SIMPLY SHRIMP

I actually want to call this semi-home made (the famous food network show). This is again one of the non-veg dishes I made while my brother was visiting me during the thanksgiving weekend. I know its been like nearly three weeks to that, but I have actually not been doing any serious cooking lately, that is why I am posting recipes that I made some time back. Well now that the holiday season is going to begin in full swing and I will be having guests coming over, there will be lots of food and lots of fun. But about that later.

Coming back to my shrimp dish that I dished out it no more than twenty minutes (should I not call it 30 minute meal??? forget it.....). It did not require any preparation as the shrimp as well as the veggies I used were all frozen. So all I actually did, was think what sauces should go into it and with what will it taste the best.

so here goes the recipe.

You will need

• frozen garlic butter shrimp- 1 packet (I picked this up from Ralphs)
  
• frozen asian stir- fry vegetables- 1 packet (found in the frozen vegetable section of any grocery store)
  
• onion (slices)-1
• chilly sauce- 1 tbsp
  
• soy sauce- 1 tbsp
  
• tomato sauce- 1 tbsp
  
• salt and pepper - to taste
  
• sugar- a pinch
  

You have to 

1. heat a pan. To this add the frozen shrimp. do not add any oil, as the garlic butter on the shrimp will melt once heated through.
   
2. once the shrimp heats up, (about five minutes),add the sliced onions.cook for a minute.
3. add the frozen vegetables.
   
4. add salt, cover and cook for a few minutes.
   
5. now add all the sauces, along with the pepper and the sugar.
   
6. cook on low heat till the shrimp and the vegetables become soft.
   
7. the entire cooking time will take around 15-20 minutes.
   
8. check for seasoning.
9. serve hot over steamed rice.

a quick meal with proteins, carbs and lots of veggies, ready in no time.

because this meal was super simple to make, I decided to send this for Recipes for the rest of us event hosted by Ramki of one page cookbooks. 

enjoy

TANDOORI CHICKEN

My husband came back from India, couple of days back. And unpacking his bags with all the stuff from India was a lot of fun and a whole lot of work. Though he had to pay fifty bucks extra for travelling with extra luggage, but I guess for all the authentic spices and lots of mithai.....its worth it. So I have been busy with all that.

I did not make this recipe for his homecoming (he is a vegetarian), this was made a week back when my brother was here. Again, this was something I made for the first time. Never liked the tandoori chicken that we get here in Indian restaurants. Somehow I feel the chicken to be too dry and without any spices. So I made this the way I like it. spicy, tender and juicy. And trust me it was a treat. Loved it. The marinade had gone right inside the meat, making it soft and juicy.

yummmmyyyy. 

Here goes the recipe.

You will need

• curd- 1 cup
  
• kasoori meethi-1/2 tsp
  
• red chilly powder-1 tsp
  
• tandoori masala- 1 tbsp (regularly available at any indian grocery store)
  
• coriander and cumin powder- 1 tbsp
  
• amchoor powder (dry mango powder)- 1/2 tsp
  
• oil- 1 tbsp
  
• ginger and chilly paste- 1 tsp
  
• grated onions- 1/2 cup
  
• chicken- 1 pound

You have to

1. remove any excess water from the curd. If using home made curd, tie it in a muslin cloth and leave it overnight. 
   
2. take teh curd in a bowl.
3. mix in the grated onion, ginger chilly paste and the oil into the curd.
   
4. mix in all the other spices, except the tandoori masala.
   
5. add in the chicken,mix everything up. leave it to marinade.
   
6. the longer it sits in the marinade the better. overnight is best.
   
7. preheat the oven to 450, place the chicken pieces in a baking dish. 
   
8. pour the extra marinade all over the chicken, sprinkle the tandoori masala. 
   
9. cover with a foil, and bake it for half an hour.
   
10. remove foil, turn over the chicken pieces and roast it, till all the marinade dries up, and the chicken is nice and brown on both sides.
    
11. serve with naan, sliced onions, and lemon wedges.

yummmyyyy

You can grill it in the Barbe-cue. 

make it on the stove top, on a griddle.

leftovers make very tasty wraps. just take off the meat, chop it, and add it to a tortilla with lots of salad leaves.

it would taste very good if mixed with cooked rice and sauteed for a few minutes. a quick chicken pulao.

or simply just have it with a bowl of salad.

enjoy.

SIMPLE CHICKEN CURRY

I still remember my childhood days, when every Sunday we use to look forward to eating my mom's special cooking. Lunches were the focal point of our lazy sundays. And simple chicken curry with rice was my all time favourite. I don't know what it is with mother's cooking, simple things feel so comforting and long after those years I crave for such simple pleasures every now and then. 

the thanksgiving weekend was spent with my brother who came down from LA for the long weekend. Missed my husband who is on a fortnight trip to India. (He is returning on Tuesday)

I made chicken curry with rice and it brought back all those memories of  our lazy sunday afternoons. Though I prepared the chicken curry just the same way as mom would do, but still it was not the same. none the less, here is the recipe

You will need

chicken-1 pound

onion paste- 1 cup

tomato puree- 1/2 cup

ginger garlic and green chilly paste-1 tbsp

red chilly powder- 1 tsp

turmeric powder- 1 tsp

tandoori masala powder- 2 tsp

salt - to taste

oil- 1 tbsp

cilantro- for garnishing

You have to

1. wash the chicken well
   
2. heat oil in a pan. add the ginger garlic and green chilly paste.saute
   
3. add the onion paste. saute till the onion turns brown.
   
4. add the red chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt. add around 1/2 cup of water and cook the masala well.
   
5. once the oil begins to seperate add the chicken. cook on low flame. 
   
6. keep cooking on low till the chicken begins to get tender. add some water.
   
7. add the tomato puree, mix, cover and cook.
   
8. cook till the chicken becomes soft and the gravy thickens. 
   
9. add the tandoori masala, garnish with cilantro.
   
10. serve with plain rice and or chapatis. 
    

enjoy.

will be posting another chicken recipe soon.

till then eat well