Homemade Sushi Rolls

I never thought that I would be making sushi at home. Sushi which I thought was very very difficult is actually very easy and can be made with less ingredients.

For this recipe we bought the sticky rice and cooked according to instructions and while it was getting cooked I made the sushi vinegar by adding normal vinegar with sugar and salt and mixed the peppers and carrots in the vinegar and also sprinkled the vinegar on top of the rice and mixed well. I layered the mat and on top put a sheet of seaweed and spread the rice evenly by using wet hands and arranged everything on top. The first and foremost thing I did was to bake the fish and cook the rice. All the other remaining items were easy to make. Then roll everything, cut and ta da!!!! yummy sushi will be ready within no time.

My daughter is a big sushi fan. I don't know from where she got the craving but she used to always ask us about sushi and when we took her to a Japanese restaurant surprisingly my daughter enjoyed eating the sushi rolls. So tried making them at home and here I am today with a homemade recipe of sushi rolls. Try this easy and simple Sushi rolls and let me know...

Ingredients:

1. Seaweed- 2 sheets
2. Sticky Rice- 1 Cup
3. Vinegar- 1/4 Cup
4. Salt- as required
5. Sugar- 1 tbsp
6. Bell Peppers- 1 no (sliced)
7. Carrot- 1 no (sliced, length wise)

Marinate:

1. Fish- 2 slices
2. Red Chilli Powder- 1 tsp
3. Turmeric Powder- 1 tsp
4. Salt- 1 tbsp

Method:
Marinating and baking fish:

1. Marinate the fish using the ingredients and bake in a preheated oven for 15 minutes in 350 degrees F.
2. When the fish gets baked, cut into length wise and keep this aside.
3. Mix the vinegar along with salt and sugar and keep this aside.
4. Cook rice till done and mix the vinegar into the rice and keep this aside.
5. Place the sushi mat on a clean surface, and place the seaweed shiny side down on the mat, dampen hands and gently press 3/4 cup of cooked rice and spread it evenly on the mat leaving the edges, place a layer of vegetables and a layer of fish stripes across the middle of rice.
6. Starting with the edge closest to you, use the mat to roll the to compress the filling. Press firmly. Remove mat and wet the knife and cut into pieces and enjoy with a dip of soy sauce and wasabi.

Oriental Stir Fry

Oriental stir fry is one of the easiest dishes to make for dinner or is a perfect one to be enjoyed by guests. The sauce is made in advance and can be stored in refrigerator for few weeks.This Oriental sauce is the best stir fry sauce you've ever tasted, which is very enticing with chicken, veggies or any other meat. A secret weapon for a fast midweek meals. Just make it in a mason jar and store it. A super delicious  sauce that is well combined with veggies, noodles, meat or rice. I have paired this dish with quinoa, which was perfect. I served the kids rice and this stir fry veggies.

Heat the wok with little oil, add proteins or veggies and some noodles and at last add this stir fry sauce, which will do it''s magic on the dish. I read about this stir fry from one of my friend's Instagram post and so here it is today in my blog. We all liked it a lot and the kids were asking for a second serving.

Here in my sauce I have used freshly squeezed orange juice, you can replace it with store bought and also use as required. We like the orange flavor and so I added almost 1/4 cup. This recipe is so healthy and nutritious as a whole lot of veggies are added to this dish. Please try this recipe and let me know how it turned.

Ingredients:
For sauce:

1. Orange Juice- 1/4 Cup
2. Soy Sauce- 3 tbsp
3. Garlic (chopped)- 1 tbsp
4. Ginger(grated)- 1 tbsp
5. Sesame Oil- 2 tsp
6. Honey- 2 tsp

Method:

• Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl using a whisk. Keep this aside, till the veggies are done.

