Tag: healthy food

Chicken Manchow Soup

Soup is a form of liquid food that is mostly taken before lunch as a starter.It is made by using various ingredients vegetables,meat,corn,tomatoes,water also.These ingredients are boiled along with these items and the flavor or juice that comes out of it is extracted and served as a soup.Single bowl of soup makes our taste buds feel yummy and delicious.The word soup is originated from Sanskrit Su and Po which means good nutrition.This soup before lunch or dinner is more preferable and makes our diet with very low calories.This flavorful soup is very healthy and delicious with mild spices.We can also remove the fat content present in it by removing the layer formed on the soup by using a large spoon.It is better to choose a water based soup than a cream based soup as water based has low fat and calories compared to cream based soups.

Many of the experts say that we eat soup rather than drinking it as we consider it as a part of meal. Soup is mostly taken by using a deep cut spoon as it is convenient and comfortable having in that way. We have many types of soups which are chunky, crispy, delicious, vegetables, meat, creamy and many more,each of these having involves different preparation process.

Popular Chicken Manchow soup

History:

According to history soup is also having a long history around 5000 BC. Soup is a formed by the combination of various ingredients in a large pot to originate nutritious, healthy, easily digestive item. This is a perfect choice for travelers, rich, poor, every one.The soup was first added to the menu in the restaurants during 18th century in Paris.In 19th century canned and dehydrated soups are fed to trail by cowboys and Soldiers. Later these soups are diet restricted by making it with low salt and high fiber.

Ingredients:

Veggies:

1) Take 200 grams of finely chopped chicken ( just ignore this if you are going for a veg soup )

2) Take finely chopped green chillies

3) Take one table spoon finely chopped garlic

4) Take 1/4 cup of cabbage pieces

5) Take 1/4 cup of chopped carrot pieces

6) Take 1/4 cup of red bell pepper

7) Take 1/4 cup of chopped capsicum

8) Take two table spoon of finely chopped spring onion

For the preparation of sauce:

1) Take two table spoon of tomato puree

2) Take one table spoon of red chilli sauce

3) Take one table spoon of soy sauce

4) Take one spoon of vinegar

5) Take one table spoon of ground black pepper

6) Take two cups of chicken stock

7) Take two table spoons of canola oil

8) Take salt that is suitable for one’s taste

Ingredients that are required for making Manchow soup

Preparation:

Manchow soup is a popular soup in Indian Chinese cuisine.It is very easy to prepare and it gives a great hot and spicy taste to our taste buds.We can find it ease in many restaurants in their menu cards. Many of the people like to have this soup with Manchurian,but individually it also tastes good. The color of the soup is dark brown and is made out of various vegetables, spices, chicken( if not vegetarian consider this), corn flour, soy sauce, salt required amount, garlic, chilli peppers. All these combined to give a soft hot and spicy taste to the soup.

Step 1:

At first take a nonstick pan and heat it with two table spoons of oil at high flame.Now add garlic that we have taken, add half of the green chillies to the oil and saute them for about 30 seconds.Care should be taken that these garlic should not turn their color to brown.After this process now add finely chopped carrot and chicken pieces and saute them for about 2 to 3 minutes on a high flame.

Chicken Manchaw Soup preparation process step one

Step 2:

As the cooking process of carrot and chicken are completed, now add cabbage, bell pepper, capsicum and saute this mixture for about one minute on a high flame.As this process is done now take a small bowl where we have to mix tomato puree, red chilli sauce, soy sauce, vinegar.After mixing these well pour this mixture into the wok by adding chicken stock and stir it completely so that all these recipe gets mixed with the vegetables and chicken pieces,but be careful while stirring as it may spill over.Let this mixture be cooked for two minutes on a high flame.

Chicken Manchow Soup preparation process step 2

Step 3:

As the ingredients are well mixed to form a thick substance now add few spring onion pieces and ground black pepper that we have taken earlier and switch off the flame.That’s it the hot and spicy Chicken Manchow soup is prepared and we can take it to a serving bowl.It is advisable to take the soup when it is hot only so that we can enjoy each sip of delicious Chicken Manchow soup. The chicken pieces are soft and easily digestive.These pieces are enriched with the juice of all the ingredients and have a mouth watering taste.

Delicious hot and spicy Chicken Manchow soup

June 13, 2014
Curry in a Hurry – in less than 30 minutes!

Curry is a dish containing complex combinations of herbs and spices, usually including fresh or dried hot chillies. Curry dishes may contain fish, poultry or meat, either alone or mixed with vegetables. They may also be purely vegetarian.

Curries are great for using any leftover food one may have in the fridge from the night before. They are also quite versatile. Most are really easy to make and cost effective. One can keep it simple or spice it up to suit one’s taste.

Cooking a curry need not take long stressful hours in the kitchen. It can be prepared pretty quick and in an easy manner. Not only are these preparations delicious but they are packed with a good deal of nutrients.

My favourite Curry-in-a-Hurry is the Creamy Egg Curry. It is light, healthy, yummy and leaves me wishing I had cooked a bit more.

