Thai Red Chicken Curry

First of all I would like to wish you all a very happy new year 2011.Recently I started cooking Thai food and this is my very first Thai recipe. I enjoyed it with fried rice and the combo is just superb.The recipe is very easy to follow and takes just few minutes to cook.

Ingredients

Thai Red Curry Paste(Store brought) 2 tbsp
Coconut milk 1 can(12 oz)
Chicken breast 2
Veggies 2-3 cups
Brown Sugar 1 tbsp
Fish Sauce 2 tbsp

Basil Leaves 8-10
Oil 2 tbsp

Method

1. Cut chicken into small strips/pieces.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add the chicken pieces in it.Cook till the chicken is cooked.Add the veggies and cook them for 1-2 minutes.I used snap peas,carrots,bamboo shoot(canned),broccoli,mushrooms.

3. Now add coconut milk,curry paste and mix thoroughly.Let it cook for 5 minutes.

4. At this point add fish sauce,brown sugar,water(1/3 cup) and allow it to simmer for another 2-3 minutes.

5. At last add chopped basil leaves and serve hot with fried rice.

Note: 1. You can also use green peas,beans,baby corns,bell peppers or any other veggie.

2. If you want it more red/hot then add paprika/red chili powder accordingly.

3. Before using snap-peas pull one end of pea and drag across to take the string out.

4. If you don't want to use fish sauce you can always use soy sauce.

5. Instead of chicken you can use shrimps also.For a veg-version use tofu.

Mushroom-Spinach Sabzi

Mushroom is always a hit in my family so I was looking for some interesting recipes which I can make with mushrooms.Recently I got a cook book by Meena Pathak from library and I found this mushroom-spinach sabzi recipe there.I tried it a couple of times and it turns out superb.I really like the combo.It tastes great and can be served with roti/chapati/paratha.


Ingredients

Mushroom (button) 9 ounces

Spinach 2 1/4 pound

Onion 1 cup chopped

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Kasoori Methi 1 tsp

Cream 1-2 tbsp

Green Chili 1-2

Garam Masala 1/2 tsp

Ginger- 1 inch piece

Garlic 1-2

Turmeric pw 1/2 tsp

Salt

Oil 3 tbsp


Method

1. Heat oil in a kadhayi/pan and add the cumin seeds.Let the seeds crackle.

2. Add chopper ginger,garlic,green chili,onion and fry for 2-3 minutes.

3. Now add turmeric powder,mushrooms and cook for 1-2 minutes.

4. Add chopped spinach,salt and cook over high heat till all the water evaporates.


5. Add kasoori methi,cream and garam masala and give it a stir.

Refreshing Water Melon Smoothie

As the mercury level is getting higher it is very difficult to keep yourself cool.But the market is full of different options to make smoothies.So why not try water melon for the same purpose.Just add a few other things and you will get a soothing,refreshing,delicious and healthy smoothie.


Ingredients

Water Melon chunks 4 cups

Fresh Mint Leaves (a few sprigs)

Lemon Juice 1 tbsp

Rock Salt/kala namak 1 tsp

Ice cubes (as required)


Method

1. Cut the water melon in small chunks and remove the seeds.


2. Put everything in blender and blend it.

3. Pour in glasses and decorate with some mint leaves and lemon slices.Serve chill.

Note: If you want you can also add some honey for sweetness.

Mint-Mango Chutney

I love mango season when market is full of loads of mangoes in both forms raw as well as ripe.Here I used mint leaves and raw mango to make this chutney.This chutney is very good for summers as mint has ability to sooth our digestive system.The sourness from raw mangoes gives it a tanginess.

Ingredients

Mint Leaves 1 bunch

Mango(raw) 1

Green Chillies 3-4

Salt


Method

1. Pick the mint leaves from the bunch and clean them under running water.Peel the skin off the mango,clean it and cut it into slices.Discard the stone.

