Wednesday 10 September 2014

Sprouts and Pomegranate Salad in a Ginger Lemon Dressing


I adore vegetarians really! Without the option of meat you are so much more creative with use of vegetables! The thing is, I am also trying to not mix meat with the wonderful produce we get in an effort to keep the flavors clean and let them shine. That is where I think you vegetarians have an advantage... recurring creativity!

I want to share some easy recipes for everyday food perfect when you are cooking for small numbers, like ONE, but that can be easily scaled up for many more! And this if made possible with fresh seasonal produce is just absolutely PERFECT!

We are now trying to include a large bowl of salad as part of our dinners. And to cut off that monotony I am experimenting with different combinations of veggies and healthy dressings. Thinking out of the box; not just repeatedly making raitas; and cucumber and carrot salads but stretching my ideas much more than that.

So just when I was jonesing for vibrant flavored food. Tart, tangy, mellow, fruity and intense - It all came in the form of one recipe.

Anyway, without further ado I leave you with an incredibly simple salad with supremely flavorful ginger-lemon dressing; you'll love how nicely the dressing rounds off the salad and want more just for a lick....

Ingredients for the Salad

1/4 cup Whole Green Gram Sprouts
1 medium size Carrot; grated
1/2 a medium size Green Bell Pepper; finely chopped
1 medium size Onion; finely sliced
1 small size Pomegranate; seeds taken off from fruit

Ingredients for Dressing

1/2 Green Chili; deseeded and finely chopped (adjust as per spice tolerance)
1 inch piece of Ginger; grated
Freshly squeezed juice of a small Lemon
Salt; to taste
1/2 teaspoon Sugar (optional)


Method of Preparation

Combine sprouts, carrots, bell peppers, onions and pomegranate seeds in a large bowl. Add grated ginger and chopped green chili and combine well.

In a separate bowl mix together lemon juice, salt and sugar.

Pour over salad and stir well. Chill in the refrigerator and serve cold.

Yep! That is all! Simple and habit forming....Enjoy!

Tuesday 3 June 2014

Kids’ Favorites : Crispy Baked Crumb Chicken : Finger-licking Good!! :)


And I’m back again today with another quick and tasty dish which is sure to be on your menu every week starting today. I have been happy these past few days. The reason being my sister and her two lovely kids are in India on vacation and will be coming to Bangalore in a few days. (her hubby couldn’t make it though, “we miss you terribly Acha”) We haven’t met in almost four years!!! I am thrilled. I am just looking forward to getting together and chilling out as a family.


Today’s post is dedicated to them. “This one’s for you Sharon, Sam and Josh. And Chitta is so making this for you Sam and Josh. You sure are going to love it.”


Moving on to the recipe, this is one dish I haven been wanting to share with all of you for so long. A classic example of how junk can be made healthy too!

Crispy Fried Chicken – a classic kids’ favorite. We have all had it at some point of our lives. (leave alone my vegetarian friends of course) So many fast food chains sell these like hotcakes. However what I do not like is all that oil that goes into deep frying. And also these frozen stuff coated in something that is supposed to be breadcrumbs. There certainly is a way to optimize this favorite to a healthier meal. So how did I do that? I BAKED the crumb coated chicken! And the end-result is soft, succulent, flavorful chicken with a lovely golden and crunchy coating on the outside. Yes my friends say good-bye to deep frying and a warm welcome to baking good old crispy chicken! Served with a side of freshly prepared coleslaw, oh this meal is heavenly!!! This recipe is a tweaked version of my good friend's Southern Fried Chicken which is a delicious crispy fried chicken dish. I have made it a healthier dish which can be made very often for the whole family and also have used different herbs and spices to suit our palate.


So, as the season is just perfect to munch away on some crispy chicken I leave you with this amazing recipe of juicy, flavorful and crunchy chicken which is baked and is finger-licking good! Sooooo Good!!! Your kids will absolutely love this dish. My one and a half year old daughter devours this in minutes. :) Enjoy

Ingredients

800 grams Chicken (on the bone); cut into medium size pieces
2 Eggs
3 tablespoons of Milk
Refined oil

Ingredients for the Dry Spice Rub

1 tablespoon Paprika or Kashmiri Chili powder (adjust as per spice tolerance)
1 teaspoon Cracked Pepper (adjust as per spice tolerance)
1 tablespoon Garlic powder or 6 to 7 cloves of freshly crushed Garlic
1 tablespoon Onion powder (optional)
Salt; to taste

Ingredients for the Seasoned Crumbs

1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups of Plain Flour
1 cup Breadcrumbs
1 cup Corn Flakes; coarsely crushed
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of Garlic powder (if you don’t have garlic powder leave out this ingredient)
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of Onion powder (optional)
1 tablespoon Paprika or Kashmiri Chili powder (add more if you like it nice and spicy)
1 teaspoon Pepper (adjust as per spice tolerance)
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of Dried Rosemary
Salt; to taste


Method

Wash and clean the chicken and pat dry with a kitchen towel to absorb all moisture. Make deep gashes on each piece and marinate it with the ingredients listed under “Ingredients for the Dry Spice Rub”. Keep aside for at least an hour.

Take a large mixing bowl and mix together all ingredients listed under “Ingredients for the Seasoned Crumbs”. Make sure to mix through well so that all the ingredients are combined evenly. Keep aside.

Take another bowl and beat together the eggs and milk. Keep aside.

Preheat oven at 180 degree Celsius.

Drench the marinated chicken pieces one by one in the egg and milk mixture and coat well with seasoned crumb mix. Give it a little pat and a shake to hold the crust together and repeat the same procedure (dipping and coating with seasoned crumb mix) a second time. Arrange the crumb coated chicken pieces on a greased baking tray.


Drizzle a little oil on each piece of chicken and bake in the oven. Bake for five to seven minutes at 200 degree Celsius and then turn down the heat back to 180 degree Celsius and bake for fifteen minutes.

After fifteen minutes, take out the baking tray with the chicken and drizzle some more oil on each piece. This step is crucial to avoid drying of the chicken. It helps to keep the chicken moist and succulent. Once some more oil has gone onto each piece of chicken, place the tray back in the oven and bake till you get a nice golden crispy crust on the outside and the meat is juicy and cooked through.

