We people love fish, but back home we could have a variety of fishes and and it all just tasted so great. After moving to the US i wasn't so open to try out the fishes we got here. Then it was salmon that saved our lives for long. I had been making a lot other recipes with the Salmon steak that we buy quite often , but this time i went to try out something new.

I wrote down this recipe pretty long back, even before i got married, but then i never knew i would try it out with Salmon of course. This is a Nita Mehta Recipe , i am just loving her a lot for her wonderful recipes. So , i gave it a try with Salmon steaks and it was just too good. I am sure to make it again and again.
You can also check my other Salmon recipes too : Kerala Salmon Fish Curry , Salmon Fish Roast , Salmon Fish Pickle

Methi Salmon Tikka

Ingredients:
 1 lbs Salmon Steak cut in cubes
3 tbsp Besan / Bengal Gram flour / Chickpea flour
1 tbsp Lemon Juice

To Marinate
2 tbsp Vinegar / Lemon Juice
1/4 tbsp Red Chili Powder
Salt

BOWL - 1
1 tbsp Mint Leaves
1 tbsp Kasoori methi
1 Green Chili
1 " Ginger piece
5 -6 Garlic cloves

BOWL - 2
1/4 cup Cream ( opt )
1/2 cup Curd ( hung curd , refer Notes )
3 tbsp Grated Cheese ( opt )
2 Cardamom crushed
3 Cloves crushed
4 -5 tbsp Corn Flour
2 tsp Red Chili Powder ( adjust accordingly )
Salt
Oil

Method:

Rub the boneless fish with besan + lemon juice and keep it aside for 15 mins, then wash and pat it dry using a paper towel.
Marinate the fish with Lemon juice + Chili powder + salt for 1/2 an hour and again wash it and pat it dry.
Grind everything in the ' BOWL -1 ' and rub the fish with the grind paste and keep it for 1/2 an hour ( you do not need to wash the fish after this step ).
In a vessel mix everything under ' BOWL -2 ' with the fish pieces and let it marinate for 3 hrs.
Grill the fish for 15 mins, making sure to turn it on all sides in between.
Once the fish is done roast some peppers on the grill and Serve .

Notes: Line a sieve with a muslin cloth and pour in thick curd and let it rest for 1/2 and hour. The water will drip off and you will get super thick curd.

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   Steaming hot idlies right from the stove to the plate is what my husband dear always prefers, and it wasn't never enough when i used to make Idly for just the two of us. Even our little sweetheart follows her dad in this, she keeps on asking Idly every now and then, im not so sure whether she really means to have Idly all the time when she asks about it. Anyways, now i just make more and more!!!

The left over Idlies are consumed , good Old Idly with some chutney or samba; or may be transformed into something else.Its Idly Upma most of the times, this time i tried a recipe which is pretty popular now , but i never gave a try.It turned out really good, we just loved it. You can also check in my other Manchurian dishes Gobi Manchurian , Mushroom Manchurian ,

Idly Manchurian

Ingredients:
10 - 12  Leftover Idly ( preferably refrigerated )
1/2 cup All Purpose Flour / Maida
Water as needed
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying

1 Onion medium ( cut in cubes )
1 Capsicum small ( cut in cubes )
2- 3 Garlic pods  ( chopped )
1/2" inch Ginger ( chopped )
2 Green chilies ( sliced )
2 tbsp Tomato Sauce
1/2 tsp Chili Sauce
1/2 tsp Soya sauce
Salt to taste
Water as needed

Method:

Cut the refrigerated leftover idlies into cubes. Mix all purpose flour + salt adding enough water into a thick batter.
Dip the idly in the prepared batter and deep fry it in oil, and keep it aside.
Heat 2 tbsp Oil in a pan and saute Garlic + Ginger + Green chilies + Onions until it jut turns translucent.
Add in the Capsicum and the sauces + 1/4cup water and mix well, and let it cook for 2 mins.
Add in the fried idlies and mix. Toss it well.
Garnish with Spring onions and serve hot.

Notes : I used sweet peppers in here, and had 3 -4 mushrooms so added in that too.

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    Its very good to include different healthy food in your menu, right? Well i was so interested and also very much excited learning about Quinoa from friends and about its health benefits. I was all excited when i bought Quinoa all set to include it in our regular diet. Least did i know that it would taste so plain, and i just didn't like that it was so flavorless on its own. But i did give it a try to include in our menu by making different varieties possible.

Once i got to test try a sample food from the shop Traders Joe which had Red Quinoa in it and i loved the taste. It was just amazing and i came back home buying a small pack of Red Quinoa. I tried out making this Cutlet in my own way and i am so happy that it turned out to be a success. We loved it, but i still need to make it more healthy, make be ill bake it next time instead of deep frying it..