For veggies:

1. Capsicum( cubed)- 1 no
2. Onions(cubed)- 1 no
3. Baby Corn- 5 nos
4. Bok Choy(chopped)- 1 no
5. Boneless Chicken(cubed)- 1 cup
6. Broccoli- 1/2 cup
7. Mushrooms(sliced)- 1/2 cup
8. Garlic( sliced)- 3 cloves
9. Oil- 1 tbsp
10. Salt- as required

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add garlic, saute the chicken with little salt for a minute on medium heat. Stir and add all the veggies one by one and stir, adjust the salt.
2. Let this cook on low flame for about 3- 4 minutes, stirring in between. Once the raw smell of veggies disappear and when they turn crisp add the above made sauce and stir for 2 minutes on a medium flame.
3. When the veggies get coated well with the sauce, remove from heat and serve along with steaming hot brown rice/ quinoa/ noodles.

Simple and Easy Chicken Tacos

The Ramadan fasting is going to end, but the list of snacks which I want to try is never going to end. One among them are Tacos. This is a very simple chicken taco recipe which is perfect for a get together, or on a game night. This is very filling and a delicious meal, which will be enjoyed by all.

I am really amazed and surprised that I made the chicken tacos at home, which I never thought I would do. These chicken tacos are so easy to make and are so simple that it would take less than 30 minutes. I bought the ready made tacos but we can also make them from scratch, that I will try some other time. The chicken filling and the salsa in the tacos will be an ultimate combination. We can top it with different variety of sauces, we can also top it with guacamole and load it with chopped lettuce, sour cream and cheese. We can customize the tacos according to our taste and desire.

Traditional street tacos are served on corn tortillas, topped with onions, tomatoes, cilantro and a squeeze of lemon. Now there are many different fillings and toppings, which will keep you coming back for more. Last but not the least, enjoy your tacos with a squeeze of lime. Hope you all will like this and try this out. Please let me know how this turned.

Ingredients:

• Whole Wheat Tacos- 10 nos

Chicken Filling:

1. Minced Chicken- 1 Cup
2. Capsicum (chopped)- 1 no
3. Onions(chopped)- 1 no
4. Cumin Powder- 1 tsp
5. Chili Powder- 1 tsp
6. Pepper Powder- 1 tsp
7. Salt- as required
8. Oil- 1 tbsp

Salsa  Filling:

1. Tomatoes(chopped)- 1 no
2. Onion(chopped)- 1 no
3. Green Chilies(chopped)- 2 nos
4. Salt-- as required
5. Lemon Juice- 1 tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add the chopped onions, capsicum. Saute well by adding little salt.
2. Add the minced chicken and mix well till everything gets combined well. Add the spice powders and adjust salt accordingly. 
3. Once the chicken gets cooked and all the water evaporates, switch off the flame and keep this aside.
4. In a bowl, add all the chopped tomatoes, onions, salt and lemon juice, mix and keep this aside.
5. Assembling:
6. Take a taco, fill with the chicken filling and top it with the salsa. Repeat with the remaining tacos and the filling and serve it.

Spaghetti in White sauce with sauteed Garlicky Chicken n Veggies

This homemade white sauce is the most delicious and the easiest recipe!! The white sauce is also called as Bechamel sauce, although the Italians refer to it as salsa di besciamella. In this, the flour is cooked in the melted butter and the required amount of milk is added for a thick, creamy sauce for the spaghetti. This white sauce can be used in most of the pasta dishes, as a pizza topping and also on toast along with sauteed mushrooms. A perfect for any dish.

We can add any cheese of your choice and also a different variety of veggies. This is a perfect dish for kids lunch box and they will finish off within no time. This dish is so easy to make and takes much less time. By the time the spaghetti gets cooked, we can prepare the sauce and saute the chicken and veggies. Try this recipe and let me know how this turned out...

Ingredients:

• Spaghetti- 1 pack

For sauteeing:

1. Olive Oil- 2 tbsp
2. Boneless Chicken pieces (cubed)- 2 Cups
3. Broccoli- 1 cup
4. Asparagus- 1/2 Cup
5. Bell Peppers- 1 no
6. Garlic- 3 tbsp
7. Tomato- 1no
8. Onion- 1 no

For White sauce:

1. Butter- 1/4 stick
2. All Purpose Flour- 3 tbsp
3. Milk- 1 1/2 Cups
4. Italian Herb Mix- 2 tbsp
5. Red Chili Flakes- 1 tbsp
6. Salt- as required
7. Pepper- 1 tbsp