Serve this Crispy Baked Crumb Chicken which has rested for a minute or two with some deliciously Creamy Cabbage and Carrot Coleslaw.

Recipe adapted from : The Perfect Southern Fried Chicken by Amritha Shivakumar of Cucumbertown

Wednesday 28 May 2014

Flavors of the South : Kerala Style Chicken Tomato Roast


Someone, somewhere seems to have a vendetta with Bangalore. We seem to have become quite the dumping ground for the impetuousness of our weather mother. In the last two months we have had the harshest of summers so far. And I have been sneezing almost the whole day, every single day, because it’s pollen time here! (thanks to the allergy streak that runs in our family!) Sneezing, feeling like a zombie by the end of the day, managing a home and of course most importantly entertaining a one and a half year old toddler who is now constantly throwing tantrums for absolutely nothing at all is not just tiring but leads to “Brain Freeze”!!! (Yes, yes I’m finding excuses to say I was busy and hence couldn’t blog for long! Lame but true!!!) But THANK GOD FOR THE RAINS!!! Hoping that the heat settles down and the cool pleasant weather that Bangalore is famous for gets back soon.


You can well imagine how super excited I am about today. Oh, how come, you ask? Well I’m blogging after nearly 3 months and I cannot tell you how happy I am to share this sumptuous recipe with all you beautiful people.

I wanted to share a lovely recipe for an easy and super tasty chicken roast that would be perfect for any occasion; you actually don’t even need an occasion to make this yummy dish. This is one of the first dishes I learnt after marriage and I don’t know how I missed sharing this with you all this while!! Silly me…


I like this dish because it is quick to put together; a no fuss recipe and loaded with flavor. Chicken marinated in spices and cooked in a thick coconut gravy, heavenly is all I can say! This succulent chicken dish is so deliciously tantalizing. And when teamed up with simple jeera rice, pulav or phulkas, it is simply irresistible.

So let’s get on to this delicious recipe. Cook it up for family and friends. Cook, share and feel happy. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1/2 kg Chicken

Ingredients for Marination


1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Red Chili/Kashmiri Chili powder
1 teaspoon Vinegar
Salt; to taste

Ingredients for Masala

3 large size Big Onion; finely sliced
1 tablespoon each of Ginger & Garlic paste
2 & 1/2 teaspoons of Coriander powder
1 & 1/2 to 2 teaspoons of Kashmiri Chili powder
1 teaspoon Garam masala
1/2 teaspoon Fennel powder
2 large Tomatoes; finely sliced
3/4 to 1 cup Thick Coconut Milk
Curry Leaves
Salt; to taste
Coconut oil or any Refined oil (refer notes)


Method of Preparation

Wash and clean the chicken pieces and make deep gashes in them. Marinate the cleaned chicken with ingredients listed under “Ingredients for Marination” and keep in the refrigerator for half an hour. (overnight marination provides best results)

Shallow fry the marinated chicken pieces till it becomes golden brown on either side & the chicken is half cooked. (refer notes) Remove the chicken pieces from the pan.

To the same pan, add the sliced onions & a pinch of salt. Cook till onions turn golden brown. Add the ginger & garlic paste and cook for about 3 to 4 minutes or till raw smell disappears. Throw in the coriander, red chilli, garam masala & fennel powders and fry for a few minutes till masala is cooked through. Add sliced tomatoes & curry leaves along with enough salt and mix well. When the tomatoes become soft and oil appears (add one or two splashes of water to get a nice paste like consistency), add the fried chicken pieces and give a good stir till the masala coats the chicken well. Now add the thick coconut milk and mix well. Cover and cook till the gravy is very thick. (15 to 20 minutes approximately) The chicken pieces should be succulent & coated well with the masala. This curry has a semi-thick gravy. Serve hot with plain rice/pulav/roti/appam.

Notes:


1. You can use any refined oil for this dish but honestly coconut oil enhances the flavor and lifts the dish to a whole new level. So it’s totally your call!

2. If you want to avoid excess oil usage, you can skip shallow frying the chicken. Directly proceed to cooking the marinated chicken pieces in a non-stick pan with very little oil and then adding this into the prepared tomato and onion masala with coconut milk.

Recipe Courtesy: Vanitha (with a few tweaks of my own!)

Saturday 22 February 2014

Savory Loaf Cakes: Cheese, Cashewnut and Bell Pepper Cake


Ever since I started watching Rachel Khoo’s television show, I have been going somewhat mad on trying out a few of her recipes. This particular recipe really stuck in my head and I just had to make it the next day. This loaf cake is really nice and what really gets me all zinged are the various savory variations.

Savory cakes are very popular in France, they appear in boulangeries and with a side salad on lunch menus in chic cafés, but they’re most likely to appear at a picnic.

Of course the original recipe makes use of different fillings, but I used whatever left-overs I had in my refrigerator and it turned out just fine. It was a spontaneous decision that became really good. Yummy savory cake filled with cheese, cashewnuts, caramelized onions and bell peppers. It tasted incredible.

The result is an explosion that takes place in my mouth, when I taste this creation. It turned out moist and if made the right way will be nice and fluffy.


I picked this one because it was the perfect Summer like loaf, perfect for the weather right now in Bangalore.

This cake is super simple to make and you can always make a scrumptious loaf cake using all the fresh produce available in the current season. I find this so clever.

I made changes to the fillings using up whatever I had with me. But other than that I kept to the directions. I present to you a wonderful loaf cake adapted from Rachel Khoo’s “The Little Paris Kitchen: Cooking with Rachel Khoo”

I love this cake for two reasons. One it is savory which makes it rather unique. Second, the innovative flavor combinations you can try with whatever that’s left-over in your pantry.

Serve these tasty slices of cake warm (when warm, the cheese will be all melted and delicious) with ham; or a spicy frittata on the side; or some spicy fried chicken; or sautéed spicy sausages; steak and gravy…. anything. Or just munch away just as it is. A definite winner with your kids, serve these up at birthday parties, picnics, kitties or potlucks and you will be a star!

The dish is simple and elegant and can be prepared as a mid-morning meal, evening snack or a part of nice continental dinner.


We are all down with a bad cold, throat pain and what not; but I made this cake nonetheless and served it with some delicious hot Tomato Soup with croutons and spicy fried chicken. We enjoyed it.

