Chicken Manchurian Gravy

 

Ingredients

1 Pound Boneless Chicken

2 tsp All Purpose Flour

1 tsp Corn Starch/ Flour -

Salt to taste

black pepper - 1/2 tsp

1 egg

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

Oil - for Deep Frying

 

Manchurian Sauce:

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp chopped ginger

1 tsp chopped green chili (or to taste)

1 tbsp soy- sauce

2 tbsp chopped spring onions

3 cups chicken stock

2 tbsp corn starch

1 tbsp green onion (for garnish)

 

Process

 

1.     Wash and pat dry the chicken, cut into medium pieces and take it in a medium bowl. add salt, pepper and mix well, add egg and ginger garlic paste coat well. Now add Flour and corn starch.

2.     Heat the oil in deep pan. Once the oil is hot drop this chicken carefully and fry them until golden color. Keep these aside.

 

Procedure for the gravy

3.     Add Oil in a wok, once the oil is hot, add garlic and ginger, green chili. Fry for 1 min or till the ginger and garlic is golden brown.

4.     Add fried chicken piece and add soy-sauce stir well to combine.

5.     Add chicken stock to the above mixture and let it come to a rapid boil.

6.     In the meanwhile dissolve the corn starch to little cold water

7.     Add the corn starch mixture to the gravy while stirring continuously till the desired consistency is obtained.

8.     Garnish with spring onions.

 

Serve hot  with fried rice.

 

Warm Minestrone Soup

 

 

 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp of vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 large carrots, peeled and chopped

2 stalks of celery, chopped

2 clove of garlic, minced

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

5-6 tbsp of tomato puree

1 tablespoon of tomato paste

½  15 oz can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

5 cups of low sodium chicken stock

1 cup of short cut pasta

Salt and pepper to taste

1tbsp of dried basil

 

Process

1.     In a large heavy bottom pot heat the oil on medium heat and add the chopped onion, carrots and celery and sauté until the vegetables start to cook down and caramelize about 3 minutes,

2.     Add the potato and garlic and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.

3.     Add the kidney beans, tomato puree, tomato paste and the chicken stock, place a lid on the pan turn the heat to medium high and cook for 15- 20 minutes.

4.     Add dried basil.

5.     When all the vegetables are cooked season with salt and pepper to taste and add the pasta (cook the pasta according to package instructions.

Serve hot with garlic bread.

Easy Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

1 Loaf of Italian bread

 5 Cloves of Garlic

 ¼ cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

 2 Tbsp of Dried Parsley

 1/2 Cup of Cheddar Cheese

¼ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

 

Process 

1.     Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2.      In a small food processor or in a blender, add the garlic, oil and parsley and puree until smooth.

3.     Cut open the bread into half and spread the on both sides of the bread.

4.     Place the top of the bread on top of the bottom and wrap it in aluminum foil, bake it for 10 minutes.

5.     Remove the bread from the oven, unwrap the bread and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and grate cheddar cheese all over both sides of the bread.

6.     Return to the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

7.     Cut into pieces and serve immediately.

Comforting Chicken and Dumpling

Ingredients: 

2 small carrots, peeled and diced
3-4 tbsp of all purpose flour

1 Medium Onion, diced

2 Stalks of Celery, diced

1 ½ lb Chicken on bone

2 cups Chicken Stock

¼  cup of All Purpose Flour

 ¼ cup Frozen Peas, thawed

 ½ cup Heavy Cream or half and half

Salt and Pepper, to taste

 1 Tbsp of Poultry Seasoning (or mixture of dried herbs and seasoning like –parsley, nutmeg, salt, pepper, onion powder, sage, rosemary and marjoram)  

 ¼ cup of Vegetable Oil

 Dumplings:

1 cups of All Purpose Flour

1 cup of Whole Milk or half and half

1 egg

1 Tbsp of Baking Powder

1 tsp of Salt

1 Tbsp of Fresh Chopped Parsley

Cracked Black Pepper

 

Process 

1.      Boil the chicken in 2 cups of water, shred the chicken and set aside and reserve the chicken stock

2.     Add the oil in a large thick bottom pot, heat it over medium high heat, add the carrots, onion and celery, season with a little salt and cook the veggies over medium heat until they begin to cook down and develop some color, 4 to 5 mins. 

3.   Add 3-4 tbsp of all purpose flour and cook it along with the veggies for 1-2 minutes.

4. Add the reserve chicken stock and another 2 cups of chicken stock and stir till the stock is thick ,Add the  shredded chicken back in and sprinkle over the poultry seasoning along cook for 1 minute. 

5.     Add stock and bring to a boil. Partially cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium low and cook the mixture for about 20 minutes. 

6.     Add heavy cream and peas and cook those for a few minutes. 

7.     In a large bowl, mix together all your ingredients for the dumplings into a lumpy batter. 

8.     Using 2  teaspoons drop dough all over the top of the stock while the mixture is simmering on medium heat. 

9.      Partially cover the pot with the lid and simmer your chicken and dumplings for about 7 to 10 minutes.

Serve hot!

Additictive Peanut brittle

Ingredients: 

1 cup white sugar

1 cup water

1 cup roasted peanuts

Process

1.     Grease a large cookie sheet. Set aside.

2.     In a heavy bottom saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a boil sugar and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir continuously till the sugar and water mixture turns amber color

3.     Stir in roasted peanut and stir well to combine.

4.     Remove from heat; immediately pour at once onto cookie sheet.

5.     Once cooled completely snap candy into pieces.

 

You can replace peanuts with nuts of your choice, you can use cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios, sesame seeds or a mixture of all nuts

 

Enjoy

Chick peas curry /Chole

Ingredients:

2 -15 oz cans of chickpeas (or 1 cup chick peas soaked overnight)

1 tea bag

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tsp of ginger garlic paste

2 tsp chole masala

1 tsp chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

2 tbsp oil

4 tbsp of tomato puree

 salt to taste

 

Process

1.     Boil 2 can of chicke peas with tea bag for 10 mins (if you are using raw chick peas then pressure cook the chick peas with the tea bag until they are soft). Drain and keep aside. Discard the tea bag.

2.     Heat the oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the onion and fry till golden brown.

3.     Add ginger and garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes.

4.     Add tomato puree and cook till oil separates.

5.     Add Chole masala, salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, Turmeric powder and cumin powder and cook for 1 min ( add little water to avoid the spices getting burnt). (you can either blend this entire mixture in a blender before adding the chick peas or add chick peas to this mixture directly)

6.     Add the Chick peas and 1 cup of water and mix well. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

 

Serve hot with lemon wedge, onions and roti or bhatura

Hearty Beef Chili

Ingredients: 

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion, finely chopped

1 green bell peppers, seeded and diced  

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced

1 tbsp oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp chili powder

1 tsp of dried oregano

2 tsp ground cumin

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

5 tbsp of tomato puree

1 can of kidney beans

1 can of chili beans

2 cups of beef broth

 

Process

1.     In a pot over medium-high heat, heat up the oil and fry onions, garlic, green bell pepper and jalapeno peppers till translucent.

2.     Add beef and cook  until brown.

3.     Season with chili powder, cumin, dried oregano, salt and pepper.

4.     Stir in the tomato puree and cook till oil separates

5.     Add in kidney beans and chili beans along with beef broth.

6.     Let it simmer on low heat for 45 minutes before serving.

Serve hot with Cheese of your choice or sour cream