Red Quinoa and Mushroom Cutlets

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Red Quinoa
4-5 Mushrooms ( chopped )
3 Potatoes ( boiled , peeled and smashed)
1 Onion ( chopped )
2 Green Chilies chopped
1" Ginger chopped
4-5 Garlic chopped

1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder

1 -2 cups Bread Crumbs
1-2 Egg whites beaten
Salt to taste
Curry leaves ( chopped )

Method:

Cook Quinoa in 1 cup water until water all evaporated,or refer package instructions, do not over cook.
Heat oil in a pan and add Ginger + Garlic + Green Chili + Onions + Curry leaves and saute for a min.
Add in the Spice powders + Mushrooms and saute in high for 1 - 2 mins, take off from heat.
Add in quinoa + potatoes sprinkle salt as needed, and mix while still hot.
Once cooled mix with hand and divide it into small balls and flatten it.
Dip in egg and then coat in bread crumbs, deep fry it in oil, until golden brown in colour.
Serve hot with tomato ketchup or green chutney.

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   Its not so hard to try out certain food at home, i am a great fan of Mexican food, i just love the food from the Fast Food chain Taco Bell. Sometimes i get lazy to make a dinner or so, and the Taco Bell near our home was my savior for long. It was just more than a savior, i loved the food over there well, i loved it so much that i was so ready to celebrate our Wedding Anniversary lunch by dining at Taco Bell, hehehe!!!
Saying this, i just remember that its been ages that i have visited my fav place.

After my little girls arrival i haven't visited my fav place so often, well writing this post is really making me drool for some good stuffs from there.   This is a   Super easy snack , this can be included in any category an appetizer, lunch or dinner. This is loved by we all, and i just devour it to the core.
By adding a pinch of Red Chili Flakes , i have given it my own personal touch.

Quesadilla - a Crunchy Treat

Ingredients:
5 -6 Tortillas
1 cup Cheddar Cheese
Red hili Flakes

For the salsa:
1 small Onion ( chopped )
1 Tomato de-seeded ( chopped )
4 -5 Coriander sprigs
1/2 - 1 Lemon squeezed
Salt to taste

Method:
 In a bowl mix everything for the salsa , and keep it aside for 15 - 20 mins.
Heat your panini maker and lay one tortilla layer about 2 tbsp of salsa on half  of the tortilla.
Spread 2  tbsp of cheese on top, sprinkle 1/2 tsp of chili flakes and fold it in half and press the panini maker and cook until crispy and all cheese melted.
If using your Tawa,  heat tawa on Medium - High and layer tortilla, salsa , cheese and chili flakes as said above, then fold the tortilla and press the tortilla using your spatula for 2 -3 sec , carefully flip on the other side and press again, until crispy and cheese all melted. The tawa / pan should be very hot, and be careful not to burn your tortillas.
Cut in wedges and serve hot with Guacamole or Ketchup.

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Winter Season is something i used to love a lot; a lot means literally A LOT . I used to be all set for having Hot Tea with super hot fried snacks in the evening waiting for Dear Husband, and calling him every now and then to check on his status like at what time he would reach home. Those days most of our weekend evenings  would be spent with our very dear friends at their home if not ours, having Hot Coffee with yummy snacks chit - chatting and watching movies. Now a days priorities just changed , and Summer Season seems to be Welcomed than Winter for parents like me who have real hyper toddlers at home.

Cold , and rainy days are what we wake up to now, and for me the other day my little girl  pointing to the Cloudy sky wanted to see the Sun , and its getting hard to engage them.Well, so what i came to say was i still love winters, and try to make my meal special for those very cold winter nights. This time i made my dinner more special by making  this is a Steamed version of the Stuffed Buns, a very easy recipe, i adapted this recipe from Vanitha magazine.It was super soft and the filling was really awesome.
Also wishing you all a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING :)

Sesame topped Steamed Chicken Buns

Ingredients:
For the buns
 3 cups All Purpose Flour / Maida
1 1/2 tsp Yeast
2 tbsp Sugar
1/2 cup Warm Water
Salt as needed
Water as needed

For the stuffing
1 1/2 cup Chicken Cooked and Shredded
1 Onion medium ( chopped )
3-4 Garlic ( chopped )
2 Green Chilies ( chopped )
2 Spring Onions
1 tsp Hoisin Sauce
1 - 2 tsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Cornflour mixed in 2 tbsp water
Salt
Pepper

Method:
For the Buns
Dissolve yeast in warm water with 2 tbsp Sugar and leave aside for 10 mins.
Mix flour with salt , add in the yeast and make into a soft dough adding enough water.
Let it rest for about 20 mins in a warm place and double in volume.
Punch down the air and divide the dough into 8 equal portions.
Flatten each balls into a round and fill with 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp of the filling, close it and form back to a ball.
Repeat with the rest, brush the buns with milk and sprinkle sesame seeds.
Heat a steamer and steam the buns for about 15 mins or until done. ( I used my Rice Cooker for steaming, it will double in shape so you may want to steam it in batches. ) Serve hot.

