Cheesy Sweetcorn and Bellpepper sandwich

Ingredients:

Makes 5 sandwiches

Sweetcorn - 150 gms (I used frozen)
Green bellpepper/capsicum - 1
Onion - 1
Oil - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
White or black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp or to taste
Brown bread slices - 10
Butter - as needed
Cheese slices - 5

Preparation:

1. Thaw the sweetcorn. Remove the seeds of the bellpepper and chop finely. Peel the onion and chop it.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add Onion, sweetcorn and bellpepper. Add salt and saute for about 5 minutes. Add pepper and combine well.
3. Take a slice of bread and spread the sweetcorn mix. Place a cheese slice and cover it with another slice of bread. Brush a little butter on the outer sides of the sandwich.
4. Grill or toast the sandwich.Serve hot !

Events:
Cooking Concepts:Spring seasonal food hosted by Sravs
Souper Sunday hosted by Deb
Bon Vivant Moments #3 - Breakfast Ideas hosted at Sumee's Culinary Bites
Showcase: What's in your lunchbox hosted by Divya
Let's make sandwiches hosted at Simply Food
Guest Quest hosted by Amina

Tofu capsicum masala

Tofu has almost replaced paneer in my kitchen. Its been just a few months I started using tofu, and I love it more than paneer now. What I love about tofu is that it doesnt have a milky smell as in paneer and it also feels lighter. Tofu is comparatively less in calories and fat and is a good source of protein ...

Tofu is made by coagulating soy milk and pressing the resulting curds. Tofu originated in ancient China and is widely used in East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines. This recipe is a simple indian style curry with firm tofu and capsicum and it makes a great side dish for chappathi or naan.

Ingredients:

Firm tofu - 200 gm block

Green capsicum - 1, seeded and diced

Oil -1 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Onion - 1 small, finely chopped

Garlic - 4 to 5 cloves, chopped

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - to taste

Kasuri methi - 1/2 tsp, crushed

Chopped coriander leaves - to garnish

Ghee or butter - 1 tsp

For curry paste

Oil -1 tbsp

Dry red chillies - 3

Onion - 2, chopped

Tomato - 2, chopped

Salt to taste

This curry paste can be used in a variety of north indian gravies. 

Preparation:

1. To make the curry paste, heat oil in pan and add dry chillies followed by onions. Add salt and saute till onions become soft. Add tomatoes and a few spoons of water and cover and cook till mushy. Remove from the stove and let it cool. Grind to a smooth paste.

2. Cut the tofu to blocks and keep it in a bowl of warm water for few mins. Drain and keep aside.

3. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Add onion and garlic and saute till it starts turning brown. 

4. Add coriander powder and then the curry paste and combine well. Add a little water and bring to boil. Add capsicum and tofu pieces and garam masala. Adjust the salt and cover and cook for 5  minutes. 

5. Add kasuri methi and coriander leaves and combine well. Serve with a dash of ghee or butter.

Events:

Show me your HITS: SOY recipes hosted by Prabha, an event series initiated by Sangeetha

Healthy Diet - Vegetarian Side Dishes by Vardhini
Cooking Concepts:Spring seasonal food

Babycorn and Bellpepper Pizza (Microwave Grill mode)

Ingredients:

Readymade Pizza base (medium size) - 1

Babycorn - 4 or 5, cut to strips
Bellpepper/Capsicum - 1, seeded and cut to strips
Onion - 1, peeled and sliced
Tomato - 1 small, seeded and sliced
Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Crushed Pepper - 3/4 tsp or more
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Pizza sauce(or tomato ketchup) - 3-4 tbsp + more
Pizza cheese grated - 3/4 cup
Italian seasoning - as needed


Preparation:

1. Heat a pan and add oil followed by onions, tomato, bellpepper and babycorns. Add soy sauce and crushed pepper and saute for 3-4 mins. Add enough salt. Note that soy sauce has a little salt in it, so add just a little more.
2. Place the pizza base on an oven tray. Spread the pizza sauce evenly. Take 1/3rd of the cheese and spread it on top of the sauce. Now add the sauteed veggies and spread evenly.
3. Add pizza sauce on the topping if you like. Spread rest of the cheese and sprinkle the italian seasoning.
4. Place the tray in the microwave. Use the grill mode and the pizza gets done in 7-8 mins. You can see that the cheese has melted and the pizza is ready to serve.