A few other ‘Yummy – Tummy – Curry’ are:

Speedy Green Chicken Curry

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 tsp vegetable oil, 1 red onion (cut into half-moon slices), 4 tbsp Thai Green curry paste, 2 x 400g cans light coconut milk, 2 tbsp fish sauce, zest and juice 2 limes, 1 tbsp brined green peppercorn (drained and rinsed), 200g green beans (trimmed and halved), 4 skinless chicken breasts (cut into long strips), handful basil leaves, cooked basmati rice (to serve)

Method: Heat the oil in a medium pan, add the onion and fry for 2 minutes. Tip in the paste and cook for 1 min more. Pour in the coconut milk, fish sauce, lime zest and juice, and peppercorns. Bring to a simmer, then add the beans and chicken. Cook for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.Just before serving, add the basil leaves. Serve with basmati rice.

Creamy Egg Curry

Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 2 tbsp sunflower oil, 2 onions (thinly sliced), 2 heaped tbsp curry paste, 400g can chopped tomatoes, 8 eggs, 140g frozen peas, 4 tbsp Greek yogurt, rice (to serve), mango chutney (to serve)

Method: Heat the oil in a pan, then fry the onions over a low heat for 10 minutes until golden. Add the curry paste and sizzle for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the tomatoes and 200ml water, season to taste and then bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes until you have a rich sauce.Meanwhile, boil the eggs for 8 minutes, cool in cold water, then peel and halve. 3 Stir the peas and yogurt into the curry and simmer for another 2-3 minutes. Put the eggs into the pan, spoon the curry sauce over and leave for another 2 minutes to heat through. Serve with rice and mango chutney.

15 – minute Prawn Curry

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 390g can coconut milk, 2 tbsp Thai green curry paste, 2 tsp sugar, small bunch fresh coriander (leaves and stalks), 400g bag frozen tiger prawns (defrosted, cooked, peeled), 100g baby spinach leaves, juice 1 lime, 1 tbsp Thai fish sauce

Method: Open the coconut milk; pour the thin milk into a jug, keeping back any thick coconut cream. Scoop the coconut cream into a blender. Add 2-3 tbsp of the coconut milk plus curry paste, sugar and coriander stalks and blend to a smooth paste. Heat a wok, tip in the paste, stir fry for 1-2 minutes, then pour in the remaining milk from the jug.Bring to a simmer, then add the prawns and spinach. Cook until the prawns are heated through and spinach has wilted. Add lime juice and fish sauce; then spoon into bowls. Scatter over coriander leaves and serve with plain rice or noodles

Squash and Coconut Curry

Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients: 2 tbsp Madras curry paste, 1 large sqush (chopped into medium size chunks), 1 red pepper (halved, deseeded and roughly chopped into chunks), 400g can reduced-fat coconut milk, small bunch coriander (roughly chopped)

Method: Heat a large frying pan or wok, tip in the curry paste and fry for 1 min. Add the squash and red pepper, then toss well in the paste. Pour in the coconut milk with 200ml water and bring to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the butternut squash is very tender and the sauce has thickened. Season to taste, then serve scattered with chopped coriander and naan bread or rice.

No – fry Thai Curry

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients: 2 rounded tbsp Thai green curry paste, 400ml can coconut milk, 2 skinless boneless chicken breast fillets (very thinly sliced), 1 red pepper (seeded and cut into chunks), 3 spring onions (halved lengthways and cut into long pieces), cupful of frozen peas, 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander or basil (to serve), rice or noodles (to serve)

Method: Make the sauce. Stir the curry paste over the heat in a medium pan for a few seconds, pour in the coconut milk and bring to the boil.Cook the rest. Add the chicken and vegetables, let it all start to bubble again, then turn down the heat and cook very gently for 5 minutes until the chicken is tender but the vegetables still have some texture. Stir in the coriander or basil and serve spooned over rice or noodles.

Recipe and Image Courtesy – bbcgoodfood.com

May 29, 2014
Burger Urges!!

What is it about that meaty (or veggie) patty topped with mayo, ketchup, lettuce and sandwiched between the oh-so-tasty buns that makes our tongues water? Is it the ambrosias aroma of the spice mix or the spectacular way the Burger sits in front of us neatly packed in its various layers? Or the inexplicable sensation the moment we take our first bite – the burst of flavour that hits us, the heavenly infusion of the crackle and the mayo, the melting of the chicken in our mouth…? Which one is it?

There is no one answer.

There is no answer.

One needs not a reason to love. One simply does.

All of us love our KFC Zinger Burger or McDonald Maharaja Mac. So, why not try making our own Burger at home?

Let’s start with a Burger for the vegetarian souls and then we will gradually move on to the meatier ones.