For the stuffing :
Heat oil in a pan add in garlic, onions , green chilies and saute.
Add in the chicken , hoisin sauce, soy sauce, salt and pepper , and saute well.
Lastly add the corn flour water mixture and mix well turn off heat and  set aside.

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Before publishing a post i feel so excited, and frankly speaking i do look forward for comments from my friends and all you people....but i really don't know whether anyone out there is really interested in my stories  but i feel happy writing down what runs in my mind at that moment. After quite sometime when i read all those older post, its kind of funny,  right.

 Well,at home we love to have soups for dinner, and if its a bit chilly and cold weather then we are sure to have soup and yea we really do need something special to go with soup too. Just having left with 6 mushrooms in the refrigerator i really  wanted something with a twist, than the usual grilled mushrooms and this is what i really ended up with.... a really flavourful  Mushroom Stuffed with Spinach , breadcrumbs, all lot other flavourings, and a small portion of cheese to top it all and make it go Complete.

Spinach Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Ingredients:
6 Mushrooms ( big sized; stems removed ) ( i used Crimini Mushrooms)
3 tbsp chopped Onion
3 pods Garlic ( chopped)
4 -5 Spinach leaves ( chopped) ( i used frozen Spinach)
1/4 Cup Bread Crumbs
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Flakes
a pinch Herbs de Provence
Cheddar Cheese as required ( i used Amul Cheese )
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Method:
Remove the stems of the mushroom and wipe it clean and dry, sprinkle salt & pepper inside the caps and drizzle with olive oil, keep aside.
Chop the mushroom stems into small.
Heat oil in a pan and add garlic, onion, mushroom stems and saute for 2 - 3 mins.
Add in red chili flakes, pepper , spinach  and mix well, add salt as needed, Take off from heat.
While still hot add bread crumbs and mix well and let it cool.
Stuff tight the mixture inside the mushroom caps .
Spread cheese on top and drizzle with olive oil.
Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 10 min or until the cheese melts.
Sprinkle red chili flakes and coriander leaves and serve with tomato ketchup.

Serving Ideas : Serve with Cream of Mushroom Soup  / Lentil Soup or any of your choice.

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Its more than 4 years that i have stared blogging, and only very few posts, i still have no celebrations of my bloggy b'days, i know i may have umpteen reasons to get away with an excuse for not updatings things properly, but at the same time only one reason to still continue with my blog baby, i love cooking and sharing. There are  people like you all who still love and encourage me in doing my small passion.
Anyways apart from my stories, this recipe is our fav and this was in my draft for ever, i had saved it in draft for pretty long time, may be during my first year of blogging, and now i  really felt i have to at any cost post our very favourite dish, just re-did it a few days ago and took pictures ; the pictures i took then  with my point and shoot camera  weren' so good; i know im still learning and need to go a long way, but still....  Now , back to the recipe an ever famous Indo- chinese appetizer. This is a dry version that i have made, making mere changes to the quantity of the ingredients you can make it a dry or gravy to your wish.

GOBI MANCHURIAN

Ingredients:
4 cups Cauliflower florets or 1 medium Cauliflower
1 cup All Purpose flour / Maida
1 cup Cornflour
1 tbsp Red Chili Powder
Salt to taste

For the Sauce:
2 medium Onion ( cubed )
1 Green Capsicum ( cubed )
3 Green Chilies
1 tbsp Ginger - Garlic paste
4 tbsp Garlic ( chopped )
2 Spring Onions ( white and green chopped seperately )
3 tbsp Tomato Sauce
1 1/2 tbsp Soya Sauce
1 tsp Vinegar ( opt )
1 tsp Pepper ( adjust to your taste )
Salt to taste

Method:

• Prepare a thick batter mixing all purpose flour, corn flour , chili powder & salt.( do not make the batter watery or a dripping consistency)
• Mix it with Cauliflower and keep it aside for 1hr.
• Heat oil & deep fry  Cauliflower until golden brown and crisp.
• Heat oil in a kadai, add in chopped garlic, green chilies  and saute.
• Add in Onion, white of the spring onion and  ginger -  garlic paste, saute until just translucent.
• Add in the sauces, pepper and mix well.
• Mix in the fried cauliflower and add salt if needed.
• Garnish with Spring Onion and Serve

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Hi all, we reached safe home sweet home and have started enjoying are stay in Kerala with yummy foods, and lots and lots of love and our little sweetheart is being pampered by everyone to the core :), we still need to overcome our jet -lag,our little sweetheart is busy playing during night and all tired and sleeping at daytime, we need to change for sure .And as part of our stay, i am sure to eat so many yummy foods, but not so sure whether ill photograph all that.

