Chocolate Fondant - low calorie and healthy recipe in my version

I tried chocolate fondant last week and it turned out very well.  I am a bit calorie conscious person and don't freak much on cakes and sweets though I do like few of them as they are very rich in calories. This time I made  some variation in my recipe where I prepared the fondant using brown sugar instead of castor sugar and light butter. Was not sure about how it would taste like but wanted to give a try and check out if it would turn out good. It turned out yummy and within no time all of it was over. I and my hubby liked this very much. I will surely prepare it again as it does not count in lot of calories and doesn't take much time too in preparing it.

You can prepare this using Castor sugar and normal unsalted butter too. I am sure it will taste good too.

Ingredients:

• Light Brown soft sugar - 100 gms ( can use castor sugar)
• Eggs - 2 nos
• Dark cooking chocolate - 100gms
• Heart Healthy flora butter - 90 gms ( can use normal unsalted butter )
• All purpose flour (maida) - 35 gms

Preparation:

1. Beat the eggs and to it add the brown sugar. Beat the mixture well.
2. Meanwhile melt the dark chocolate and butter in the microwave.
3. Add the melted mixture to the egg  and sugar mix and stir in well. Add the flour stir it to see there are no lumps. Strain it through a strainer to remove lumps if any and get a fine mixture.
4. Chill in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 mins for it to set.
5. Bake in a preheat oven for 200 degree centigrade for 10 to 15 minutes. Cool and serve.

You can use a rectangle baking dish, round baking dish or muffin tins for baking it. Choice is yours.

Aloo Methi

Ingredients:

• Potatoes -3 (boiled and peeled)
• Tomatoes - 1 big to 2 medium (pureed)
• Fresh methi leaves -1 cup
• Onion -1 chopped
• Ginger garlic paste -1 tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder -1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
• Fennel powder -1/2 tsp
• Bay leaf - 1
• Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 1 to 2 tbsp
• Dry methi leaves - 1 to 2 tsp -optional ( if added gives good taste and aroma)

Preparation: 

1. Boil the potatoes and peel them. cut into cubes and set aside.
2. Add little salt and sugar to methi leaves and set aside for 5 mins. Squeeze and set aside.
3. In a kadai add oil. Add bay leaf, asafoetida, onion, ginger garlic paste and fennel powder and fry till onion is slight brown. 
4. Add the red chilli, turmeric and coriander powder and t1 tbsp water and fry the masala well.
5. Add the tomato puree and cook till the raw smell is gone.
6. Add potatoes and methi leaves. Add salt and adjust the taste. Mix well.
7. Finally add the garam masala, dry methi leaves, mix and serve.

Fried Rice - easy and quick recipe

I love fried rice. There are days when I feel like eating it but then feel lazy to cook it as it takes quite sometime to get done. I wanted a recipe that would help me get it done faster on such days so one day I surfed thru the the net to see if I can get something quick to make and also delicious. I came across this instant recipe which was easy and quick that too in Chinese person. After all fried rice is their specialty and it will be good when you learn to do it from them. Just a fraction of 10 to 15 mins and fried rice is ready. I tried it out and it was equally good.

Check out the recipe if you want to cook something quick on your hectic day or when ur feeling lazy or not in mood to cook for too long.

Ingredients:

• Cooked Basmati Rice - 200gms
• Eggs - 2 to 3
• spring onions - 1 stalk
• oil
• salt
• pepper powder as per taste
• soya sauce - 1 tbsp

Preparation:

1. Use the left over rice of previous day or prepare rice on the previous day and refrigerate it. You can cook rice the same day also but it needs to cool well before use. Refrigerated  cold rice is good for this preparation.
2. In a wok add oil and add the eggs to it. Scramble to eggs and remove and set aside.
3. In the same wok add little oil and add the cooked rice. Fry for sometime. 
4. Add chopped spring onion, egg scramble and mix well. Add salt, pepper powder and soya sauce. 
5. Toss well and serve.

Additions from my side: If you have prawns in the fridge then just fry them in the same wok after scrambling the egg and set aside. Mix it to the rice. Or if you still want a twist you can apply some turmeric powder and salt to it and shallow fry. Add it to the fried rice. This will enhance the taste of the dish even more.

Imp. tip: Always add the soya sauce along the sides of the pan and not directly to the rice.