Sending this to Snacks Mela

Dish it Out- Cheese and Tomatoes hosted by Anamika. Dish it Out is the brainchild of Vardhini

Sinful delights by Vardhini

Lets Cook for Christmas - Red and Green

Chicken Jalfrezi

Chicken Jalfrezi is Britain's favourite Indian curry now. Recently it replaced the Chicken Tikka Masala  which was the most popular Indian curry says Times of India. I had this dish a couple of times after coming to UK, and this is our favourite now. The Indian restaurants here serve mildly spicy curries and so we always order it to be extra spicy. Extra spicy as per their standards is the normal spice level that we use at home. 

Coming to the recipe, I spotted it at 1 MB from Meena's Kitchen. The picture of her dish looked so attractive and delicious and I decided to try it. This is a very yummy dish with a different flavour and a lovely light brown colour. But in this photo, it looks very yellow as my kitchen lights are yellowish. I made it for dinner and missed the opportunity to take the picture in day light.

Ingredients:

1. Boneless chicken breast - 2, cut to bite sized pieces

Yoghurt/Curd - 3 tbsp

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

2. For cooking the chicken

Oil - 2 tbsp

Green chillies - 2, chopped fine

Garlic - 4 large cloves

Tomatoes - 2, chopped

Chilly powder - 1.5 tsp

Coriander powder - 1.5 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp

Salt to taste

3. For second saute

Oil - 1 tbsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Onion - 1 large, thinly sliced

Green Bell Pepper - 1, diced

Garam masala - 1/2 to 1 tsp

Preparation:

1. Combine all ingredients in item 1 and marinate for 10 mins.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add green chillies followed by garlic and saute well. Add tomatoes and saute well till mushy.

3. Add chilly, coriander and pepper powders and salt and combine well.

4. Add the marinated chicken and cover and cook till chicken is done. As this is a dry side dish, no need to add water. 

5. In another pan heat oil and add jeera. Add onions and saute till they are golden brown. Add the diced bell peppers and saute for a minute. Add garam masala and mix well. Add the contents of this pan to the cooked chicken and combine well. Chicken Jalfrezi is ready. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves(optional).

Serve with roti, paratha, naan or fried rice.

Linking this to Iftar Nights

Kadai Mushroom

I love mushrooms and here comes another recipe :-)

Ingredients:

Button Mushrooms - 250 gms.

Onion - 1, diced

Capsicum/Bell Pepper - 1, diced

Tomato puree - of 1 tomato

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Dry red chillies - 3 to 4

Cumin/Jeera - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 2 tsp

Chilly powder - 3/4 tsp or to taste

Garam masala - 1/2 to 1 tsp

Kasoori methi - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Coriander leaves - to garnish

Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. Wash the mushrooms and cut each to 4 pieces. Keep aside.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add jeera followed by dry chillies. Saute for a minute. Add onion and ginger garlic paste and saute till onion is transparent. 

3. Add bell pepper and salt and saute. Now add coriander and chilly powder and saute taking care not to burn it.

4. Add tomato puree and combine well. Add mushrooms, garam masala and kasoori methi. Cover and cook for few minutes till mushroom oozes water and cooks. If you need more gravy, add some warm water and bring to boil. 

5. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with Roti or Naan

Linking with Anyone Can Cook: Series 30

Mushroom Pepper Fry

Mushrooms are my favourite and I always have a pack or two in my fridge. Cooking with mushrooms is very quick and easy and it can be used in a variety of ways. Mushroom Pepper fry is spicy and yummy and tasted very different from the other mushroom dishes I make.This recipe is from my blog hop pal Priya Sreeram of Bon Appetit. View her original recipe here. She has lot of yummy recipes in her site, do check it out... Thanks Priya, for this wonderful recipe.Serves best with roti, naan, pulao, fried rice etc...