So, now back to work, I was invited to do a guest post at LOVE2COOK MALAYSIA, ,  Sri has a great blog, a person with so much love towards cooking as well as blogging. I'm so happy that indirectly Sri is helping me out to keep my blog live during my vacation stay, Thank you Sri dear.

We love fish fingers and as kids my brother and myself had a weakness towards this, while watching TV on a usual afternoon time, i got to see a cooking show on fish fingers, and that just reminded me of how long have i made these, Do hop on to her blog for the recipe for the ,Fish Fingers and other lovely recipes too :)

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            This is a "Baked" replica of  "Kentucky Fried Chicken". Actually i really got tired and confused coming out with a name for this, for me its a ' KFC style Baked Chicken Drumstick with a Indian twist" . Anyways; after coming here we did try out the fried Chicken from KFC, very much health conscious hubby dear not being a very huge fan wasn't interested in having deep fried Chicken drumsticks, but i was really into it and loved having it atleast having 'not so' often times :).  But now for our little one sweetheart, i need to try  my best to come up with  recipes which are on the healthier side. Hope some of you might remember that I've said in my   previous post  that i have been collecting recipes, and this is one such recipe. I'm sure to get hold of that book  from my relative once i visit  India,  for our next vacation and  surely would let you all know the name of the book and the wonderful Chef.  I have made some minor changes to the recipe adding some ingredients to our taste, it came out really good and crunchy, and went great along  with the coleslaw salad.

Baked Chicken Drumsticks with Coleslaw Salad
Recipe Source : will update very soon.
Updated *  :  Nita Mehta

Ingredients:
6 Chicken Drumstick pieces
3 tbsp All Purpose Flour / Maida
1 1/2 tbsp Red Chili Powder ( adjust accordingly)
1 tbsp Coriander Powder
1/2 tsp Red Chili Flakes
2 inch Cinnamon Stick
1 1/2  tbsp Ginger - Garlic paste
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Oil
Water as needed
Salt to taste

2 Eggs ( beaten with 1/4 tsp Red Chili Powder )
1 - 1 1/2 Cups Bread Crumbs
PAM spray  / Oil

 Method:

• Clean and dry the Chicken Drumsticks with a clean dry kitchen towel or a paper towel.
• Prick the Chicken all over with a fork.
• In a mixing bowl mix together; all purpose flour , chili powder, coriander powder, red chili flakes, cinnamon stick, ginger- garlic paste, lemon juice, salt to taste and oil.
• Add chicken to the mix , add required water to marinate the chicken, & marinate for atleast for 5 hrs( preferably over night ).
• Pre-heat the oven to 400F, and line a baking tray with aluminium foil, and grease.
• Dip each Chicken in egg mixture and toss in the bread crumbs until well- coated.
• Bake one side for 25 mins , turn & bake the other side again for 25 mins.
• Serve hot with Coleslaw Salad ( recipe follows ).

Coleslaw Salad

Recipe Source: My own

Ingredients:

3 cups Shredded Cabbage  ( use half red & green cabbage )

1 Capsicum ( shredded )
1/2 Carrot ( shredded) i didn't use any

3 tbsp Ranch / Mayo ( i used  Lite House Ceaser dressing )

1 tbsp Cream / Milk

1tsp Pepper powder

1 tbsp Raisins / Kismis

1 tsp Sugar

Salt to taste

Method :

• Add all the ingredients in a bowl  and mix well with a wooden spoon.
• Check for salt and serve cold.

Notes:  You can also use Carrots in Coleslaw Salad. Do add in raisins , it does make a difference.

