Carrot Fry

Carrot Fry is other simple dish yet delicious.. Carrot is my one of fav veggies. This carrot fry is so crunchy and tastes very good. In matter of mins, u will indulge yourself in this crunchy carrot fry.. Jus add onion and your choice of nuts,and a  little bit of coconut powder, sprinkle little bit of spices. That's it-- crunchy carrot fry will be ready..

Here is the recipe for carrot fry:
Ingredients:
Carrot: 4, shredded
Onion: 1 big, finely chopped
Almonds: 10, powdered
Coconut Powder: 2 tbsp

Oil: 1tbsp

Red chili: 2

Channa dal: 1tsp

Cumin seeds: 1tsp

Mustard seeds: 1tsp

Ginger Garlic paste: 1tsp

Red chili powder: 1tsp

Turmeric: 1 tsp

Salt: to taste

Preparation:
1) Peel the carrots n shred them. For a true crunchy effect instead of shredding with a shredder use chopper or mixer. Grind it to powderd form.
2) After removing carrot, add almonds n grind to a coarse powder. If your coconut powder is in big  flakes form, then grind it to to a smooth powder.
3) In a pan, heat oil n add red chili channa dal.Fry for 30 secs.
4) Add Mustard seeds n let them splutter. Add cumin seeds n fry for 30 secs.
5) Add onion, n fry for 6 mins or until onion get crunchy effect. Don't burn them..

6) Add turmeric, ginger garlic paste n cook for 2 mins.
7) Add shredded carrot n cook for 7 mins on medium heat, uncovered.
8) Add powdered almonds n cook for 2 min.
9) Add red chili powder n salt. Adjust spices to your taste n cook for 1 min.
10) Add coconut powder n cook for 1 min. Switch off the heat.

Enjoy this crunchy carrot fry with chapathi or rice..

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Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken--- The name itself makes us lip smacking for sure.. 

Butter Chicken is one of those best known Indian foods all over the world.  Also commonly known as Murg Makhani, Butter Chicken tastes great with  Naans , rice chapathi..

I love butter chicken to my death. I jus go with chicken when it comes to non-veg. I been trying this dish with many recipes and never felt the same taste that restaurants  has.. So i mixed vah's recipe n the one i got from my mom. 

Normally, Butter Chicken is made with tandoori chicken in cashew sauce. But i don't have time to prepare tandoori chicken, so i made it with regular chicken. For the  sauce, instead of using cashews i used almonds. It doesn't make that big difference, instead u can get goodness of almonds. 

Butter chicken or Murgh Makhani is an Indian dish, popular in countries all over the world. The origins of butter chicken can be traced back to Delhi, during the period of Mughal Empire.  According to a documentary by the Discovery Channel, butter chicken recipe was invented by a person working in the kitchen staff of a famous restaurant called Moti Mahal located in Daryaganj, the central region of Delhi. While the dish's general recipe is well known, the actual flavor can vary from restaurant to restaurant even within India.(wiki)


Here is the recipe for 
Ingredients:
Chicken: 1 lb, boneless
Onion: 1 big, chopped
Tomato Puree : 1 cup or 3 tomato medium, chopped
Almonds: 2 tbsp
Milk: 1tbsp
Butter: 2-3 tbsp
Evaporated milk: 1/2 cup
Cream: 1tbsp
Yogurt: 1tbsp
Oil: 1tbsp
Cumin seeds: 1tsp
Kasthuri methi/fenugreek powder: 1tsp+ a pinch
Ginger garlic paste: 1+1tsp
Turmeric: 1tsp
Red chili Powder: 1+1 tsp
Coriander Powder: 2+1 tsp
Garam Masala:1tsp
Sugar: 1tsp
Salt: to taste
Cilantro: to garnish
Red Color: 1/2 tsp

Preparation:
1) Wash chicken n cut into medium sized pieces. 
2) In a bowl mix chicken, yogurt, chili powder, coriander powder, ginger garlic paste-each 1tsp and a pinch of fenugreek powder. Set aside for 10-15 mins.
3) In a a pan, heat oil n shallow fry the chicken pieces until they turn golden brown on both sides, on medium heat.
4) Now in the same pan, add 1 tbsp butter n melt it.
5) Add cumin seeds n fry for 30secs. Add onion n fry for 6-7 mins on medium heat.
6) Add  ginger garlic paste  n fry for 2 mins.
7) Add tomato puree, turmeric, fenugreek powder, red chili powder, salt and fry for 4-5 mins.
8) Soak almonds in 1tbsp milk. (do it when u start cooking)
9) Let it cool. Blend in a mixer by adding soaked almonds to a smooth paste.
10) In the same pan add remaining butter and melt it. Add onion-tomato-almond paste n cook for couple mins.
11) Add  1 cup of water n bring to a boil. 
12) Now add chicken ,salt, remaining  coriander powder and chili powder, evaporated milk and cook  for 5 mins on low heat, covered.
13) Add Color by mixing with 2tsp of water, sugar n fresh cream and cook for couple mins.
14) Add garam masala n switch off the heat n cover.
15) Let it cool for 10 mins. garnish with cilantro  n serve.

Enjoy this delicious colorful mouth watering butter chicken with rice, naan, chapathi


Tip: U can cook tomatoes n almonds with onion instead of making puree n soaking almonds in milk.