Ingredients:

Button or Closed cup mushrooms - 150 gms, diced

Capsicum/Bell Pepper - 1, diced (I used 1/2 each of yellow and red to make the dish colourful)

Onion - 1 large, diced

Green chillies - 2, slit

Garlic - 2 to 3 cloves, chopped

Tomato - 1, chopped

Black Pepper powder - 2 tsp (adjust as per the spice level)

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Fennel seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - a few

Coriander leaves chopped - to garnish

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the fennel seeds. When they sizzle, add garlic, green chillies and curry leaves and sauté till you get the aroma. Now add the pepper powder and sauté for few seconds. 

2. Add onions,capsicum and salt and sauté for few minutes. The aroma while they get fried is awesome, but I choked a little :-). Add the tomato and when it becomes soft, add turmeric, cumin and coriander powders and combine well.

3. Add mushrooms and keep stir frying while it cooks. Mushroom releases water and if you want a little more gravy, you can add some water. Do a taste check and adjust the spiciness. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Linking this with Blog Hop Wednesdays-Week 1,a new challenge initiated by Radhika of Tickling Palates. Each time, bloggers paired and they need to cook and present a recipe from their partner's blog. Radhika has put a lot of effort in forming groups and pairing them. Meet all my blog hopper friends here...

Also linking with Anyone can cook: Series 28

Also sending to  Let's Cook: Sabzis for rotis 

I am taking taking this to Friday Potluck Dinner-2 hosted and Show and Tell

Linking to Food Palette Series - Black @ Torview

Linking to Joy from Fasting to Feasting-IV at Yummy Food

Please do visit and send your entries for my Ongoing event - Fusion Food:Pasta

Hot and Sour Veggie Soup

It was a perfect cold evening for a hot and sour soup and I had lots of veggies in the fridge that I could use. Hot and Sour is my favourite soup and when we were in Bangalore, everytime we eat out I used to order this, either veggie or with chicken. My husband tells me to try something different, but I don't bother. The perfect balance of spiciness and sourness makes the best hot and sour soup. I know many of my friends who do not try to make this at home, as they feel it is time consuming. But the recipe is very simple, only chopping the veggies take some time.This is a basic recipe and you may add egg or  chicken(cooked and shredded) to customize this.

Ingredients:

Oil - 1 tbsp

Finely chopped ginger - 1 tbsp

Finely chopped garlic - 1 tbsp

Carrot - 1 small

Beans - 4 or 5

Cauliflower - 2 florets

Capsicum/Bell pepper - half, I used yellow.

Cabbage - 1/4 cup, shredded (As I didn't have green cabbage in stock, I used purple)

Mushroom  - 1 or 2

Spring onions - 1 tbsp for cooking and 1 tbsp for garnish

Veg Stock cubes - 1 pack(I used Maggie and one pack has 2 cubes)

Water - 1 litre

Soy sauce - 1 tbsp

Red chilly sauce - 1 tsp (Adjust based on the hotness)

Tomato ketchup - 3 tbsp

Vinegar - 2 tsp (I used White Wine Vinegar)

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Corn flour - 1 tbsp or more (adjust to the consistency you need)

Chinese 5 spice shake - 1/2 tsp (optional, but it gives a very nice flavour)

Salt

Use the above quantities as a guideline and adjust as per your taste. I like it to be spicy and sour.

Getting ready

1. Chop carrot, beans and capsicum to small pieces. Chop the cauliflower florets and mushroom and cut the cabbage and spring onion into thin strips.

2. Boil 1 litre of water and add the 2 stock cubes. Follow the instructions on the pack as the amount of water differs for other brands stock cubes. The cubes dissolve and the stock is ready.

3. Mix corn flour in 1/4 cup of water.

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a large pan and saute ginger and garlic till you get the aroma. Now add carrot, beans,capsicum,cauliflower and cabbage and saute well for a few minutes.

2. Add the prepared stock and bring to boil. Add mushrooms and spring onions.

3. Now add all the sauces, vinegar and salt and let it boil. Do a taste check.

4. Check if the veggies are cooked. They shouldn't get mashed. Add the cornflour and bring to boil. Add some pepper powder and chinese spice shake. Turn off the stove.