Oh and the best news, it tastes better the next day! So bake and store in your refrigerator and cut a few slices when you are hungry!

Ingredients

250 grams Plain Flour
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
150 grams Cheese, cut into small pieces (refer notes)
80 grams Cashewnuts; roughly chopped
100 grams Red and Yellow Bell Peppers; finely chopped (refer notes)
3 to 4 Red Onions; finely sliced
4 Eggs
150 ml Olive oil
100 ml Milk
50 grams Plain Yoghurt
1 teaspoon Salt
Freshly-ground/milled Black Pepper (as per spice tolerance)
Coriander leaves; finely chopped


Method

Caramelize the sliced onions and keep aside. (please refer to the my Pizza recipe for more details on caramelizing onions)

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/ and line a loaf tin measuring 22x11cm/8½x4¼inch across the top and 6cm/2½inch deep with baking paper.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, cheese, cashewnuts, bell peppers and caramelized onions.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until fluffy and pale in color. Then gradually whisk in the oil, milk and yoghurt. Season with the salt and black pepper.

Fold the flour mixture into the whisked eggs. Try not to overbeat the mixture as this will make the end result tough. (it is better to undermix)

Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Sprinkle on top with fresh coriander leaves.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. (when I say clean knife, please ignore if melted cheese comes on it, that does not mean it is not cooked. If uncooked batter appears on the knife, it needs further cooking.)

Leave to cool in the tin.


Notes:

1. You can use any kind of cheese. I used a mixture of grated cheddar, mozzarella and normal cheese cubes. Also I added a little lesser than mentioned in the recipe. You can even goat’s cheese to make it healthier.

2. If you do not have red and yellow bell pepper, you can always use green bell peppers. The original recipe uses a combination of cheese, pistachios and prunes. So be creative when it comes to the filling.

3. Use a rubber spatula rather than a whisk to prevent overbeating the flour.

Recipe Source: Rachel Khoo’s “The Little Paris Kitchen: Cooking with Rachel Khoo”

Friday 14 February 2014

For Love's Sake... Indonesian Noodles with Chicken and Shrimp


I have to tell you I have an intense carnal love for noodles. Out of the blue, an image, an image of me twirling noodles with a fork (I wish I could say chopsticks and show off, but I have no clue how to use it!) pops into my mind and refuses to budge. There are times when I crave these thready, slurpy satisfaction. My love began during my childhood when my mom would cook up delicious home-style Chinese Noodles almost every week. I loved it and I pigged out. I was happy at the end of a huge bowl of those flat thready stuff! :)


It is Valentine's Day today and I have for you a special recipe for the occasion which will dazzle your significant other! The dish I have for you is a spicy Indonesian Noodles with Chicken and Shrimp which trumps everything. Super easy to put together and just delicious. Most of the ingredients I have used today can be found in anybody's kitchen.


This dish is not the pump your adrenalin, let's go skydiving kind you want to share with your Valentine. Nor is it a one that says, you are sooooo awesome and I will die, just die, without seeing you every moment of the day.

It is however a one that you want to put on the table, for supper after a whole day’s work, look at your partner and just smile. Because, the sparkle in your eyes is saying so much.


This Valentine’s Day, I decided to showcase this sumptuous Indonesian style Chinese Noodle dish which is not only tasty but a soul satisfying dish. For those of you who plan to have a quiet day at home and haven’t decided what to make this Valentine’s Day, here is the perfect one pot meal for your loved one and you.

While I go enjoy my rest of the day with the hubby and little munchkin, I wish you a good day too. Happy Valentine’s Day once again :)

Ingredients


280 grams Egg Noodles
Vegetable or Refined oil
350 grams boneless Chicken Breasts; cut into bite size cubes
Scallions or Spring onions
2 Red onions; diced
5 to 6 Garlic cloves; crushed
80 to 90 grams of Pak Choi; cut into quarters (refer notes)
5 to 6 Dry Red chillies; coarsely crushed (refer notes)
1 Green chili; slit lengthwise
1 tablespoon Ginger; finely chopped
100 grams raw Shrimp; cleaned and de-veined
3/4 teaspoon Sugar
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoon Light Soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoon Vegetable/Chicken/Beef stock
Salt and Pepper; to taste
Cilantro or Coriander leaves; to garnish

Method


Cook the noodles in plenty of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions and drain well. (coat noodles with oil to prevent sticking if not preparing the dish immediately)

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet (frying pan), add the chicken cubes and stir-fry for a few minutes or until chicken turns golden brown and is cooked through.

Add the scallions, onions and garlic and fry for a few minutes. Now add the pak choi, green chili, crushed red chili and ginger and fry for a few minutes. Add the fresh shrimp and fry for a few minutes till shrimp is cooked through. (you can even cover and cook if needed) Sprinkle over the sugar, soy sauce, stock and season with salt and pepper. Mix in the noodles and heat, stirring, until steaming hot.

Once done, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve immediately.


Notes:

1. You can also use fresh spinach leaves instead of pak choi. I used spinach this time as I didn’t have any pak choi in my pantry.

2. The chili flakes lifts the dish to a whole new level. FYI, this dish is spicy, so feel free to reduce the quantity of chili used in the recipe if it doesn’t suit your palate and stomach!

Recipe Courtesy: Food Lovers Chicken (tweaked the original recipe to use our local produce and ingredients and tasted awesome)

Thursday 6 February 2014

Kashmiri Style Chicken Curry


Hello February! I can't believe you are already here! January was such a whirlwind with most of the month packed with family visiting from far, get togethers and wedding celebrations and what not…! :)

I have not posted anything since a long time. Though I wanted to; just that fitting that into my schedule is a task! I have resolved innumerable times that I will not procrastinate... I will be regular... but things just never work as planned in my life, especially when this food blog is concerned. Though I did find a little time to do a quick post containing easy and healthy breakfast ideas for babies and toddlers and I hope these recipes help all those supermoms out there.

February is also a very happy month for me. Why?! Well there are a couple of reasons. :)


The First being, my recipe for Home-made Baked Chicken Nuggets was featured in the ‘Recipe of the Week’ section of Kids Directory. It definitely was a happy moment for me. For those of you who haven’t come across Kids Directory, here is a peek into what it’s all about:

Kids Directory is an online and offline guide catering to Bangalore families. It is an excellent resource directory solely dedicated to helping parents in Bangalore identify various resources and businesses that can be of benefit to their families.