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Bread Fritters

This is my favorite snack when it comes to tea time..I like it for 3 reasons.. It tastes very good-- Easy to make -- and the important thing is---  a healthy snack. The best part of this Bread Fritters is-- it doesn't absorb any oil.

All you need to have, to prepare this delicious healthy snack is bread , spinach and cilantro with a touch of chili powder n salt and the main base ingredients -- Gram flour n Rice flour.
Here is the recipe for Bread Fritters.
Ingredients: 
Bread: 3 Slices
Cilantro: 1cup, Finely chopped
Oil for deep frying
Spinach: 1/2 cup finely chopped(optional)
For batter:
Gram flour: 11/2 cup
Rice flour: 2tbsp
Chili powder: 1tsp
Salt: to taste
Coriander seeds: 2tsp, Make into a coarse powder, don't use pre made powder. it doesn't taste good.
Ground Pepper: 1tsp
Water1-2 cups

Preparation:
1) In a heavy bottom pan, heat oil at 350 degrees.
2) Remove the edges from bread n cut into half.
3) In a bowl mix all the ingredients for batter. Mix well without any lumps by adding water little by little. Don't make  it too watery or to thick. Batter should be like,when u immerse bread slice, it has to stick to bread.

4) Stir in cilantro and spinach
5 Take a halved bread slice and coat with batter on both sides.
6) Check whether oil is hot or not by dropping a drop of batter. If it comes up imm then oil is hot enough for frying.
7) Carefully drop a battered bread slice in hot oil. Fry for 2 mins or until it turns into golden color on both sides.

8) Take it out with a slotted spoon. Place it on a paper towels to drain the excess oil, if  any.
9) Repeat the same process for remaining slices.
10) Serve with ketchup or green chutney.

Enjoy Bread Fritters as  tea time snack..

This is going to be a part of Easy Crafts Tea Time Snack

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Aloo Matar/ Potato with Green Peas

Aloo Matar is another simple to make dish yet delicious. Potato is a simple veggie which can be cooked in many ways and that has a divine taste which goes very well with any other vegetable or itself. It's so easy to make  how easy means-- it was my first dish i made all by my own when i was in 7th grade, when my mom  was ill.
It was a huge hit though..

All  i want to tell is Aloo Matar is  a simple divine dish which makes everyone carves for it.. So here is the recipe..
Ingredients:
Potato: 3, boiled n cubed
Green peas:1 cup
Onion: 1 big, sliced
Oil: 2tbsp
Cumin seeds: 1tsp
Mustard seeds: 1tsp
Channa dal: 1tsp
Red chili: 2
Ginger garlic paste: 2tsp
Turmeric: 1tsp
Red chili powder 1tsp
Salt: To atste
Coriander powder: 1tsp
Garam masala: 1tsp
Cilantro: To garnish

Preparation:
1) Boil potatoes in a microwave safe bowl with enough water  to cover potatoes for 10 mins.Turn potatoes upside down n cook for 3-4 mins. Potatoes have to be fork tender.
2) Let them cool Peel n cut them into cubes.
3) Mean while, in a pan heat oil n add red chili, channa dal n fry for 30 secs.
4)  Add cumin n mustard seeds, fry for 30 secs.
5) Add sliced onion n fry for 5 mins or until onion edges are brown.
6) Now add turmeric, ginger garlic paste n fry for  2mins
7) Add potato cubes n stir well. Fry for 2 mins uncovered.
8) Add green peas n stir well. Cover n cook for 6-7 mins or util peas are tender on medium heat.
9) Stir in salt, Coriander powder, chili powder and garam masala. Cook for 2mins, uncovered.
10) Switch off. Garnish with cilantro n cover.

Enjoy this yummy Aloo Matar with rice or chapathi.

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Random tips

• Don't buy shrimp with loose shells, they are no longer fresh.
• You would know if a shrimp is fresh when it is odorless, white, spotless and has no freezer burns.
• To know the freshness of egg, dip it in water. If it sinks immediately , it is freshhhhhh
• Putting lemon in hot water before squeezing will give you more juice.
• Do not store potatoes and onions together. The potatoes will rot quicker.Instead, store potatoes together with a slice of ginger to keep them longer.
• In order to remove the smell of onions, wash your hands with milk.
• Another way of preventing crying while chopping onions is chewing gum while chopping.
• To prevent sliced avocado from browning, rub a slice of lemon on it.
• In choosing fish, choose those without odor. The fish should have bright and clear eyes, smooth and shiny scales and firm flesh.
• Cream is actually a good source of vitamins A, B and C.
• Soak onions in water for 5 minutes after peeling it and cutting it in half. This will prevent you from crying when you are slicing them.
• Garlic is good for people with high blood pressure and those with kidney stones.
• In buying apples, choose the ones without soft spots.
• To remove the smell from your fridge, place chunks of charcoal inside it.
• Make sure that you cook beans thoroughly because eating raw or undercooked ones is dangerous.
• You can soften cream cheese either by immersing it in hot water or by putting it inside a plastic wrap and heating it in the microwave for around 25 seconds.
• Removing stems of chilis before storing them will help keep them fresh for a longer span of time
• To make peeled peppers last longer, pour a bit of oil on them before storing them in the fridge

 Will be update regularly... U can post your tips n i will include them with your name..

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