Chicken and Spinach Cutlets

Chicken Cutlets or Spinach cutlets are commonly prepared at home during tea time, but the combination of both chicken and spinach is new since I never thought of trying this before.

As we all know spinach is a rich source of Vitamins, folate, iron, calcium, potassium and the list goes on. It is important to include leafy vegetables like spinach in your diet. Chicken is high in protein and low in saturated fat than red meats. When we combine chicken and spinach, it will be a perfect snack serving you vitamin and proteins...

Cutlets before frying

So just go and grab the items which you have in the kitchen and try this healthy and nutritious snack.These can be made ahead of time and store it frozen. When required thaw, deep fry them.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken- 250 gms
2. Turmeric Powder- ½ tsp
3. Pepper Powder- 1 tsp
4. Salt- as required
5. Spinach (chopped)- 1 Cup
6. Potatoes (boiled)- 2 nos
7. Onions- 2 nos
8. Green Chillies- 3 nos
9. Ginger and Garlic Paste- 2 tbsp
10. Curry leaves- few
11. Coriander Leaves (chopped)- ½ Cup
12. Red Chilli Powder- 1 tbsp
13. Coriander Powder- 2 tbsp
14. Turmeric Powder- ½ tbsp
15. Garam Masala powder- 2 tsp
16. Salt- as per taste
17. Bread Crumbs- to coat
18. Egg- 1 no
19. Oil- to fry

Method:

1. Boil boneless chicken along with turmeric powder pepper powder and salt using little water. When chicken pieces are boiled keep it aside to cool and mince them using a mixer or a food processor.
2. Chop the onions and green chillies into small pieces using a hand mixer.
3. In a kadai heat oil, fry the onions and green chillies till translucent. Add the ginger and garlic paste, curry leaves and coriander leaves and fry for a while.
4. In this add the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder. Stir well and add the spinach leaves, mix well.
5. In this add the minced chicken and boiled potatoes. Mix till everything is well blended. Adjust the salt accordingly.
6. Meanwhile beat the egg with little salt and the bread crumbs in a bowl.
7. Switch off the flame and once when it is cool, shape them into small balls and make it in a desired shape.
8. Dip them first in beaten egg and then in bread crumbs and fry in oil till brown and crispy. Repeat the process till everything is done. Enjoy this along with tomato ketchup/ green chutney.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Kheeme Ki Luqmi / Minced chicken Stuffed Wraps

As Ramadan fasting is going on, I will be googling for different recipes so that I can make them in the evening for iftar. One such recipe is this Kheeme ki Luqmi which I found when I accidentally stumbled on Roha Khan’s blog Hyderabadi Cuisine Recipes- angel, simply an amazing blog.

Luqmi as told in wikipedia, is a famous mince starter of the Hyderabadi cuisine. The dough is mixed well in yogurt and then stuffed with any minced meat. This will be in the shape of a square rather than triangle like samosa.

As soon as I saw this in Roha’s blog I was sure that I am going to try this out. Just that I made some changes in the ingredients. This came out perfect and it tasted delicious. Another dish has made its way into my iftar menu...:)

Ingredients:

For the Dough:

1. Maida- 1 Cup
2. Semolina- ¼ Cup
3. Curd- 4 tbsp
4. Warm Milk- 4 tbsp
5. Ghee- 1 tbsp
6. Salt- as required
7. Baking Soda- a pinch

For the Filling:

1. Chicken (minced)- 1 Cup
2. Onions (chopped)- 2 nos
3. Green Chillies and Ginger (Crushed)- 2 tbsp
4. Mint Leaves- ½ Cup
5. Turmeric Powder- 1tsp
6. Red Chilli Powder- 2 tsp
7. Garam Masala Powder- 1tsp
8. Salt- as required
9. Oil- 2 tbsp
10. Lemon Juice- 1 tbsp
11. Oil- for deep frying

Method:

1. In a bowl mix maida, semolina, curd, warm milk, ghee, baking soda and salt. Knead well with your fingers till smooth and keep this dough aside wrapped in a wet cloth for sometime.
2. Heat oil in a kadai. Add the chopped onions and fry till translucent. In this add the ginger and green chillies paste and stir till the raw smell disappears.
3. Add the chicken and salt and mix well. In this add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala powder. Mix well cover and cook till the chicken is cooked.
4. At last add the chopped mint leaves and lemon juice, mix and remove from stove and keep it aside.

For assembling:

1. Roll the dough evenly on all the sides and take a spoon full of the filling and keep it in the middle of the rolled dough and close seal it with wet fingers.
2. Cut the edges in a square shape using a knife or a cutter and press the edges with a fork or using your fingers. Repeat this with the remaining dough and the filling.
3. Heat oil to deep fry and fry the dough on both the sides till it turns golden in colour. Remove and drain on paper towel and serve it along with mint chutney or tomato ketchup or enjoy as it is...
   
   

   

   The filling

   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Easy Homemade Mango Ice cream for iftar

Ramadhan is a month of fasting and feasting. It is a test of will, self control and being greatful for what one has in their lives. I was looking forward for this month, so that I can wake up for sehri, fasting, reading quran, after fasting the whole day trying to make new dishes for iftar and so on...