Veggie Burger with Mushrooms

Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 15-ounce can kidney beans (drained and rinsed), 1 small red onion (shredded and squeezed dry), 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, 1 small carrot (finely diced), 1 cup plain or whole-wheat breadcrumbs, 2 scallions (white and green parts, finely chopped), 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, 2 tsp soy sauce, Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 3 cups assorted mushrooms (sliced), 4 English muffins (split and toasted), mayonnaise and/or mustard (for garnish), baby spinach (for garnish)

Method: Smash the beans in a bowl with a potato masher or fork until slightly chunky. Add the onion, walnuts, carrot, 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, scallions, parsley and 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt and pepper and mix with your hands until combined. Spread the remaining 1/2 cup breadcrumbs on a plate. Form the bean mixture into 4 patties; lightly coat with the breadcrumbs, shaking off any excess. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook until golden and slightly crisp, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the burgers to a plate. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and the remaining 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; season with salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms are slightly wilted, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve the burgers on the English muffins with mayonnaise and/or mustard, baby greens and mushrooms.

Falafel Burger

Time: 16 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 400g can chickpeas (rinsed and drained), garlic cloves (chopped), handful of flat-leaf parsley or curly parsley, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, ½ tsp harissa paste or chilli powder, 2 tbsp plain flour, 2 tbsp sunflower oil, toasted pitta bread, 200g tub tomato salsa (to serve), green salad (to serve), 1 small red onion (roughly chopped)

Method: Pat the chickpeas dry with kitchen paper. Tip into a food processor along with the onion, garlic, parsley, spices, flour and a little salt. Blend until fairly smooth and then shape into four patties with your hands.Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the burgers and then quickly fry for 3 minutes on each side until lightly golden. Serve with toasted pittas, tomato salsa and a green salad.

Tuna Sweetcorn Burger

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 85g white bread (torn into pieces), 198g can sweetcorn (drained), 2 x 185g cans tuna in water (drained well), 25g grated cheddar, 3 spring onions (finely chopped), 1 egg (beaten), 2 tbsp vegetable oil, wholegrain bread rolls (to serve), lettuce (to serve), salsa (to serve)

Method: Whizz the bread in a food processor to crumbs, tip into a bowl, then whizz half the sweetcorn until finely chopped. Add the chopped corn, remaining whole corn, tuna, cheese, spring onions and some seasoning into the bowl with the bread and mix well. Add the egg, bit by bit (you may not need it all), until the mixture is sticky enough to be shaped into four even-size burgers.Heat the oil in a non-stick pan, then cook the burgers for 5 minutes on each side until golden and hot through the middle. Stuff into wholemeal buns with your favourite lettuce and a good dollop of salsa.

Beef Burger

Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 small onion, 500g good-quality beef mince, 1 egg, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 4 burger buns, All or any of the following to serve – sliced tomato, beetroot, horseradish sauce, mayonnaise, ketchup, handful iceberg lettuce, rocket, watercress

Method: Peel the onion, slice in half through the root and trim off the top. Place cut-side down on a chopping board. With your knife parallel to the board, cut 3 slices through the onion, keeping the root intact. With the knife point at root end, cut down through the onion from top to bottom, 4 times. Holding the root end, finely slice to give you small diced pieces. Tip the beef into a bowl with the onion and egg, then mix.Divide the mixture into four. Lightly wet your hands. Carefully roll the mixture into balls, each about the size of a tennis ball. Set in the palm of your hand and gently squeeze down to flatten into patties about 3cm thick. Make sure all the burgers are the same thickness so that they will cook evenly. Put on a plate, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge to firm up for at least 30 minutes.Heat the barbecue to medium hot (there will be white ash over the red hot coals – about 40 minutes after lighting). Lightly brush 1 side of each burger with oil. Place the burgers, oil-side down, on the barbecue. Cook for 5 minutes until the meat is lightly charred. Don’t move them around or they may stick. Oil the other side and then turn over using tongs. Don’t press down on the meat, as that will squeeze out the juices. Cook for 5 minutes more for medium. If you like your burgers pink in the middle, cook 1 min less each side. For well done, cook 1 min more. Take the burgers off the barbecue. Leave to rest on a plate so that all the juices can settle inside. Slice each bun in half. Place, cut-side down, on the barbecue rack and toast for 1 min until they are lightly charred. Place a burger inside each bun, then top with your choice of accompaniment.

BBQ Chicken Burger

Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts (skinless, boneless), 4 rashers bacon (optional), 4 large burger buns (sliced in half), lettuce (to serve), tomato (to serve), red onion (to serve)

For the sauce and marinade: 4 tbsp tomato ketchup, 4 tbsp brown sauce, splash of chilli sauce (optional), 2 tsp clear honey, 2 garlic cloves (crushed)

Method: Make the sauce and marinade by mixing everything together in a large bowl and then put a few spoonfuls aside. Slice halfway into the thickest part of each breast and open it up like a book. Flatten down slightly with your hand and then toss in the bowlful of marinade to coat. Chill for as little, or as long, as you have time to.Barbecue the chicken for about 10 minutes until completely cooked through, turning so it doesn’t burn but is nicely charred and sticky. Cook the bacon at the same time until crisp, if using, and toast the buns. Assemble the burgers with lettuce, slices of tomato, onion and the reserved sauce on the side for dolloping on top.