They provide a wide range of information about schools, camps, childcares, products & services for children, retail stores, lessons, afterschool activities, family friendly events and restaurants in Bangalore, party planning, and a lot more. And what’s best, their publications are available for pick up at various locations spread across Bangalore for FREE! Yes, Mommies and Daddies, for free and they sure are valuable resources for us parents.

For more details on Kids Directory, please visit their website on the below link:


Here is the link to my Recipe Feature in their Online publication:


The Second reason for my joy is today’s post is my hundredth recipe post on my blog. So here I present my hundredth post with this awesome Kashmiri Style Chicken Curry. I have mostly covered food from Kerala, where I come from, however, making it a repertoire from around the world has been and still is my goal.

I am so happy you kept me company by encouraging, complimenting, flattering and just showing up. Without your support it would not have been such a great experience. Heartfelt thanks to my dearest family and friends who stood by me and pushed me to make this blog happen. And of course a big tight bear hug to the two most awesome people in my life, my Husband R– my bestie and my favorite little one year old – my Daughter M. Love you both to bits. :)

So today I'm doing a quick post, about a delicious dish I found in a magazine the other day. I just randomly picked up this magazine, flipped through the pages and found this simple chicken recipe and decided to give it a try.

This dish is a good, down-to-earth and homey style chicken preparation.

What I love about this recipe, besides it being a breeze to make, is that everything about it shouts out KASHMIR in capital letters. The aromatic spices, onion and thick tomato gravy clubbed with the rich taste of cashewnuts and raisins cannot get more Kashmiri.

This scrumptious chicken curry paired with a simple pilaf, plain steamed rice or rotis is one of the simplest and tastiest meals you can make. It can be served as a whole meal or added to the table as part of a more elaborate spread especially when you have a house full of hungry family and friends.

Let me just stop going on about it and get to the recipe. Hope you enjoy your ride to Kashmir with me!!

Ingredients

1/2 kg Chicken; cleaned & cut into medium size pieces
1 big size Red Onion; finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Ginger; finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Garlic; finely chopped
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of Kashmiri Chili powder (adjust as per spice tolerance)
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
1 teaspoon Coriander powder
Salt; to taste
Refined Oil
1 to 2 Cardamom pods
1 to 2 Cloves
A medium size piece of Cinnamon stick

2 medium size Red Onions; finely sliced

2 medium size Tomatoes; finely chopped
4 to 5 teaspoons of Cashewnuts; fried & kept aside
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoon Raisins; fried & kept aside
Generous amount of Coriander leaves; finely chopped


Method

Grind together onion, ginger, garlic, chili, turmeric and coriander powders along with salt to a smooth paste. Marinate the chicken pieces with the ground paste and keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok and fry the spices. (cardamom, cloves and cinnamon) till raw smell disappears. Add the sliced onions and sauté till onions turn light brown. Now add the marinated chicken into it and sauté till pink color of chicken goes away.

Once the chicken is sautéed well, add the chopped tomatoes and stir well. Pour enough water into this and combine well. Check for salt at this time and add if necessary. Once this comes to a boil, turn down the heat to a gentle sim and cover and cook the curry till the chicken is cooked through and gravy has reduced. (this curry has a semi-thick consistency)


Once the gravy is nice and thick, switch off flame and add the fried cashewnuts, raisins and lots of fresh coriander leaves.

Voila! Chicken curry is ready, get ready to devour!

Recipe Courtesy: Vanitha

Saturday 25 January 2014

Easy and Healthy Breakfast Ideas (10 months and above)


It’s so easy to feel frustrated when food you have spent time making is simply refused. Eating habits and tastes are formed from an early age, so a variety of foods is very important from the outset. Not only is this important to help avoid fussiness, but is important in giving them a balanced healthy diet that provides the nutrients they need.

I have an active 1 year old daughter who is a fussy eater too. But the day she turned one, I started giving her everything we eat with a close check on spice and salt. And what really helped me is setting meal plans for the week. Planning a menu at the beginning of the week will not only save you time and money, but will also allow you to plan a delicious variety of meals that the whole family can enjoy.

Breakfast is an integral part of a child’s diet. It does not need to be heavy but more essentially needs to be nutritious and well balanced.

Below are a wide variety of breakfast ideas that your toddler will love. Easy peasy, home-cooked, yummylicious recipes. So go ahead and create delicious meals for your precious babies.

Notes:

1.  Below are mostly ideas to help you make normal everyday food interesting. These recipes are mostly tweaks or quick fixes that are interesting and fun for your toddler.

2. A few recipes can be used even before your baby has turned one. But you are the best judge, alter the recipes to suit your baby’s age and preference.

3. Some of the recipes have sugar and salt added to it. Restrict the use of excessive additives in your baby’s food. Salt and Sugar may be added to your baby’s food only after one year.

1. Dosa

Ingredients

1 cup Idli Rice
1/2 cup Urad dal (whole)
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of Beaten Rice or Poha (red or white)
A few Fenugreek seeds or a pinch of fenugreek powder
Salt; to taste

Method

Wash and clean the rice, dal, poha and fenugreek seeds (if you are using fenugreek powder, just add it before grinding) and soak in water for atleast 5 to 6 hours. (I usually soak it overnight)

Grind the soaked ingredients in a mixer-grinder or wet grinder till smooth. Leave to rise for a few hours.

Before making the dosas, add enough salt and mix well. Pour ladlefuls of batter on a hot tawa or non-stick dosa pan and spread in a circular motion till nice and thin. When crisp and brown, take off from pan and serve warm.

Here are a few ways to make Dosa more interesting for your little ones:

Variations:

1. Crispy Dosa with ghee smeared inside and a sprinkling of sugar or honey on top.

2. Dosa with grated veggies and freshly chopped coriander inside. (veggies like carrot, beetroot etc…)

3. Dosa with grated cheese.

4. Dosa with cheese and grated veggies inside.

5. Dosa with fresh fruit. (you can use fruits like finely chopped strawberries, fresh ripe mangoes, mashed ripe bananas, etc… the options are endless)

6. Dosa with home-made fresh fruit compote. Here is an easy recipe for fruit compote: (no specific measurements are given, just an idea of the ingredients and the basic method to prepare this)

Fresh Fruit Compote:

Ingredients

Fresh fruit (you can use strawberries, peaches, plums, blueberries, raspberries, pineapples, apricots, apples etc… You can also try a combination of one or more fruits to make the compote)
Brown Sugar or fresh applesauce as sweetener
Cold Butter (optional)
Vanilla Extract

Method

In a large bowl, mix the fresh fruit and vanilla extract till combined well. Pour this fruit mixture into a greased baking dish. Sprinkle brown sugar all over and finally add chips of cold butter on top. (don’t overdo the butter, just a little here and there will do, this helps to keep the fruit moist) Cover and bake for a few minutes till fruit is soft or until the mixture is bubbly. Serve warm or cool.