Chicken Biryani - in my version

I had never prepared chicken biryani till date though I had prepared fried rice, pulao, prawns biryani etc. This time I wanted to try my hands on this and believe me to my surprise it turned out very well and tasty. My husband wanted some change in the regular course meal so he asked me to prepare chicken biryani on Sunday. I too wanted to try out something different so cooked. My husband loves food and always has to habit of checking whats special everyday :) In the evening when he came home from work he was curious to taste the biryani to see how it has come out. Out from the kitchen he asked me did I ever prepare chicken biryani before. This question put me into worry as it was the first time I was preparing it, which he did not know. I asked him why? He replied its come out very well and tasty. I had a sigh of relief and was happy. Finally my efforts paid :) Thought of sharing it with you too. Do try it out.

 Ingredients:

• Basmati rice  -  500gms
• Chicken - 500 gms (cut into pieces)
• curds - 1cup
• Ginger garlic paste - 21/2 tsps
• green chilli paste - (made from grinding 4 to 5 chillies)
• red chilli powder - 1tsp 
• cumin powder - 1 tsp
• coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• mint leaves chopped -few
• coriander leaves chopped - smalll bunch
• juice of 1 lime
• 100ml milk
• saffron a  pinch
• salt
• ghee
• cashew nuts  -few
• raisins - few
• onions  - 2 big (finely sliced)
• cardamoms - 5
• cloves - 5
• cinnamon sticks - 2
• chicken stock - 500ml

Preparation: 

1. Slice the onions and fry them in ghee until brown and keep aside. Also fry the cashew nuts and raisins separately until light brown and set aside.
2. Marinate the chicken pieces with ginger garlic paste and keep aside for 5 mins. After 5 mins add the green chilli paste, red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, salt, turmeric powder, chopped coriander and mint leaves, lime juice and little fried onions and finally the curds and keep for 1 hour.
3. Wash rice and soak for 1/2 an hour. Meanwhile prepare the chicken stock. In a cooker add ghee and fry the cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon sticks. Add rice and just stir for sometime so that rice gets the flavour of the garam masala. Add the chicken stock and take 1-2 whistles not more. ( Qty of rice to stock is for 1 cup rice we need to add 2 cups stock). Cool the cooker by placing it under water and open immediately do not keep closed for long as rice gets overcooked.
4. Use the oil in which you fried the onions and add little more ghee if needed add the marinated chicken to it and cook the chicken till tender. Let the gravy become slight thick don't make it thin.Check for the spices if you find it a bit less spicy or bland do add little more of chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder as per your taste. Gravy will be a little sour to taste that's because of curds and lime juice but you need not worry as consistency will be fine when you mix with the rice. (I was worried about it but it went well once I mixed the rice to it)
5. In a thick bottomed vessel add the chicken gravy and above it add the rice sprinkle fried onions, raisins, nuts and again a layer of gravy and then rice and finally add the saffron dissolved in milk. Cover the lid and keep on very low flame by placing the vessel on a tawa with the mouth of the vessel sealed with wheat flour. Serve hot with raitha.

Alterations: 1. I forgot the add the saffron to it yet it tasted good. So saffron is optional if you don't have it. If you add it gives good flavour.

2. I don't like layered biryani so after adding the gravy and rice in layers i finally mixed the biryani and garnished with left over onions and nuts. I didn't reheat it after mixing as I have mentioned above which is actually the procedure but kept the vessel closed tight since I did not have such a big tawa to place the vessel on it. I just reheated the biryani in the microwave while serving. It was equally good :)

Kheema Curry

This time I tried cooking it with some ground ingredients and it really turned out very well. My husband loved this dish. 

Ingredients:

• Minced beef – 250g (washed and drained)
• Tomato – 2 nos
• Onion – 2 nos (chopped)
• Potatoes (cut into small pieces) – 1/2 cup
• Green chillies (cut into thin rounds) – 2 nos
• Coconut (grated) – 4 tbsp
• Curry leaves – Few
• Ghee – 2 tbsp
• Coriander leaves – 1/4 cup

To be ground:

• Cummin seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Chilly powder – 1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp
•  Ginger – one inch piece
•  Garlic – 4 cloves
•  Onion – 1 no
•  Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp
•  Garam masala – 1/2 tsp

Preparation:

1.  Grind the grated coconut in a mixer to a fine paste and keep aside.
2.  Grind the items to be ground: cumin seeds, chilly powder, turmeric powder, ginger, garlic, onion,  pepper powder and garam masala to a fine paste.
3. Meanwhile boil the whole tomatoes in sufficient water for some time in medium heat. Remove the outer skin and blend in a liquidizer.
4. Take a flat bottomed pan and pour ghee. Heat the ghee and add chopped onions, green chillies and curry leaves. Saute for sometime until the onions become golden in color.
5.  Add the ground masala mixture and keep sauting until oil accumulates on top.
6.  Add minced meat and fry for sometime until it becomes dry.
7.  Add tomato puree, salt and one cup of hot water. Allow to boil and then cook covered in low heat until the gravy acquires a thick consistency and meat is done.
8. Stir in chopped coriander leaves and add the ground coconut. Simmer for a few minutes and remove from fire.

Note: Can use green peas instead of potato.

         Can use oil instead of ghee if you do not want to use ghee.

Chicken Gravy - Andhra Style

I tried this recipe today and it was really good. Very tasty.
It is a bit spicy though. If you cannot take too much of spice then you can also add potatoes to it while boiling. This makes the dish even more tasty. I added potatoes and it came out well.

Ingredients 

• Chicken - 1/2 kg
• Onions - 2 nos(sliced long)
• Green chillies(slit) - 1 no
• Ripe tomatoes - 2 nos(diced)
• Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
• Chopped coriander leaves - A handful
• Cloves - 3 nos
• Cinnamon stick - an inch piece
• Cardamom - 2
• Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - As required
• Sugar - 1 small tsp
• juice of half a lemon
• Oil for frying

Grind the following into a coarse form:

• Onion - 1 no
• Green chilly - 1 no
• Ginger-garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Poppy seeds (cous cous) - 2 tsp
• Chilly powder - 2 to 3 tsp
• Turmeric powder - A pinch

Preparation:

1. Clean and wash the chicken and cut into medium pieces.Mix with turmeric and lime juice and keep aside.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil add clove, cardamom and cinnamon sticks.
3. Add thinly sliced onions, curry leaves and green chilles.
4. Once the onions turn brown add the ground paste salt and turmeric. Stir until the masala is fried well.
5. Add the diced tomatoes and cook till tomatoes get pulpy.
6. Add chicken pieces and add enough water and cook the chicken. Check for spice, salt and add the sugar. Adding sugar enhances the taste of the dish.
7. Add chopped coriander leaves and serve with rice, idli, dosa or chapathi's.

Chicken Momos with red chilli sauce

I had eaten this dish called Momos when I had been to Darjeeling. I liked it so much that I was trying to fetch this recipe from almost everywhere. I did get some but they were not up to the expectations of the ones that I had eaten. Just some time back I got this recipe from a person who is a Nepali and I tired it. Wow!! this was the perfect recipe that I was looking for from such a long time and finally I got it. I prepared these so many times its a wonderful snack that anyone will love to eat. My husband took it to his office one day and his colleagues ate them all leaving him with none :( got calls asking for the recipe too. Do try preparing them and let me know your views.

Ingredients:

For Filling:

• Chicken mince - 1 cup
• onion - 1 large finely chopped
• garlic - 2 to 3 finely chopped
• ginger  - 1 inch finely chopped
• coriander leaves - 1 cup finely chopped
• green chillies - 2 to 3 finely chopped
• soya sauce - 1 tsp
• salt as per taste
• oil - 1 tsp
  

 For Dough:

•  Maida - 4 cups
•  Warm water as per need
• oil - 1 tsp

 For chilli sauce:

• 25 gms garlic peeled
• 6 gms whole red chillies
• 3 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tbsp oil
• salt to taste
• sugar to taste
  

 Preparation:

1. For chilli sauce: cut red chillies and soak in water for about 2 hours. Remove from water and cut them into small pieces and add vinegar and soak for 1 to 2 hours. Add all the remaining ingredients to it and blend to a smooth paste.
2. Chop all ingredients mentioned under filling and mix it in a bowl. Add the chicken mince, oil, soya sauce and salt. Mix all well. 
3. Knead the maida with warm water. Add little oil at the finishing of the dough. Make small round balls and flatten as done for puri.
4. Place the filling in it and press the edges. 
5. Once ready place in a steamer and steam for 20 mins.
6. Serve Momos with chilli sauce.