Bread Upma

Bored of the regular bread sandwiches and bread toasts in breakfast? Here's a breakfast variation with bread and this works out perfect as a snack too! 

Ingredients:

• Butter : 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves: 1 Sprig
• Green Chillies: 2 ( slit and deseded)
• Asafoetida (hing): 1/4 tsp
• Coriander leaves : @ Tbsp Chopped
• onion : 1 ( finely chopped)
• Garlic: 1 tbsp ( finely chopped )
• Tomatoes : 1 &1/2 ( deseeded and chopped)
• Turmeric powder : 1/2 tsp
• Kashmiri red chilli powder: 1/2-1 tsp
• Salt
• Water : 1/2 cup
• Lemon juice: 1/2 Tsp
• Bread slices : 4 Cut into bite sized pieces

Method:

1. Heat butter in a pan and let it melt completely,
2. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, asafoetida, coriander leaves, onions and stir fry them.
3. Add garlic and mix everything till the onions turns translucent and not brown
4. Add tomato and mix well.
5. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and cook it till the tomatoes turn soft.
6. Add water, lemon juice and boil it till the water dries out
7. Add the bread pieces in the tomato mixture and toss them well to coat all the bread pieces well.
8. Sprinkle some coriander leaves and mix well everything
9. Serve hot!

Happy Cooking!!

Shabana

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Sausage fried rice

A recipe where lot of variations are possible and each one gets to be unique in its own way - yes, I'm talking about Chinese fried rice . You name it and they have a fried rice with that ingredient. So in that guts I too tried out a fried rice with a new ingredient ; Sausages. Now this recipe is one amongst those which fall on our dining table frequently and its mostly because of the easiness to make and the taste it gives and above all the ingredients are mostly in the fridge! This makes this dish a life saver when you have unexpected guests. So let's move on!




Ingredients

Serves: 4

• Sausages : 7 nos cut into medium thick rounds
• Ginger and Garlic : Finely chopped 1 tbsp each
• Onion : 1 nos finely diced cubes
• Capsicum : 1 nos cubed
• Tomato : 1 nos cubed
• Spring onions : 2-3 ( with the onions and greens)
• Tomato ketchup : 2tbsp
• Chilli sauce : 1 tbsp
• Soya sauce : 1 tsp
• Pepper powder : 1.5 heaped teaspoons
• Rice : 2 cups  ( Cook this until soft and keep aside to cool)
• Salt
• Butter and oil : 2 tbsp each

Method

1. Take a wide pan or wok and add the butter and oil . Before it heats up add the ginger and garlic chops and saute well for a minute. It need not change colour. It just needs to lose the raw flavour
2. Add the cut sausages and 1 tsp black pepper powder and cook well for 5 minutes by stirring occasionally
3. Add the onions and wait for it to get translucent. Then add the tomato and give a quick stir for about 3-4 minutes and then add the capsicum and further saute for 3-4 minutes
4. Add all the sauces , salt and half teaspoon pepper powder and mix well
5. To this add the pre cooked rice and keep mixing well till the entire rice is tossed in the sauce well and the rice gets nice and hot.
6. Add finely chopped spring onions and give it a nice mix.

Note : If time permits cook the rice prior day or at least few hours back and leave it in the fridge in air tight container and use it once the sauce is ready  . This will ensure the right consistency of rice !

Enjoy easy cooking!
Shabana

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Chicken steak

Chicken steak is a very popular American dish usually served with a sauce, salad, potato fries or white rice. The typical recipe calls in for a very few seasonings and also breading of the meat but i tried out a recipe to suit the Indian taste buds and came out very good and worth to be shared. So here goes the recipe for a new variety of steak on your table.