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How about refreshing your self with a cup of tea and hot , crisp snack , right out from the oven. We love to munch on something while having our evening Tea or Coffee. Back home, mom used to serve sauteed Channas , Potato fritters, Pakodas or any which would be yum yum. Now,  i had this half a packet of puff pastry which was handed over to me by my friend before leaving for her vacation. So with a potluck coming ahead, i made this as a party appetizer.
I made a mistake without knowing, so now i apologize  ..... THANKS a ton my friend sree for sharing me this recipe from USMasala

Samosa Cups / Samosa in a cup
Recipe Source : USMasala

Ingredients:
2 Potatoes Boiled & cubed ( medium sized)
1/2 Onion ( chopped)
1/2 cup Green peas ( i used frozen)
1/4 cup Corn  kernels ( frozen)
2 Green chili ( chopped)
1/2 a packet Puff Pastry
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Red Chili powder
1/2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tsp Amchur powder
1/4 tsp Chaat Masala
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
2 tbsp Peanuts
1/4 tsp Asafoetida
Coriander Leaves
Salt to taste
Oil

Method:

• Heat oil and roast the peanuts, add in Asafoetida, Onions, Ginger garlic paste, Green chilies, saute until tender.
• Add in Green Peas, Corn , Coriander pwdr, Red chili powder and saute  for a min.
• Add in the rest of the Masalas , Potatoes, Salt to taste, mix well, and cook for 5-6mins.
• Add in the coriander leaves and , remove from heat. Let it cool.

For the Samosa Cups:

• Thaw the Puff Pastry for an hour.
• Roll out and cut in 3-4 inch squares, and prick all over with a fork.
• Spray your muffin pan with Cooking spray.
• Arrange the sheets, in the pan, spoon in some of the filling & press.(do not over fill ).
• Spray on top with the cooking spray
• Bake in a 400f oven for 15 mins, or until the puff pastry is golden &crisp

Notes:  Use your own choice of veggies, adding cheese can make fun for kids.

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One of the snacks that kids always love to have. We always loved cutlets and mom made lovely ones. this is my mom's recipe and i hope you all would love it too :)

Ingredients:
500 gram chicken
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 smashed green chilly
1 small piece smashed ginger
salt to taste

1 big onion ( chopped )
2 potatoes ( boiled and peeled )
1 inch ginger ( chopped)
3-4 green chillies
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp pepper powder
1 cup bread crumbs
1 egg
few curry leaves ( chopped)
salt to taste
oil

Method:
Boil the chicken with garam masala , pepper powder, ginger, green chilly and salt.
Debone and cut the chicken into small pieces.
Boil the potatoes and smash it.
Heat oil in a kadai and saute onions, green chillies, ginger, curry leaves, pepper powder, garam masala, and mix well until the onions turn translucent.
Add the chopped chicken pieces and mix well,now add the potatoes and add salt if needed, and mix, let it cool.
Once cooled , roll into balls and flat it or any of your choice.
Beat the egg, dip the cutlet first in the egg and then coat with bread crumbs.
Deep fry it in oil, until golden in colour.
Serve hot with any sauce of your choice. read more

Now here is a very simple recipe for sandwich, this was one of my first trials for cooking back home, i never knew what to add and what not to, now this is one of my hubby dear's favourite. Here is the recipe for the scrambled egg sandwich.

Ingredients:

3 eggs
4-6 slices of bread
1 onion chopped
1/2 tomato chopped
2 green chillies finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato sauce
1/2 tsp green chilli sauce
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
few sprigs corriander leaves
salt to taste
oil


Method:

Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard, let it pop.
Add onion and green chilli, saute untill the onion turns translucent.
Add tomato, and saute untill it becomes soft.
Add beaten eggs, salt, tomato sauce, green chilli sauce and mix it well.
Cook untill the eggs are done and garnish with corriander leaves.
Now heat a pan and toast the bread slices on both sides.
Fill the egg mixture on top of one slice and keep another slice on top.
Cut the bread diagonally as in teh picture.
Serve as breakfast or snack.....happy meal!!! read more

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I still remember the first day i tasted this wonderful food " momo" when we were in Nagaland. Its a very common street food in there, which has the most adorable shape and taste. Now here i present to you all my own momo.


Ingredients:

2 cups of all purpose flour (maida)
1 tbsp oil
salt to taste
water

For the filling:

1 cup of chicken, boiled and minced
1 inch lenght ginger
3-4 green chillies
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt to taste
oil


Method:

Mix the flour, oil and salt in a bowl.
Knead it into a soft dough by adding water.
Crush the green chillies and ginger into a coarse form.
Mix the minced chicken with the paste , also adding lemon juice and salt.
Make small balls out of the dough.
Roll it into small rounds and add the filling. (while making rounds out of the dough, be sure that you use oil and not the flour)
Fold it into balls or of desired shape as shown in the picture.
Steam it for about 20 -30 mins in a idli cooker, or any kind of steamer.
You can serve it with green chutney.....happy meal!!! read more