7. Heat a heavy nonstick pan, add the ghee and fry the drained rice in low flame for 5 mts. 

8. Meanwhile in another vessel boil water (6 cup for 3 cup of rice) with salt and whole garam masala. 

9. Pour the boiling water to the pan containing fried rice and stir well. Close it with a lid and cook in medium heat.

10. Check for water in between.

11. After 25- 30 mts the rice will be 98% cooked and there will be no water in the pan. 

12. Then remove it from the heat and add the green peas (don’t stir), close it again with the lid. Let it cool. 

13. The rice will be fully cooked by that time. Now add the fried Vegetables, fried onion, cashews, raisins to the rice and mix gently with a fork.