Ingredients

For Steak

• Chicken breast : 2 nos (boneless)
• Salt : 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper : 1/4 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste : 1 tsp
• Oil : 2 tsp
• Paprika or red chilli powder : 1/2 tsp
• Maida / All purpose flour : 1 tsp
• Lime juice : 1-2 tsp

For the pepper sauce

• Butter : 1/2 tbspn
• Maida : 1 tsp
• Water : 1/2 cup
• Pepper powder : 1/4 tsp
• Paprika or chilli powder : 1/4 tsp
• Oregano : 1 tsp
• Tomato ketchup : 2 tsp
• Very little salt

Method

1. Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients and rub the spices all over very well with hand and allow to rest for minimum half an hour.
2. Heat the grill pan or normal frying pan on high heat and brush some oil on the pan. Once the pan is sizzling hot place the steaks on the pan
3. Reduce heat to medium - low and cook either sides for the chicken until fully done. Almost 10-12 minutes . Intermediately flip the steak and also brush oil so that the pieces don't dry up.

Hot steak is ready.

Preparation of the sauce

1. Heat the butter in a pan and once butter is melted add the maida and mix well for a minute on medium flame. Do not over cook the flour
2. Add the water and mix well and form a lump free solution
3. Add the pepper , paprika and oregano and mix well and add the ketchup and give a good stir.Check taste and add salt if needed

Sizzling sauce is ready. Plate the steaks and pour a portion of the sauce over the steaks and keep remaining for dipping. Serve with fries and salads of your choice.
Note : You can also cook the steaks in a 200°C oven or on a griller as per manual instructions for chicken grilling.You can also try the same recipe for beef steak if you are a beef lover.


Happy cooking!!
Shabana

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Chilli idli

An amazing fusion of South Indian and Chinese recipe which can be a filling breakfast or a snack and goes best in your kids lunch box. A healthy start would need the following ingredients.

Ingredients

• Oil : 2 tbsp
• Onion : 1 medium (shelled)
• Ginger : 1tsp
• Garlic : 1 tsp
• Green chillies : 2 cross cut
• Capsicum : 1 cut to big cubes
• Tomato ketchup : 3 tbsp
• Chilli sauce : 2 tbsp
• Soya sauce : 1 tsp
• Sugar : 1/2 tsp
• White vinegar : 1 tsp
• Spring onions : finely chopped
• Fried idlis : 15-20 mini idlis

Note : If mini idli maker is not available make normal idlis and cut into 4. Deep fry these idlis by flipping sides until golden brown and keep aside.

Method

1. Add oil to a pan and add the shelled onions and stir till translucent . Then add in the ginger and garlic chops followed by the capsicum. Give a quick stir. Do not over cook (you need a good bite of the veggies).
2. Add in all the sauces , vinegar and sugar and very little salt. Be careful on adding adding salt coz all the sauces have salt.
3. Add in the fried idlis and toss well in the sauce. Finally add the spring onions and give one good last stir. Garnish with spring onions and serve yummy fried idlis!

Add Onion and saute

Add green chillies and capsicum 

Deep fry the idli

Fried Idli to be added to the sauces and onion - capsicum mix and toss well

Happy cooking!!
Shabana

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Sausage Masala

I have a perfect solution for those odd days when you really want to finish your work at kitchen fast yet do not want to compromise on taste. So lets look into the ingredients for this quick dish.

Ingredients

• Sausages : 200 gms
• Onion : 3 medium sized onions sliced
• Green chilli slit : 2 nos
• Garlic : 8-10 cloves coarsely smashed
• Red chilli (kashmiri) : 1 tbsp
• Oil : 2 tbsp
• Curry leaves
• Vinegar : 1.5 tsp

Method

1. Heat up oil in a kadai and add the garlic and saute till raw flavour is gone. Then add curry leaves and saute. To this add the onions and salt and saute for 7-8 minutes until they slightly change colour
2. Add round cut sausages and stir fry for 5 mins on medium heat
3. Add red chilli powder and mix well and saute for a minute
4. Add the vinegar and salt if needed and give a good mix

Serve it as an amazing appetizer or a side dish. You can even alter the chilli level and make it to be a lunch box recipe for your kid .

Enjoy easy cooking!!
Shabana

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