2. Take mint leaves,green chillies,mango slices in a grinder and add little water to grind it into a paste.

3. Take out in a bowl and add salt.Mix it well and it's ready to serve with any meal or snack.

Kaju Katli

Kaju Katli is a very famous sweet(similar to barfi) which is made of kaju/cashews,sugar.Its a big HIT in my family.My DH and DS both have sweet tooth so they ask me to make something sweet time to time.I find this katli very easy to make and it takes very few ingredients.You don't need any milk,ghee which is very common in most of the Indian sweets.So next time if you have craving for something sweet try it and am sure you gonna love it.


Ingredients

Kaju/Cashews 2 cup

Sugar 1 cup

Water 1/2 cup

Green Cardamom pw 1/4 tsp



Method


1. Grind cashews in a mixer to make its powder(don't worry if its a little rough not fine).Don't add water while grinding.


2. Take sugar and water in a pan and heat it to make sugar-syrup of one thread(heat for 5 minutes after it reached to boiling point).


3. Remove from heat and mix in it the cashew powder,cardamom powder and mix properly so that there will be no lumps.


4. Let it cool down.


5. Now spread it on a greased surface and roll it with a rolling pin to desired thickness.To avoid sticking place cling wrap on top of cashew mixture and then roll.


6. Cut it in desired shape when its almost set/dry.


Note: If you are making it for a special occasion then put some silver foil(edible) on it and it'll look great.

Sending this to the event EFM-Sweet and Savories For Diwali by Srishkitchen.

Mango Mousse

This is the dessert that I learned recently from Vahrevah chef and tried a couple of times.It is made of mango pulp,cream,gelatin.My DH and DS just love it.It doesn't take much time to prepare also so if you have guests coming over try it and am sure they will love it.

Ingredients

Mango Pulp 1 can( 30 oz)

Gelatin(mango/lime) 2 packets( 3 oz each)

Sugar(Powdered) 1/2 cup

Heavy Whipping Cream 2 cups

Dry Fruits(Chopped) 3-4 tbsp

Method

1. Mix 1/2 cup of water to the mango pulp and warm it on medium heat.

2. Add gelatin while stirring.Turn the heat off just before it reaches to its boiling point.Let it cool down.

3. Take sugar and cream in a bowl and beat until it forms peak(dont beat too much otherwise it'll turn out into butter).

4. Add this cream to the pulp mixture and whisk it.

5. Now in a bowl place chopped dry fruits at the bottom of it and pour the pulp-cream mixture over it.

6. Put it in the refregrator for 20-30 minutes.Take out the bowl and place it upside down on a plate.Tap the bowl from all the side so that it'll come out to the plate.

7. Serve chill top with chopped pistachios/fruits.

Dal Makhani

Dal Makhani is the most popular dals in north India.It's made of whole urad(black lentils) and rajma(red kidney beans) with loads of butter and cream.I have made this dal on many gatherings at my place and the results were always awesome.

Ingredients

Whole Urad Dal(black lentils) 2 cup

Rajma(red kidney beans) 1/2 cup

Tomato Puree 4 tbsp

Ginger-garlic paste 1 tbsp

Fennel-seeds(saunf) pw 1 tsp

Red chili pw 1 tsp

Coriander pw 1 tbsp

Bay Leaves 1-2

Cinnamon stick 1 inch

Green cardamom 2-3

Cloves 3-4

Black peppercorns 7-8

Asafoetida a pinch

Butter 3-4 tbsp

Oil 1 tbsp

Cream 1/2 cup

Salt

Method

1. Wash and soak the rajma overnight.You can also use canned ones.

2. Wash and soak urad dal for 2 hours.

3. Pressure cook urad+rajma with salted water till its done.

4. Heat oil in a pan/kadhayi and add all the whole spices(bay leaves,cinnamon stick,cloves,green cardamom,black peppers),asafoetida.

5. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry it.

6. Add tomato puree,red chili powder,fennel powder,coriander powder and fry it.

7. Add butter and fry it on slow flame till the oil leaves the masala.Now if required add water and cook till its boiling.

8. Add this to the dal and heat the dal on medium flame.Add cream and mix it.Heat this dal for 15 minutes on medium-low flame.

9. Serve hot with jeera-rice.

Sending this to MLLA-25 event hosted by Siri and originally started by Susan.