2. Wheat Dosa

Ingredients

1/2 cup Wheat Flour
A pinch of salt
1/2 tablespoon Rice Flour (optional)
Water

Method

Mix all the ingredients with enough water to make a batter. (consistency similar to a pancake)

Pour ladlefuls of batter on to a hot tawa or non-stick pan greased with oil. Drizzle with oil on the sides of the dosa. Flip the dosa when one side is cooked and cook for a few seconds.

Serve warm.

Variations:

1. Wheat Dosa with ghee smeared inside and a sprinkling of sugar or honey on top.

2. Wheat Dosa with grated veggies and freshly chopped coriander. (veggies like carrot, beetroot etc…)

3. Wheat Dosa with grated cheese.

4. Wheat Dosa with grated cheese and veggies.

5. Wheat Dosa with fresh fruit. (you can use fruits like finely chopped strawberries, fresh ripe mangoes, mashed ripe bananas, etc… the options are endless)

6. Wheat Dosa with home-made fruit preserve or fresh fruit compote. (refer above pages for recipe for fruit compote)

3. Semolina/Rava Dosa

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Semolina/Rava
1/2 Cup Rice Flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup onion; finely chopped
1 green chilli; finely chopped (adjust as per spice tolerance)
1/4 teaspoon asafetida
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon crushed black pepper (adjust as per spice tolerance)
oil for making the dosa
2 tablespoons coriander leaves; finely chopped
Salt; to taste

Method

In a large bowl combine the Semolina, flours and salt. Stir 2 cups of water to make a thick batter. Allow the batter to rest for about 10 minutes.

Stir in the remaining ingredients except the oil/ghee. Combine well. Finally add more water to the batter to make it of thin pouring consistency. It is thinner than the pancake/dosa batter. (when the batter is thin, it spreads like wild on a heated skillet, producing holes in the dosa and making it crisp)

Heat an iron skillet or a non-stick pan on high heat. Make sure the skillet is very hot. Pour a ladle of the batter in a circular motion starting from the outer edges. The batter will flow towards the centre. Fill in the batter where there are gaps. Although allow the dosa to have a few holes.

Turn the heat to medium, if you want a nice crisp dosa. The slower it cooks, the crispier it gets.

Drizzle oil or ghee around the dosa and allow it to cook for 2-3 minutes on medium heat. Once cooked turn it over and allow to cook for another minute. At this stage the dosa will be thin and crisp, with one side golden brown in colour. Remove the dosa off the pan and fold from both sides. Repeat to make the remaining dosas.

Serve warm.

4. Idli

Idli is a healthy and great breakfast for your little ones. While Plain Idli is great, you can be innovative with it and make these really exciting for your toddler.

Ingredients

1 cup Idli Rice
1/2 cup Urad dal (whole)
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoon Beaten Rice or Poha (red or white)
Salt

Method

Wash and clean the rice, dal and poha and soak in water for atleast 5 to 6 hours. (I usually soak it overnight)

Grind the soaked ingredients in a mixer-grinder or wet grinder till smooth. Leave to rise for a few hours.

Before making the Idli, add enough salt and mix well. Pour ladlefuls of batter into greased Idli moulds (pour just enough to fill the mould) and place in pressure cooker. Cover and steam (do not use the cooker weight) till a high steam appears. After a minute, turn the flame to a gentle sim and continue to steam for 7 to 8 minutes or till done.

Unmould the hot fluffy idlis onto a serving plate. Serve warm.

Variations:

Here is how you can get creative with this simple recipe, you kids will love it:

1. Idli crumbled up and mixed with a little milk and sugar. (sugar is optional)

2. Idli with pureed veggies: Cook the veggie till done. Puree in a blender. Add this to idli batter and prepare Idli. (you can use veggies like carrot, beetroot, spinach, coriander leaves etc…)

3. Idli with grated veggies: Pour ladlefuls of batter into the mould. Grate veggie on top of each idli and steam in pressure cooker till done.

4. Idli with grated cheese, veggies and coriander leaves.

5. Idli served with Fresh Fruit Compote (refer above for recipe)

6. Idli and honey.

7. Mini Idlis soaked in Sambar

8. Idli Upma

9. Idli, Coconut chutney and honey: Cut up idli into cubes or use mini idlis. Pour the chutney and add sugar. Mix till combined well and serve warm.

5. Vegetable Rava Upma

Ingredients

1 cup semolina/rava/sooji
1 large onion; finely chopped
An inch piece of grated ginger
1 green chilli; finely chopped
Curry leaves; finely chopped
1 carrot; peeled and finely diced
10 to 12 beans; finely chopped
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon urad dal
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
Oil for cooking
Ghee
Juice from one lemon
Salt; to taste
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Method

Steam the carrots and beans and set aside. In a sauce pan; boil 3 cups of water along with salt and a dash of sugar and set aside.

Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan on medium heat; add mustard seeds, urad dal and allow it to crackle. Stir in the onions, ginger, asafoetida, curry leaves and green chilles and sauté until onions are tender.

Stir in the semolina and roast along with the onion mixture until you get the light roasted aroma and not letting it brown. Gradually pour the hot water into the above mixture and continue to stir in the process. Turn the heat to low, cover the pan and allow the Rava Upma to cook and steam in the heat. Keep stirring occasionally to avoid lumps. This will take about 10 minutes. Finally stir in the ghee, steamed vegetables and lemon juice and sauté for a couple of minutes on low heat until all the ingredients are combined well.

Serve the Vegetable Rava Upma warm to make a wholesome complete breakfast.