Recipe and Image Courtesy – bbcgoodfood.com, foodnetwork.com

May 29, 2014
Sumptuous Salads

The word ‘salad’ comes from the French word ‘salade’ having the same meaning and from the Latin word ‘salata’ which means salty. In English, the word first appears in the 14^th century. The term ‘salad days’, meaning ‘days of youthful experience’, was first recorded by Shakespeare in 1606.

Salads are of different types, such as, Green Salad (only leafy vegetables used), Vegetable Salad (leafy or non leafy vegetables used along with non-vegetables), Bound Salad (often used as sandwich fillings. Salad examples- Egg salad, Tuna salad, etc), Fruit Salad (as the name suggests, they are made of fruits), Main Course Salad (a type of heavy salad. Example – Caesar salad, Cobb salad, Greek salad, etc.) and Dessert Salad (they are sweet. Example – Cookie salad, Pistachio salad, etc.).

Salads are highly nutritious and good for your health. Moreover, they are quite filling.

They are easy to make and they hardly take much time to be prepared. You can experiment with different textures, colours, flavours and prepare your salad as par to your taste bud.

A few delicious easy-to-make salads:

Chicken Caesar Salad with Herbs and Croutons

Time: 20 to 25 minutes

Serves: 6 to 8

Ingredients:

For dressing – ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, 8 anchovy fillets, 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 3 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, ¾ cup olive oil

For croutons and salad – 3 tbsp olive oil, 4 garlic cloves (minced), 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme, 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary, 3 ¾ inch thick country bread slices (crusts cut off, bread cut into ¾ inch cubes, 12 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese, cracked black pepper

Method:

For dressing:
Combine 1/2 cup Parmesan, anchovies, lemon juice, 3 garlic cloves, and mustard in processor; blend well. With processor running, slowly add olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

For croutons and salad:
Preheat oven to 325F. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, thyme and rosemary; sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add bread cubes to skillet with garlic-herb oil and toss to coat. Spread out bread cubes on rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake just until croutons are golden, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.

Place romaine in large bowl. Add 2/3 cup dressing and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese and toss to coat. Add croutons and toss well. Serve (passing remaining dressing, Parmesan cheese and cracked black pepper separately).

Roasted Chicken Salad

Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves: 10 to 15

Ingredients:

For the dressing – 1 cup mayonnaise, ¾ cup sour cream, ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp honey, salt, pepper

For the salad – 7 ½ pounds chicken breasts (boneless, skinless), salt, pepper, 2 pinches cayenne pepper, 1 tbsp lavender, 1 lemon (juiced), 3 cloves garlic ( minced), 2/3 cup sliced roasted almonds, 1 large onion (chopped), ½ bunch celery (chopped), herbs ( 2 tbsp chopped parsley leaves, 2 tbsp chives, 2 tbsp chopped tarragon leaves)

Method:

For the dressing – Mix all ingredients together.

For the salad – Preheat the oven to 400 F. Clean the chicken thoroughly. Sprinkle salt, pepper, cayenne, lavender, lemon and garlic on chicken. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown. Let chicken cool and then pull it into small strips. Add roasted almonds, onions, celery, dressing and herbs. Mix together all ingredients in dressing. Add the chicken. Mix. Serve.

Greek Tuna Salad

Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients: 3 cans water packed tuna (unsalted and drained), 6 ½ ozs artichoke heart marin (drained and quartered), ½ cup kalamata (pitted, halved), 1/3 cup feta cheese crumbles, 2 tbsp minced garlic, ½ cups purple onion (sliced), 2 tbsp sherry vinegar, ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, ¾ tsp kosher salt, ½ tsp black ground pepper (fresh), ½ cup flat leaf parsley (chopped), 1 head butter lettuce

Method: Combine all ingredients except lettuce in a large bowl. Arrange a few lettuce leaves on each of 6 plates. Spoon tuna mixture on top of lettuce and serve with pita chips or warmed pita halves.

Waldorf Salad

Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients: ½ cup walnuts (chopped, slightly toasted), ½ cup celery (thinly sliced), ½ cup red seedless grapes (sliced), 1 sweet apple (cored and chopped), 3 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, salt, pepper, lettuce

Method: In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise (or yogurt) and the lemon juice. Add ½ tsp of salt, ¼ tsp of fresh ground pepper. Add the apple, celery, grapes and walnuts. Mix. Serve on a bed of fresh lettuce.

Broccoli and Feta Pasta Salad

Time: 50 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 pound tri-color pasta, 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (divided), 1 medium head broccoli (chopped into 1/2-inch florets),8 ounces feta cheese, 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives (roughly chopped), 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, flaky salt, freshly-ground black pepper

Method: Cook the pasta in a generous quantity of boiling, well-salted water. Drain and return to the pan or a large bowl and toss until coated with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the broccoli and cook until crisp-tender — about 5 to 7 minutes. Toss the broccoli with the cooked pasta. Crumble the feta cheese into the pasta, and stir in the olives as well. Whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and vinegar and toss with the pasta. Season generously with salt and pepper. Refrigerate overnight, or until serving.
Recipe and Image Courtesy – epicurious.com, yummly.com

May 29, 2014
Plan your Summer Cooking

Summer is here and so is the sickening heat. So, you need to start planning your summer cooking. I promise this will prove to be a boon later. You need a smart menu to get your way through. Jot down family meals which are simple, less time consuming, healthy and definitely not fussy.

