Going Green

I always wanted to grow my own vegetables and fruits like I did it in Ludhiana. The happiness I got when I took my small basket to the vegetable garden and picking up the fresh vegetables is beyond description. Day in and day out I go and look how much these veggies have grown. I would like to share with you some pictures of my vegetable patch.

Chicken Paratha

Thinking of what to cook for lunch for the kids is a problem faced by me every day. Kids being not too keen on rice and curries, make me innovative. Today's lunch was chicken parathas. I could not take any photographs as Aby took the camera with him on his official tour. I will try to take the photograph the next time I cook these parathas. These parathas are yummy to eat and will also help you to finish the left over chicken in the fridge.

Ingredients for the filling:

1. Ginger - 1/2 inch thinly sliced
2. Chicken breasts - 250 gms boiled and minced
3. Green chillies - 2 thinly sliced
4. Onion - 1 thinly cubed
5. Tomato - 1 cubed small
6. Chicken masala or garam masala -1/2 tsp.
7. a few coriander leaves cut small
8. salt as per taste
9. A little oil to fry parathas

Ingredients for Parathas:

1. White bread flour or wheat flour - 3 cups
2. Salt as per taste
3. 1 tblsp. oil
4. Warm water

Method:-

• Mix the flour, salt and oil. Add the warm water and make into a pliable dough, fit for rolling and keep it aside.
• Take a tblsp. of oil in a heated pan. Saute the onions, ginger and green chillies until lightly brown. Add the minced chicken, garam masala, tomato, salt and coriander leaves. Saute and mix for a minute or two until it is mixed properly. Take it off the heat.
• Now divide the dough into four equal parts and further divide each part into half. Take each half and roll into a small round of 12 cms.
• Place a little of the chicken mixture and spread it on one of the rounds. Take another round and cover the mixture and seal it from the sides. Now roll this double rounds into a bigger round of 20 cms.
• Heat up a heavy bottomed pan and put a little oil and slip the made paratha into it, cooking it evenly on both the sides.
• Do the same with the other parathas and serve it warm with pickles or anything of your choice.

Sweet Mango Chutney

Ingredients:-
1. Green mangoes - 500 gms
2. Chillie Powder - 10 gms
3. Ginger - 40 gms
4. Garlic - 40 gms
5. apricots - 100 gms
6. Onion - 1 (small) diced
7. Sugar - 400 gms
8. Vinegar - 125 ml
9. salt to taste

Method:

* Peel and dice mangoes to small chunks. Sprinkle with salt and keep it aside for 2 hours.
* Grind the ginger, garlic and chilli powder with a little vinegar to a smooth paste.
* Boil all the ingredients along with the mango and ground paste in a saucepan until the mangoes are tender and the mixture forms into a thick jam.
* Cool and bottle in air tight jars.

I was out of touch with my blog for sometime. I am translating some of Lekshmi Nair's recipes as per the demands of my viewers. Thanks very much for supporting and encouraging me. I will put up the recipes I have as soon as possible. Not all the recipes in the demand list are there with me, hence cannot put it up. Sorry, for the late reply.

Beef Casserole

Ingredients:-
1. Beef - 1/2 kg
2. Onion - 1/2 kg (thinly sliced)
3. Black pepper powder - 2 tblsp.
4. Soya sauce - 1/2 tblsp.
5. Chilli sauce - 2 tblsp.
6. Tomato sauce - 2 tblsp.
7. Vinegar - 2 tblsp.
8. Ginger (thinly sliced) - 5 tblsp.
9. Garlic (cut into small) - 5 tblsp.
10. Oil - as required
11. Salt - 2 tsp.

Method:-

* Fry onions in hot oil until brown and crip. Powder it and keep it aside.
* Wash the cut beef pieces, mix soya sauce, chilli sauce, tomato sauce, vinegar, pepper powder, salt and the onion powder with the beef and steam it in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes or until it is cooked.
* In a frying pan heat oil and fry the garlic and ginger slices to a brown colour and then add this to the cooked beef and mix and serve.

Source : Lekshmi Nair's Magic Oven Recipes.