Variations:

1. Plain Upma (without veggies) served warm.

2. Plain Upma (without veggies) mixed with bananas.

6. Millet Upma

Ingredients

1 cup Foxtail Millet (you can use a mix of millets or just one variety as well)
1 large size Red Onion; finely chopped
1/4 cup Carrots; finely chopped
1/4 cup Green Beans; finely chopped
1/4 cup Cauliflower florets
1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
5-6 Curry leaves; finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated Ginger
2 green chillies; finely chopped (optional)
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
Oil
Ghee
2 tablespoons of freshly chopped Coriander leaves
Salt; to taste

Method

Steam carrots, beans and cauliflower with a little salt and set aside.

Heat oil in a medium size sauce pan that has a light fitting lid; add mustards seeds, cumin seeds and allow them to crackle. Add the chopped onions, curry leaves and sauté until the onions are tender and the color changes to light pink. Add turmeric powder, green chillies, millet and salt. Stir for about a minute on medium heat until you get a roasted aroma of the roasted millet.

Add 2-1/2 cups of water to the above mixture and cover the pan with a lid. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes until all the water has been absorbed by the millet and feels cooked and looks grainy. If uncooked, sprinkle more water and simmer a little longer. Once done turn off the heat and allow the mixture to sit covered for 5 minutes. Gently stir in the steamed vegetables, the ghee and coriander leaves until well combined.

Serve hot/warm.

Notes: You can alternatively cook the entire thing in a pressure cooker for about 3 whistles. Once the pressure releases completely, you can stir in the vegetables and serve.

Variations:

1. Serve warm Millet Upma with sliced bananas.

7. Broken Wheat Upma

Ingredients

1 cup Broken/Cracked Wheat
1/4 cup Red Onions; finely chopped
1/4 cup Carrots; finely chopped
1/4 cup Green Beans; finely chopped
1/4 cup Cauliflower florets
1/2 teaspoon Mustard eeds
1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
5-6 Curry leaves; finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated Ginger
1-1/2 teaspoon Green Chili; finely chopped (optional)
1/4 teaspoon Asafoetida powder
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder
Oil
Ghee
2 tablespoons of freshly chopped Coriander leaves
Salt; to taste

Method

Steam the carrots, beans and cauliflower with a little salt and set aside. Heat oil in a medium size sauce pan that has a light fitting lid; add mustards seeds, cumin seeds and allow them to crackle. Add the chopped onions, curry leaves and sauté until the onions are tender and the color changes to light pink.

Add turmeric powder, asafoetida, green chillies, broken wheat and salt. Stir for about a minute on medium heat until you get a roasted aroma of the broken wheat.

Add 1½ cups of water to the above mixture and cover the pan with a lid. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 15 minutes until all the water has been absorbed by the wheat and feels cooked and looks grainy. If uncooked, sprinkle more water and simmer a little longer. Once done turn off the heat and allow the mixture to sit covered for 5 minutes. Gently stir in the steamed vegetables, the ghee and coriander leaves until well combined.

Serve the delicious Broken Wheat Upma hot/warm.

Variations:

1. Serve Broken Wheat Upma warm with sliced bananas.

8. Broken Barley Upma

Ingredients

1/2 cup Barley Grits or Broken Barley
1 1/2 cups Water
1 large Red onion; finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated Ginger
2 Green Chilies; finely chopped (optional)
1/2 cup of Carrot; diced small
1/2 cup of Green Beans; finely chopped 
1/4 cup Green Peas; steamed
1 Tomato; chopped
Oil
1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
1 tablespoon half broken White Urad dal
Salt; to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
Coriander Leaves; to Garnish

Method

Heat the oil in a pressure cooker or a pan on medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and allow it to crackle. Once it crackles add in the split urad dal. Sauté for a few minutes until the dal gets roasted. Once roasted add chopped onions, ginger, green chilies and saute till onion turns translucent. Add carrots, beans, peas and let it all cook for a minute or two stirring in between.

Now add the barley grits and mix well for few minutes. Keep stirring else barley may stick to the cooker or pan's bottom. Pour in the 1 1/2 cups of water. Stir in the salt and tomatoes and give the mixture a good stir. Cover the pressure cooker or the pan and allow the upma cook in medium flame till 2 whistles come. If you are cooking it in a pan, then cook until all the water is absorbed stirring occasionally.

Take the pressure cooker off the heat and let the cooker rest for some time before opening the lid. And if you are cooking it in a pan, once all the water is absorbed allow the upma to rest in the covered pan for about 10 minutes. The heat in the pan and the cooker helps the upma cook evenly. Open the lid and add in lemon juice and coriander leaves. Mix well and serve hot/warm.

9. French Toast

Ingredients

2 slices of fresh Brown Bread
1 Egg; beaten
2 tablespoon of Milk
Butter

Method

Pour the milk into the beaten egg and stir well. Melt butter in a non-stick pan. Dip each of slice of bread in the egg mixture and place on the pan. When one side has turned golden brown, flip over to the other side and cook till done.

Serve warm.

Variations

1. French Toast served with Honey.

2. Cinnamon French Toast.

3. French toast served with Fruit Compote or Fresh Fruit Preserve. (refer above pages for recipe for Fruit Compote)

4. French Toast and Mashed Bananas Sandwiches.

5. Savory French Toast: You can be creative here. You may use different kinds of veggies, cheese, onions, coriander leaves or other herbs, shredded chicken, flaked fish etc…. Use whatever you have in your pantry)

6. French Toast with Cream Cheese.

10. Fritatta

Ingredients

2 Eggs
Grated Cheese
1/4 cup shredded Chicken
A pinch of Paprika or Kashmiri Chili powder
Onions
Basil leaves or any fresh herbs
Butter

Method

Chop onions and sauté in butter until caramelized. Add chicken, and throw in basil or any herb of your choice. Once cooked through, add the onion and chicken mix to a baking dish or ramekin. Sprinkle cheese on top. Whip eggs, add salt, and pour to fill the ramekin. Bake at 190c for 20 minutes. Sprinkle paprika or Kashmiri Chili powder on top and serve warm.