Method:

1. In a large pot cook spaghetti in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well.
2. Meanwhile, in a pan heat oil, saute the chopped garlic then add the vegetables along with salt and pepper till done. Remove when done.
3. In the remaining oil add the cubed chicken and saute till cooked well. Keep this aside along with the veggies.
4. Heat a large skillet, add butter. Once it starts melting, add the all purpose flour and stir it well till it gets cooked. Add the milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring to a boil, add the salt and pepper. Lower the heat, add the Italian herb mix, red chili flakes and cook for 2- 3 minutes.
5. In the white sauce, add the sauteed chicken and veggies. give it a stir. Add the cooked spaghetti and mix everything together. Enjoy a nice warm spaghetti along with your favorite show on TV.

Capsicum- Egg Rice

Capsicum- egg rice is one of the easiest, delicious lunch box item, which the kids will like to have daily. This is one of the super simple rice dishes which can be prepared in less time.

Nowadays my daughter likes egg whites rather than having the whole egg. But they will get the required nutrition if they eat both the whites and the yolks. Scrambling the egg and mixing it with the rice is a smart way to make your kid eat the whole egg.

You can add your kids favorite veggies to this rice. This will taste better if we are using the leftover rice. It is a wholesome and nutritious dish. This quick and easy rice is so flavorful and a perfect one for kids lunchbox. Hope you all like this dish. Try this out and let me know.
My son after seeing my colorful dish he bought all his legos and started decorating.....
Ingredients:

1. Cooked rice- 2 Cups
2. Oil- 2 tbsp
3. Eggs- 2 nos
4. Onions(chopped)- 1 no
5. Green chillis (chopped)- 1 no
6. Red capsicum (cubed)- 1 no
7. Red Chilli Sauce- 1 Tsp
8. Soy sauce- 1 Tsp
9. Pepper powder- 1 Tsp
10. Salt- as required

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, saute the onions, cubed capsicum and green chilies for about 5- 10 minutes on a low flame. Break the eggs into the onion mixture and mix well using a beater till it gets cooked.
2. Add the red chili sauce, soy sauce, and pepper powder gradually along with the egg. Add the cooked rice, adjust the salt accordingly and enjoy this rice as it is or along with pickle. 

Oven Baked Chili Chicken

Baked chilli chicken is the most delicious and a healthy version of the normal chilli chicken which is usually deep fried. This is super easy and a simple dish to prepare, when thinking about something tasty and yummy to cook.

Mixing all the ingredients to marinate, baked till perfection and mixed with all the sauces till everything gets well blended with each other. This is a delightful combination of chicken and spices along with sauces. We can have this with fried rice, but I serve this along with white rice, which my kids love a lot.

I like to make this often as the flavors are clean and simple and the cooking process is easy. This dish tastes like an authentic Chinese chili chicken one that you might enjoy in a Chinese restaurant.

In almost all the fast food restaurants in India, this chilli chicken and fried rice is the popular combination. after coming to the US, I started making the chilli chicken at home, but this time I thought of the healthier version of baking instead of frying which is almost equal in taste and flavor. I guarantee you, that this will be loved by all. Try this out and let me know how it turns.

Ingredients:

For Marination:

1. Boneless Chicken- 2 Cups
2. Corn Flakes- 2 tbsp
3. Soy sauce- 1 tbsp
4. Salt- as required
5. Pepper powder- 1/2 tbsp
6. Red Chilli Powder- 1/2 tbsp
7. All-Purpose Flour- 2 tbsp

For sauce:

1. Onions(cubed)- 2 nos
2. Red Bell Peppers- 1 no
3. Soy sauce- 2 tbsp
4. Tomato sauce- 1 tbsp
5. Salt- as required
6. Oil- 1 tbsp
7. Garlic(chopped)- 2 tbsp
8. Spring onions- 1 sprig
9. Vinegar- 1 tbsp
10. Corn Flour- 1 tbsp

Method:

For the baking:

1. In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients for marination along with the chicken. Keep this aside for some time.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the marinated chicken for about 20- 25 minutes. Flipping in between. Keep this aside.