I like everything about this month. The most important thing I like to eat is ice creams. You all might be thinking that after iftar who will eat an ice cream as a dessert, but trust me this is the best thing which can be had anytime anyone with a sweet tooth can enjoy.

Usually the iftar table is full of different variety of dishes from traditional to non traditional recipes, along with that an ice cream is something different that you can try. This ice cream I have made using fresh mangoes and with very minimal ingredients. The cream I used is amul cream. Just try it out and see.

Ingredients:

1. Ripe Mangoes- 2 nos
2. Sugar- ½ Cup
3. Cream- 1 Cup
4. Lemon Juice- 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Take out the pulp from the ripe mangoes and blend it to a smooth paste along with sugar and lemon juice.
2. Whip the  Cream and fold it in the above mango mixture.
3. Pour the mixture in a container and place it in the freezer to set.
4. When it is half set, blend it in the mixture till soft and keep this again in freezer.
5. Again repeat the process of blending for 1-2 times and keep this in freezer till firm. Serve and enjoy a yummy and delicious mango ice cream.

My first Guest post on Yummy Food: Thari Kanji/ Semolina Payasam- An iftar drink...

                                Ramadhan Mubarak

My dear blogger friend Lubna of Yummy Food messaged me to do a guest post for her Ramadhan event Joy From Fasting To Feasting- VI . 

The thing which came first to my mind is this thari kanji which is made during iftar in Kerala. My mom and also my MIL make this daily during the time of fasting.

Check out the recipe here ...

Thank you so much Lubna for giving me this opportunity. I am really honoured...

Avial- Vegetables in coconut and curd gravy...

Avial is the most popular and traditional dish of Kerala. Onam is incomplete without this dish.

This is a very healthy and nutritious dish. In this recipe, all the vegetables are cut in the same length and then cooked to a crunchy consistency along with salt. This is a perfect blend of different vegetables in a coconut and curd gravy. Instead of curd you can also use raw mango for tangyness.

As my husband who is choosy about vegetables, is not bothered about the vegetables I added in this, coz the flavors are well blended in coconut gravy. My kid who is very particular about rasam with rice was opposing to try this avial, but after one bite she liked it and for the next two days she insisted me to give avial for rice (avial lasted for two days.. :) I am happy that she liked it. Now on I will make it regularly just that I am lazy to cut the veggies.. :)

Ingredients:

1. Drumsticks- 2 nos
2. Carrot- 1 no
3. Raw Banana- 1 no
4. Yam- 100 gms
5. Beans- 5-6 nos
6. Potato- 1 no
7. Ash gourd- ¼ Cup
8. Turmeric Powder- ½ tsp
9. salt- as required
10. Coconut- 1 Cup
11. Cumin seeds- 1tsp
12. Green Chillies- 3 nos
13. Curd- 2-3 tbsp
14. Coconut oil- 1 tbsp
15. Curry Leaves- few

Method:

1. Grind the grated coconut, cumin seeds and green chillies coarsely and keep it aside.
2. Wash and cut the vegetables into 2 inch long pieces. Boil the vegetables by adding little salt and turmeric powder till all the vegetables are cooked.
3. Add the ground coconut paste and cook for few more minutes and switch off the flame.
4. In the above, add curd and mix well. Season it with coconut oil and curry leaves.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Mixed Sprouts Curry

I usually soak moong dal to sprout, so that we can consume it raw in a salad or in cooked form. My kid loves cooked sprouts and my husband likes it raw. This came to my mind when one day I soaked all the pulses to sprout and so instead of adding this in salad, I made a curry out of it which was not only delicious but full of fibres, vitamins, nutrients and it goes on.... (of course you all already know about its benefits)

With all the mixed sprouts, this dish tastes excellent and this has become a regular dish whenever somebody comes over for lunch or dinner. This is so easy to make, just that we should be ready with the sprouts.

In this curry, I have ground tomatoes along with coriander leaves and so it tasted yumm..Sprouts are readily available in the market but freshly sprout it at home and you can see the difference.

Ingredients:

1. Moong Sprouts- ½ Cup
2. Chana dal Sprouts- ½ Cup
3. Horse Gram Sprouts- ½ Cup
4. Green Peas Sprouts- ½ Cup
5. Onions (sliced)- 2 nos
6. Tomatoes- 2 nos
7. Coriander Leaves (chopped)- 3 tbsp
8. Green Chillies (slited)- 2 nos
9. Ginger and garlic paste- 1 tbsp
10. Garam Masala Powder- 1tsp
11. Red Chilli Powder- 1 tsp
12. Turmeric Powder- 1tsp
13. Coriander Powder- 1 tsp
14. Oil- 2 tbsp
15. Mustard seeds- 1tsp

Method:

1. Mix all the sprouts in a bowl and pressure cook for upto 3 whistles.
2. In a kadai heat oil and splutter mustard seeds, in this add the sliced onions and green chillies.
3. When the onions turn translucent add the ginger and garlic paste and stir well till the raw smell disappears.
4. Meanwhile put the tomatoes in hot water for 5 minutes and peel the skin. Grind the tomatoes and coriander leaves to a fine paste.
5. Add this tomato- coriander leaves paste in the above onion mixture and stir well.
6. Add the red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder and mix till everything is well blended.
7. Add the cooked sprouts, salt and little water for the gravy. Let it boil for few minutes and switch off the flame. Serve hot.