Remember to drink loads of water throughout the day. This will help you get rehydrated and keep headaches at bay. The fitter you are the better. Since in summer it is quite hot most of the time, when you are shopping, shop at one go so you won’t have to keep going back. Always make a list before shopping. Be guided by your head, not your stomach. Learn to keep a well-stocked store cupboard and replace things as you use them. Store food in fridge and freezer – this way, you can make several meals in case of an emergency.

My Summer Collection –

Cheesy Scrambled Egg Croissants (Quick and simple yet incredibly mouth – watering)

[Good source of Calcium; Suitable for vegetarians; Not suitable for freezing]

Time: 7 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 8 large eggs, 100g grated cheddar, a splash of milk, chives, 4 large croissants, salt, pepper

Method: in a bowl whisk the eggs, cheddar, milk and some seasoning. Pour into a saucepan and heat gently, stirring continuously, until softly scrambled. Stir in a small bunch snipped chives, then split open 4 croissants and put the scrambled eggs inside.

Spicy Crab Courgette Flowers (Courgette flowers are generally in season in summer. This is a must-have dish)

[Gluten free; Not suitable for freezing]

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 5 (makes 10 flowers)

Ingredients: 100g fresh white crab meat, 1 red chilli (finely chopped), 1 tsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, 10 baby courgettes with flowers, 1 tbsp olive oil

Method: Mix together the crabmeat, chilli, white wine vinegar, parsley and some seasoning. Carefully fill the courgette flowers with this mixture. Twist the top of each flower to make sure that no filling comes out when cooking. Don’t overfill them. Once you have stuffed all the flowers, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the courgettes. Cook on all sides for about 6-7 minutes. Serve immediately.

Bang Bang Chicken with Sichuan Salad (A hit among friends and family)

[Good source of Folate; Not suitable for freezing]

Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For the salad – 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, 1 large cucumber (peeled, deseeded and cut into matchsticks), 1 bunch spring onion (shredded), 1 tbsp sesame oil, juice ½ lime, handful chopped coriander

For the chicken – 1 kg pack chicken drumsticks or thighs, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp Chinese five-spice

For the sauce – 140 kg chunky peanut butter, 100ml low-sodium soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, 2 red chillies (deseeded and finely chopped)

Method: Toast the peppercorns in a small frying pan until they begin to darken. Remove and cool, then crush with a large pinch of salt using a pestle and mortar. Mix in a bowl with the cucumber. Set Aside. Put the chicken in a bowl and rub in the oil and five- spice, leaving to marinate for an hour or use straight away. Cook on the barbeque, turning regularly, for about 35 to 40 minutes until the juices run clear. Whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce until smooth, adding water if needed. Drain the cucumber and mix through the carrots, spring onions, sesame oil, lime juice and coriander. Serve everything on a big platter.

Spinach with Raisins and Pine Nuts (easy to make and very healthy. You can use other nuts as well.)

[Suitable for vegetarians; Low fat; Gluten free; Not suitable for freezing]

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 rounded tbsp pine nuts, 2 rounded tbsp raisins, 500g baby spinach leaves, 2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Method: heat the oil in a large pan, add the pine nuts and fry until golden. Add the raisins and fry briefly, then add the spinach leaves and turn in the pan over a fairly high heat until the leaves are just wilted. Sprinkle in the balsamic and seasoning, warm through and serve straight away.

Tomato Tart (A Mediterranean-inspired elegant summer tomato tart. Dig in!)

[Suitable for vegetarians; not suitable for freezing]

Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 3 whole garlic bulbs, 2 tbsp olive oil, 375g block all-butter puff pastry, 1 ½ tbsp honey Dijon mustard, 325g cherry tomatoes (halved), 1 egg (beaten), 150g pack soft goat’s cheese, handful basil leaves

Method: Heat oven to 180C . Slice the tops off the garlic bulbs and sit on a sheet of foil. Drizzle over 1 tbsp of the oil, season and wrap into a parcel. Roast for 50 minutes or until soft, then leave to cool (this can be done the day before). Use a sharp knife to cut the pastry into quarters. Roll out each piece and cut into 14cm- diameter circle. Use a saucer as a guide if you don’t have a cutter. Pop the circles on a baking tray and score a 1 cm border around the edge of each, being careful not to cut all the way through. Avoiding the border, prick the pastry all over with a fork and then chill. Increase oven to 200C. When the garlic is cool enough to handle, squeeze the flesh from the bulbs into a bowl. Add the mustard, remaining oil and some seasoning, and use a fork to mash to a paste. Spread this over the pastry, leaving the border clear, then top with the tomato halves, skin inside down, and season well. Brush the edges of the pastry with egg, crumble over the goat’s cheese and bake for 25 – 30 minutes until the pastry is golden and crisp, and the tomatoes are starting to shrivel. Remove from the tray and allow to cool to room temperature. Scatter over the basil before serving.

Recipe and Image Courtesy – bbcgoodfood.com

May 29, 2014
Bean It Up!