For the sauce:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add the cubed onions, chopped garlic, and red bell pepper. Stir well till the raw smell disappears.
2. Add the soy sauce, tomato sauce, stir well. Add the spring onions and vinegar. Mix well. Add the baked chicken pieces.
3. Mix the cornflour along with 1/4 cup water, stir well. Add this to the above-made gravy to thicken the gravy.
4. Saute on high flame for 2- 3 minutes and switch off the flame. Enjoy.

Quinoa & Egg Salad

A healthy and nutritious salad a day keeps the guilt away, that is what I believe. Most of the days I like to have salad and I will be searching for a different variety of salads. Till now I have made salads using grilled chicken, fish but never made an egg salad.

This simple and healthy salad is made out of very fewer ingredients. This salad consists of all of my favorite ingredients which are boiled and mixed together.

These salads are filling, low- cal and a great way to satisfy your daily requirements. We can have this salad any time of the day. The nutty quinoa goes very well with soft eggs. I hope you all would like this.

Ingredients:

1. Eggs- 3-4 nos
2. Quinoa- ¼ Cup
3. Broccoli- 1 Cup
4. Spinach- ½ Cup
5. Capsicum- ½ no
6. Olives- 6- 7 nos (optional)
7. Salt- as required
8. Pepper- 1 Tsp
9. Avocados- 1 no
10. Boiled Corn- ½ Cup

Method:

1. Boil the eggs till done. Remove the shell and 2 eggs cut in half and the remaining eggs remove the yolks and cut into quarters.
2. Cook the quinoa till done. Boil the broccoli and capsicum by adding little water. Wash, drain and slice the spinach to pieces.
3. In a bowl mix everything together slowly, add the sliced avocados and enjoy a healthy salad.

Pizza Pinwheels

Soft, homemade dough with delicious toppings and melted cheese makes pizza a super tasty meal. Everyone from kids to adults will like this to the core as these pizza pinwheels are small, bite sized, appetizing pieces and will be vanished within seconds.

I usually make veggie or chicken pizza every alternate weekend for my daughter who is a big fan of Italian dishes like the pasta or pizza. Instead of buying from shops, I make them at home using homemade sauce or store bought as time permits. These Pizza pinwheels I made them for the first time when I saw these small cuties on a cookery show on some channel. I thought, next time instead of making a pizza, will try out making these pinwheels by rolling the pizza dough. I am thrilled with how well they turned out. These can be stored in the freezer without baking and when needed, thaw them and bake as required. Pizza Pinwheels are a super easy snack which can be served to kids as an after school snack or to guests.

More than 10 varieties of sauces are available. So you can experiment with any sauce of your choice. You can add your own choice of toppings and can make them in big or small sizes. If kids are involved in the making, they will enjoy thoroughly. Try this out and let me know.

Ingredients:

For Pizza Dough:

1. All Purpose Flour- 2 Cups
2. Yeast- 1 tbsp
3. Sugar- 1 tbsp
4. Salt- as required
5. Warm water- ¾ Cup/ required enough to knead the dough
6. Olive Oil- 2 tbsp

Pizza Sauce

For Toppings:

1. Capsicum- 2 nos
2. Onions- 1 no
3. Chicken Sausage- 7- 8 nos
4. Mozzarella Cheese- 1 Cup

Method:

1. Combine warm water and yeast and let it sit for some time until the yeast bubbles up.
2. Add in oil, salt, and sugar. Mix the flour using the above-made yeast mixture slowly until it becomes a sticky dough.
3. Continue mixing for another 5- 6 minutes and cover with a cling wrap and let it sit for 15- 20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Chop the onions, capsicum and cut the sausage into small round discs.
5. Flour the countertop and roll the dough into a large rectangle.
6. Top it with the homemade pasta sauce and spread to all the corners. Spread the chopped onions, capsicum and sausage on top and cover with mozzarella cheese.
7. Starting with one of the long sides of the rectangle, roll the dough tightly, pinching the seams to close at the end. Slice into 1” sections using a sharp knife.
8. Place the pin wheels on a baking tray and bake for about 12- 15 minutes.Serve hot along with marinara or ketchup.