Variations

1. You can be very very creative with this recipe. You can add absolutely anything; flaked fish, mixed veggies, any kind of minced meat, potatoes etc…

11. Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup All Purpose flour or Whole Wheat flour
1 cup Milk
1 Egg
2 1/2 teaspoons of Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of Salt
1 1/2 tablespoon of Sugar (optional)
1 or tablespoon of Oil

Method

Whip eggs in milk and mix well. Stir in oil, baking powder, sugar and salt. Add flour all at once and mix till smooth. (get rid of any lumps)

Heat a non-stick pan and add oil or butter to it. Pour 1/4 cup of batter on the pan and cook till one side has turned a light brown. Flip over the pancake gently and cook till done.

Serve warm.

Variations

1. Pancakes served with Honey, Maple syrup etc…

2. Pancakes served with Fresh Fruit Compote (refer above pages for recipe for Fresh Fruit Compote)

3. Fruity Pancakes: Chop up any fresh fruit into the pancake batter and mix well. Use this to make delicious fruity pancakes. You can use any fresh fruit like strawberries, apples, blueberries, peaches, pineapple etc…

4. Savory Vegetable Pancakes: Grate veggies of your choice (veggies like carrot, beetroot, coriander leaves etc…) and add it to pancake batter and mix well. Use this mix to prepare healthy and wholesome vegetable pancakes for your little ones.

5. Pancakes served with Caramelized Bananas: Heat a pan and add a few tablepoons of brown sugar to it. Let it melt and bubble up. Switch off flame and add round slices of ripe banana into it and toss till sugar coats the bananas.

Serve warm with Pancakes.

12. Savory Broken Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Onion; finely chopped
1 cup fine Broken Wheat (looks a little coarser than semolina, but light brown- called as bansi rawa sometimes in indian stores)
1/2 cup Oats (you can use steel cut/rolled oats or instant oats)
1 cup Yoghurt
1 teaspoon Baking powder
Salt; to taste
Butter and Vegetable oil
Green chillies; finely chopped (optional)

Method

Combine the broken wheat, oatmeal, yogurt and salt in a bowl along with 2 cups of water. Cover and allow it to soak and rest for 30 minutes.  Stir in the baking powder and onions into the above wheat mixture until well combined.

Heat a 8 inch pan over medium heat and melt 1/2 tablespoon butter or 1/2 tablespoon oil in the pan. When the butter is hot (not smoking), lower the heat to medium-low and drop one heaping soup spoon of batter into the pan. Cook the pancake about 2 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked. Continue with remaining pancakes and serve warm.

Alternatives, you could make tiny 1 inch appetizers with this batter and serve. These remain soft and warm well in the oven even after they are cooked without getting brittle. If you happen to warm in the oven, just make sure to cover with aluminum foil so they don’t dry out.

Variations:

1. You could add grated zucchini, carrot, beetroot, corn, spinach, basil or any other herb to make it extra nutritious.

13. Healthy Vegetable Multigrain Pancakes

Ingredients

1/4 cup All purpose flour
1/4 cup Whole Wheat flour
1/2 cup of Ragi flour
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
Salt; to taste
1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 cup Milk
1 Egg
1 small Capsicum; finely chopped
1 medium size Carrot; grated
1/2 cup Cabbage; finely sliced
1/2 cup Zucchini; grated
2 Green Onions; finely chopped
Oil

Method

In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper.

In another bowl, beat together the egg and milk, toss into the bowl of vegetables, and stir. Add this to the flour mixture and stir until well combined.

Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Spoon the batter onto the pan like you would do pancakes. When one side turns golden brown, flip over to the other side until golden brown. Proceed the same way with the remaining pancakes.

Serve the Vegetable Multigrain Pancakes warm.

14. Banana Pancakes

Ingredients for the Pancakes

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup milk (or water)
2 eggs
Butter for greasing
Berries of your choice (for topping)
Maple syrup

Ingredients for the Banana Filling

6 bananas; peeled and sliced
4 tablespoons melted butter

Method

Sift flour into a bowl and add eggs, milk (or water), and sugar. Mix and beat well and set aside.

Heat melted butter in a pan, add the bananas, toss until coated, and cook over medium heat until the bananas start to soften and brown. Make sure not to overcook the bananas. Dish out and set aside.

Melt a little butter in a non-stick frying pan and pour the pancake mixture into the pan and cook over medium heat until the underside is golden. Turn the pancake over and cook the other side. Transfer to a plate and fill the pancake with the banana. Fold the pancake over to enclose and top it with some berries. Drizzle maple syrup on the pancake before serving.

15. Kanda Poha

Ingredients

300 grams Beaten Rice (aka Avalakki or Pohe)
1 large size Red Onion; finely chopped
1 medium size Green Chilli, slit lengthwise (optional)
6-8 Curry leaves
1 tablespoon Cumin seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons Oil
1 teaspoon Sugar
Salt; to taste
Coriander leaves; finely chopped
Lime or Lemon, 1 wedge per serving (adjust as per taste preference)

Method

Heat the oil in a large shallow pan. When oil is hot, throw in the cumin seeds. When they splutter, add the chili and the curry leaves. Add onions and cook till light pink or brown on a medium flame. Now add turmeric powder and mix well.

In the meanwhile, wash the beaten rice and leave them to drain in a sieve. (The trick is to ensure they are still damp but not dripping when they are added into the pan.) Once the onions are cooked, add in the beaten rice and mix well. Season with enough salt. Add sugar, chopped coriander and a squeeze of lime. Toss till everything is combined well.

Turn off the gas and serve hot/warm.

Variations:

1. Poha served with fresh Curds/Yoghurt.

2.  You can also add cooked veggies like potatoes, carrot, green beans etc… to make it more wholesome.

16. Mashed Potato Salad Sammies

Ingredients for the Mashed Potato Salad

5 Medium size Potatoes; boiled
1 Egg; boiled and finely chopped
1/2 a Red Onion; finely chopped
1 Green Chili; seeds taken out and finely chopped (optional)
Any Herb of your choice [you can use parsely, dill leaves etc…] (optional)
1 tablespoon Mayonnaise or a little Milk
1/4 teaspoon Mustard
Cracked Pepper
Salt; to taste

Ingredients for the Sandwich

A few slices of soft Brown Bread
Butter

Method to prepare the Mashed Potato Salad

Add the boiled potatoes, mayonnaise (or milk), mustard, pepper and salt into a food processor and give it all a good whizz. Once all the ingredients have been mashed well, tip this mix into a wide bowl. Throw in the chopped egg, green chillies, onion and herbs and mix well. Check for salt and add more if necessary.