Green Beans are popular among vegetarians as well as non vegetarians because of their high nutritional value. Beans are classified into Bush beans, Pole beans, Shell beans, Mottled beans, White beans, Yellow wax beans, Red or Kidney beans, Black beans and Pink beans.

Fresh green beans are a rich source of dietary fiber, vitamins (especially Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B1, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Folates) and minerals (Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese Phosphorus, Zinc, Iron and Potassium). Moreover, they are low in calories and contain no saturated fats.

How to prepare beans before cooking?

Wash raw beans in cold water. Just before using, remove the strings and trim the ends.

Green beans can be used in grilled-salads, curries, soups, stews, stir fry (with rice) and be steamed with other vegetables. It tastes brilliant when mixed with butter, meat, seafood, nuts, mushrooms, leafy vegetables, cheese, etc. With anything and everything, it is good to go!

So, Bean It Up!

Bean Enchiladas

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 tsp olive oil, 2 onions (chopped), 280g carrots (grated), 2 – 3 tsp chilli powder, 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes, 2 x 400g cans pulses in water (drained), 6 small whole meal tortillas, 200g low-fat yogurt, 50g extra-mature cheddar cheese (finely grated)

Method: Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Cook the onions and carrots for 5-8 minutes until soft – add a splash of water if they start to stick. Sprinkle in the chilli powder and cook for 1 min more. Pour in the tomatoes and pulses and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Remove from the heat and season well.Heat grill to high. Spread a spoonful of the bean chilli over a large ovenproof dish. Lay each tortilla onto a board; fill with a few tbsp of chilli mixture, fold over the ends and roll up to seal. Place them into the ovenproof dish. Spoon the remaining chilli on top.Mix the yogurt and grated cheese together with some seasoning, and spoon over the enchiladas. Grill for a few minutes until the top is golden and bubbling. Serve with a green salad.

Broad Bean Bruschetta

Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 300g podded broad beans, 4 tbsp olive oil (plus extra for drizzing, juice 1 lemon, handful mint leaves, 4 slices rustic white bread, 1 garlic clove (peeled but left whole), 140g pecorino cheese (shaved with a peeler)

Method: Cook the broad beans in boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold water, drain again and then peel from their skins.Use a masher to roughly crush the beans with the olive oil and lemon juice and then stir through the mint. Season with salt and pepper to taste.Heat a griddle pan; toast the bread on both sides, then rub with the garlic clove. Spoon some of the beans over each slice of bread, scatter over the pecorino and drizzle with more olive oil to serve.

Spanish Bean Stew

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil, 200g chorizo sausage (thickly sliced), 1 onion (chopped), 400g chicken thigh fillets (cubed), 1 tomato (roughly chopped), 410g can cannellini beans (drained), 1 large potato (cut into small cubes), 500ml hot chicken stock, 4 tbsp chopped parsley

Method: Heat the oil in a large pan. Cook the chorizo, onion and chicken over a high heat for 5 minutes. Add the tomato and cook for a further 2-3 minutes until pulpy.Stir in the beans, potato and stock. Bring to the boil, then cover and gently simmer for 20 minutes until the potato is soft and the chicken cooked through. Stir through the parsley and serve. You can cool and freeze the stew for up to 2 months. To serve, defrost and heat through thoroughly.

Fettuccine with Beans and Pancetta

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 100g pack smoked pancetta rashers, 350g fettuccine, 400g runner beans (trimmed and thickly sliced on the diagonal), 6 tbsp crème fraÎche, 15g pack chives (snipped), finely grates parmesan (optional)

Method: Put a large pan of water on to boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, separate the rashers of pancetta and cook them in two batches (without oil) in a large non-stick frying pan until the fat on the pancetta is golden. Lift out onto a plate to crisp up.When the water is boiling, add salt and the pasta to the pan and boil for 6 minutes. Tip in the beans, quickly return to the boil and cook for about 4 minutes more until both the pasta and beans are just tender.Drain and tip into a large serving bowl. Toss with the crème fraîche, chives or basil and plenty of seasoning and then quickly tear in the crisp pancetta (keeping it quite chunky). Serve with the Parmesan, a simple tomato salad and some crusty bread (optional).

Butter Bean

Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil, 4 garlic cloves (crushed), 400g tin chopped tomatoes, 2 tsp sugar, 2 x 400g tins butter beans (rinsed and drained), small bunch basil (chopped)

Method: Heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Fry the garlic for 1 min, then add the tomatoes, sugar and some seasoning. Tip in the beans and a splash of water. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the basil and serve.

Recipe and Image Courtesy – bbcgoodfood.com

May 29, 2014
Homemade and Healthy

Too much fast food is not good for your health. Even at home, we usually aimlessly settle for the fat-rich food while snacking – for the simple reason that it looks (and sounds) more appealing and is way tastier. I’m not going to argue about the taste but in this age, where most of us are suffering from obesity or simply trying to stay fit, the high calorie and high fat delicacies does not help.

So what’s the alternative?