Chill in the refrigerator for a few hours.

Method to prepare the Sandwiches

Butter two slices of bread lightly. Slather on the chilled mashed potatoes onto one slice and cover with the other slice of bread. Your tasty potato sandwich is ready…. Munch away!

Variation:

1. You can also have these sandwiches warm. For this do not chill the mashed potatoes. Lightly butter the bread slices and toast them on a pan. Spread the mashed potato on these slices and serve warm.

17. Coconut Crepes

Ingredients for the Crepes

1 1/2 cups All Purpose flour OR Wheat flour
1 1/2 cups Milk
1 Egg; beaten
2 tablespoons Sugar
Salt; to taste
Water; as required

Ingredients for the Filling

2 cups of Grated Coconut
3 Cardamom pods; deseeded and powdered
2 tablespoons Ghee
6 tablespoons Sugar

Method to prepare the Crepes

Mix together all purpose flour, eggs, salt, sugar and water and make a thin batter. Heat a non-stick pan/thava and pour the batter and spread it. Cook for a few minutes on one side and then flip over. Prepare pancakes like this with the remaining batter.

Method to prepare the Filling

Heat ghee in a pan and add coconut, crushed cardamom and sugar and mix well. Cook till the mixture becomes soft and juicy. Place the filling in the pancakes and roll it.

Serve hot/warm with honey.

18. Basil Olive Muffins

Ingredients

1 Egg
1/4 cup Oil
1/2 cup Milk
1 1/2 cups Flour
1/3 cup Grated Cheese
2 teaspoons of Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
A handful of chopped Olives
2 tablespoons of Basil leaves

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Beat egg until foamy in a small mixing bowl. Beat in oil and milk. Add cheese.

In a separate bowl, sift together all the dry ingredients. Stir in olives and basil. Make a well in the center and pour in liquid ingredients. Mix together with a fork until dry ingredients are moistened; no more than 25 to 30 strokes. Batter will be lumpy.

Using an ice-cream scoop, fill the cups. This will measure your batter equally for each muffin. Fill each muffin cup slightly more than half full. Sprinkle a little sugar on top for a little crunch.

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and muffins test done with a toothpick. Loosen with spatula and turn out.

Serve warm.

Notes:

You can add pretty much anything into this muffin and your kids are sure to love this.

19. Finger Millet Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients

1 cup Finger Millet/Ragi flour
2 tablespoons Cocoa powder
1/2 cup Jaggery
2 cups Milk (or 1 cup milk and 1 cup water)
1/4 teaspoon Cardamom powder
3 tablespoon chopped Nuts

Method

Mix Ragi , Cocoa powder and milk thoroughly and pour it into a heavy bottom cooking vessel. Keep stirring, make sure there are no lumps. Add more water or milk to get the right consistency and keep cooking this for around 10 minutes. Add jaggery and stir for another 5 minutes. Add cardamom and chopped nuts. Cook till the porridge starts to thicken.

You can make it really thick so you can cut out pieces like halwa. Or make it semi thick and eat like a pudding. If you want halwa, grease a plate with little ghee and pour the mix into it. Cut into pieces when cooled.

Else pour into pudding cups and enjoy as breakfast pudding.

20. Grilled Fish Sammies

Ingredients for the Sandwich

A few slices of Bread
Butter

Ingredients for the Filling

Fish (Seer fish) - 7 to 8 pcs
Lime - 2 tbsp
Ginger - a small piece
Salt - to taste
Water - 1/2 to 3/4 cup
Garlic (crushed) - 3 to 4 cloves
Big Onion (chopped fine) - 1
Green chillies - 1 (optional)
Tomato (chopped fine) - 1 (big)
Pepper powder - 1 tsp (I add more. You can add as per your spice tolerance)
Cream Cheese (Cheese spread) - 4 tbsp (you can add or reduce as you like)
Oil

Method to prepare the Filling

Cook the fish with Lime juice/vinegar, ginger, salt and water until done. Throw away the piece of ginger and leave to cool. Once cooled, flake the fish pieces into tiny bits and keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok. Add garlic, green chillies and onions and saut'e till onions turn light brown. Then add tomato and saut'e for about 2 minutes. Add the flaked fish pieces along with pepper and salt and combine with the other ingredients. Switch off the flame and keep aside.

Method to prepare the Sandwiches

Take bread slices and lightly butter them. (optional) Take the cream cheese in a bowl and gently whisk it. Add the fish mixture into it and mix. Adjust salt.

Take the buttered bread slices and place them on the grill, spread the fish and cheese mixture onto it. Place another buttered slice of bread on top and grill for about 3 to 4 minutes, just to give it that crisp. And there you have it, Grilled Fish Sammies, ready-to-eat!

21. Open Chicken Sammies

Ingredients

Chicken breast (cut into cubes) - 250 gms (refer notes)
Green chilli - 1
Pepper - 2 tsp
Salt - to taste
Big Onion - 2 (medium)
Tomato (finely chopped) - 1 (medium)
Chicken stock - 3 to 4 tbsp
Bread slices - 8 to 10
Oil

Method

Take a pressure cooker and add chicken pieces along with a pinch of salt and pepper and a little water into it. Cover and cook till chicken is tender and juicy. Remove the stock/liquid (you can use this as stock that has to be added later into it) and keep aside. Shred the chicken pieces and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add green chilli and onions and saut'e till onion reduces and turns golden brown. Add finely chopped tomato and saut'e for a few minutes till tomato becomes soft. Add the shredded chicken along with pepper and salt and saut'e for a few minutes. Now add chicken stock and stir on medium flame for a few minutes till all the liquid evaporates. Once done, switch off flame and keep aside.

Lightly butter the bread slices and toast them on the griddle or a frying pan. Place the chicken filling on top. Keep warm in a pre-heated oven. (refer notes)

Serve warm.

Notes:

1. If you don’t have boneless chicken breasts, don’t worry, you can use chicken with bones. But remember to shred the chicken off the bone. Either way, it tastes the same.

2. It isn’t necessary to place the sandwiches in the oven, you can serve it straight from the stove too.

Recipe Courtesy:

http://www.archanaskitchen.com/

http://kuspi.cucumbertown.com/

http://rasamalaysia.com/

Photo Courtesy: google.com
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