I’m not asking you to give up your favourite meal but you could try to make it a tad bit healthier. Then a tad more. And then a bit more. Adapt and adjust (if only for your own good).

Truly speaking, it’s quite a win-win situation.

So, here’s your stairway to a low-fat Biriyani, a feel good soup and a much lighter dessert:

Low-fat Chicken Biriyani

Time – 2 hours

Serves – 4

Ingredients – 3 garlic cloves (finely grated), 2 tsp finely grated ginger, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp turmeric, 5 tbsp natural yogurt, 600g boneless chicken breasts (cut into 4 cm pieces), 2 tbsp semi-skimmed milk, good pinch saffron, 4 medium onions, 4 tbsp rapeseed oil, ½ tsp chilli powder, 1 cinnamon stick (broken in half), 5 green cardamom pods (lightly bashed to split), 3 cloves, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 280g basmati rice, 700ml chicken stock, 1 tsp garam masala, handful chopped mint and coriander leaves

Method – In a mixing bowl, stir together the garlic, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and yogurt with some pepper and ¼ tsp salt. Tip in the chicken pieces and stir to coat. Cover and marinate in the fridge for about 1 hour. Warm the milk to tepid, stir in the saffron and set aside. Heat oven to 180C. Slice each onion in half lengthways, reserve half and cut the other into thin slices. Pour ½ tbsp of the oil onto a baking tray, scatter over the sliced onion, toss to coat, then spread out in a thin, even layer. Roast for about 40 to 45 minutes, stirring halfway, until golden. When the chicken has marinated, thinly slice the reserved onion. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan. Fry the onion for 5minutes until golden. Stir in the chicken, a spoonful at a time, frying until it is no longer opaque, before adding the next spoonful. Once the last of the chicken has been added, stir fry for a further 15 minutes until everything looks juicy. Scrape any sticky bits off the bottom of the pan, stir in the chilli powder, then pour in 100ml water, cover and simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside. Cook the rice while the chicken simmers. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan, then drop in the cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves and cumin seeds. Fry briefly until their aroma is released. Tip in the rice and fry for 1 min, stirring constantly. Stir in the stock and bring to boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave with the lid on for a few minutes. Stir the garam masala into the remaining 1 ½ tsp oil and set aside. When the onions are roasted, remove and reduce oven to 180C. Spoon half the chicken and its juices into an ovenproof dish, then scatter over a third of the roasted onions. Remove the whole spices from the rice, then layer half of the rice over the chicken and onions. Drizzle over the spiced oil. Spoon over the rest of the chicken and a third more onions. Top with the remaining rice and drizzle over the saffron- infused milk. Scatter over the rest of the onions, cover lightly with foil and heat through in the oven for about 25 minutes. Serve scattered with the mint and coriander.

Three bean and Chilli Soup

Time – 25 minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients – 1 chopped red onion, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 finely diced red chilli, 1 tbsp dried oregano, 400g can chopped tomatoes, 2 x 400g cans drained mixed beans, 800 ml vegetable stock

Method – Fry chopped onion in olive oil in a large saucepan for 5 minutes. Add the chilli and cook for 5 minutes. Add oregano, tomatoes, mixed beans and vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Season and then serve.

Coffee Panna Cotta

Time – 15 minutes

Serves – 4

Ingredients – 125ml whipping cream, 50g golden caster sugar, ½ vanilla pod (slit lengthways), 2 small gelatine leaves, 2 tsp instant coffee granules, 150g full-fat Greek Yogurt, 150 ml buttermilk, sifted cocoa powder (for dusting)

Method – Put the cream and sugar in a small saucepan. Scrape thin the seeds from the vanilla pod and then drop in the pod. Stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture just to the boil, then remove from the heat and leave to infuse for 5 minutes. Meanwhile lay the gelatine leaves in a shallow dish and pour over enough cold water to cover them. Soak for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the gelatin leaves from the water, then stir the leaves into the cream until dissolved. Stir in the coffee granules until they are also dissolved. Leave the mixture to become cold, stirring occasionally. Keep checking so that you can catch it before it starts to set. Discard the vanilla pod. Beat the yogurt and buttermilk together in a large bowl, then gradually pour and beat in the cold coffee mixture. Transfer it to a jug, then pour into 4 small dariole moulds. Chill for 4 to 5 hours. When ready to serve, dip each mould into a bowl of very hot water for a few seconds only, then turn each dessert out onto a small plate. Serve with a light dusting of cocoa.

HAPPY EATING!!

Recipe Courtesy – bbcgoodfood.com

Image Courtesy – daawat-a-biriyani.com, aurorasgypsycafe.com, yelp.com

May 29, 2014
Step-By-Step Guide on How To Eat Well
1. Eat at regular intervals and make sure that you have three meals a day. This should help your blood glucose level to remain steady throughout the day. Also, having three proper meals at regular intervals will prevent you from feeling hungry.
1. Watch the amount of fat you eat. Fried and fatty foods are loaded with calories (they are obviously not good for you if you are trying to shed a few inches off your waist). Intake of saturated fats may lead to rise in one’s cholesterol level. However, you can switch to healthier unsaturated fats which will not harm you in any way.
Food to avoid: Butter, Ghee, Paneer, Pastries, Crisps, Samosas, etc

How to eat healthy fats? Instead of cooking with butter or ghee (saturated fat), use olive oil or cornflower oil (unsaturated fat). Avoid using too much coconut in your cooking. Creamy coconut and coconut milk are high in saturated fat. Choose skimmed milk and low fat yogurt over cream and full- fat yogurt. Replace Paneer with Tofu.

A helpful recipe-

Grilled Salt and Pepper Tofu

Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil, 2 springs onions ( chopped, plus the finely chopped green parts of 4-6 spring onion), 5 cm piece root ginger (chopped), 6 garlic cloves (chopped), 5 cm stalk celery (chopped), 2 green chillies (sliced), 200g tofu (cut into 2 cm cubes), 1/8 tsp salt, 7-8 black peppercorns ( crushed), 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method: Heat the oil in a pan. Add the spring onions, ginger and garlic, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the celery and green chillies, and sauté for 30 minutes. Stir in the tofu, salt and crushed peppercorns and sauté until tofu gets some brown flecks. Add the spring onion greens and sauté for 1 minute. Add the lemon juice, toss and serve.
1. Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants help prevent damage to one’s arteries. So, eat as much fruits and vegetables as regularly as possible. These foods are nutritious, low- GI, low in calories and fat and quite filling. Dried fruits can be had as snacks in between meals. Have fruits in dessert instead of sweet meats. Incorporate the habit of having some salad with yours meals. For example –
Bulgur Wheat and Fruit Salad

Ingredients: 200g bulgur wheat, 2 medium size red peppers, 1 medium size yellow pepper, 1 medium size onion ( sliced), 4 garlic cloves ( thinly sliced), 2 medium size tomatoes (seeded and diced), 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, ½ tsp salt, ground white pepper to taste, pinch of sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 medium size apple ( diced), 4 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves, a few leaves of Iceberg lettuce, 1 tbsp olive oil

Method: Soak the cracked wheat in water for 15 minutes, then strain. Push each pepper on to a fork and, one at a time, roast directly on a flame. (If you prefer, you can char the peppers under the grill or roast them in the oven) Put the soaked wheat into a salad bowl, and stir in the onion and garlic. Run water on the charred peppers and then remove the burnt skin. Cut the flesh into small pieces and add to the salad bowl. Stir in the tomatoes and parsley, then add the salt, white pepper and sugar. Mix. Add the lemon juice, apple and mint leaves. Tear up the Iceberg lettuce and add. Toss well. Add the olive oil, toss again. Serve immediately.
1. Consume less sugar. Replace fizzy drinks with diet ones, water or unsweetened fruit juice. Limit sweet meats such as Rosogolla, Barfi, Ladoo, Gulab ajmun, Khir Malai to special occasions. Cut back on sugar in your tea and coffee. Switch to artificial sweeteners such as Splenda or Sweetex.
1. Eat food low in salt such as plain popcorn, unsalted nuts or fresh fruits instead of savory biscuits, salted crisps, etc. Use unsalted butter instead of salted butter. Dried fish is very high in salt; soak it thrice and throw away the water before cooking. There is no need to add extra salt in cooking. Instead of salt, try experimenting with paprika, pepper, spices and fresh herbs.
1. Have more high- fibre food. Choose brown basmati rice over white rice, dal with whole lentils over dal with pureed lentils. As recommended earlier, eat your vegetables and fruits regularly.
A vegetable dish for you to try –

Mushrooms with fresh Coriander

Ingredients – 600g button mushrooms (trimmed), 1 tbsp olive oil, 5 green cardamom pods, 1 black cardamom pod, 5 cloves, 2.5cm stick cinnamon, 1 bay leaf, pinch of ground mace, 175g boiled onion paste, 4 tsp minced ginger, 4 tsp minced garlic, 4 green chillies (chopped), 1 tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp ground coriander, 375g natural low-fat yogurt (whisked), ½ tsp salt, 3 tbsp cashew nut paste, 25g fresh coriander leaves (chopped), 3.5cm piece root ginger (cut into thin strips)

Method – Blanch the mushrooms in hot water for 2 minutes. Drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a non stick pan. Add the cardamom pods, clove, cinnamon, bay leaf and mace, and sauté over a medium heat until fragrant. Add the onion paste and sauté for 2 – 3 minutes. Stir in the minced ginger and continue to sauté until the oil surfaces. Add the chillies and sauté for 30 seconds more, before adding the chilli powder and ground coriander. Stir for another 30 seconds. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the yogurt and salt. Mix well, then return the pan to the heat. Add 150ml of water and let it come to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the fat rises to the surface. Stir in the cashew nut paste and simmer for 2 – 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and ¾ of the chopped coriander and simmer for 2 – 3 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a serving dish and garnish with the remaining coriander and the ginger strips.

Follow these steps attentively and you will soon discover a healthier better YOU.

Recipe courtesy – sanjeevkapoor.com

Picture courtesy – vegiebelly.com, weldricks.co.uk, spicesherbscentre.com
May 23, 2014