5. Garnish with spring onions.

Serve piping hot with some breadsticks.

Linking to Anyone can cook: Series 27

Also sending to Iftar moments at Taste of Pearl City

Linking this to Life is Green Event 

Homemade Chicken Feast Pizza

We had delicious Chicken Feast Pizza for dinner tonight. It was too good that I couldn't wait to share the pictures and the recipe. Moreover, I had not noted down the ingredient measurements, so if I don't post it now, I may not remember it exactly later. I used readymade pizza base, as I didn't have the confidence to bake a pizza from the scratch. So, the crust was thin and not so soft like the ones we get in Domino's. But the topping was too good that we didn't bother much about the crust.

So here is the recipe for a finger licking good pizza...

Ingredients:

1. Readymade Pizza Base -1
2. Cheese - 100 gms. I used Cheddar cheese
3. Tomato ketchup - lots :-) to spread on the pizza base
4. For the topping
    Boneless chicken - 200 gms (that's why I called it chicken feast) cut into bite sized pieces
    Onion - 1, diced
    Capsicum/Bell Pepper - 1 small, diced
    Minced Red Chilly paste - 1 tbsp (adjust to suit your spice level)
    Minced Garlic - 1 tsp
    Soy Sauce - 1 tsp
    Tomato Ketchup - 2 tbsp
    Corn Flour - 1 tsp
    Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
    Italian Seasoning* - 1 tsp
    Oil - 1 tbsp
    Salt

Italian seasoning is a blend of herbs - Oregano, Basil, Red Pepper, Marjoram, Thyme, Rosemary, Sage, Parsley.

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, mix all ingredients listed as item 4 and marinate for an hour.
2. In a pan, Stir fry the marinated ingredients till the chicken is almost cooked. Our topping is ready. Keep aside.
3. Place the pizza base on the tray and spread tomato ketchup as a layer.
4. Spread grated cheese as the next layer.
5. Spread the chicken topping evenly over the cheese layer.
6. Sprinkle some grated cheese over the chicken layer.
7. Sprinkle some more italian seasoning on top of the layers, if you like. Your pizza is now set to go the oven and it will look like this

8. Preheat the oven to 250 C and bake the pizza for 8-10 mins. Keep a close eye on it. The pizza is ready when the cheese has melted and the base is still soft. The base gets dried if you keep it for a longer time.

Your baked pizza will now look like this.

Slice and serve hot.

Chilli Baby Corns

The other day when I saw Baby Corns at Tesco, I couldn't resist buying it. It was so fresh and tender. But I was not sure what  to make and baby corns were lying in a corner of the fridge for 2-3 days :-( . Then I remembered the baby corn manchurian that we used to have from the office cafeteria. It used to be so yummy(the only yummy thing I could find in the cafeteria), but I didnt have a recipe. Finally, I decided to tweak the Chilli Gobi recipe and made Chilli Baby Corns...The baby corns were very crunchy and tender. Do try it out...

Ingredients:

Baby corns - 12
Capsicum - 1 small, cubed
Chopped Onions - 2
Finely chopped Green chillies- 2
Finely chopped  Ginger - 1 tsp
Finely chopped Garlic - 1 tsp
Finely chopped Spring onion - 1/2 cup (only the white portion)
Soya sauce - 1 tbsp
Tomato sauce - 2 to 3 tbsp
Green chilly sauce - 1 tsp
Salt
Oil

For the batter:
Plain Flour/Maida - 3 tbsp
Corn Flour - 2 tsp
Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Salt

Preparation:

1. Make a thick batter with the ingredients above. Cut each baby corn horizontally and vertically into 4 pieces. Marinate them for about 10 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying the marinated baby corns. When they turn golden brown, drain and keep it aside. The fried baby corns are so crunchy and tasty that you cannot stop munching it.
3. Heat a tbsp of oil (same oil used for deep frying) in another pan.
4. Add the onions, green chillies, ginger and garlic and saute well.
5. Add capsicum and spring onions and saute again till capsicum is almost cooked.
6. Add the soy sauce, tomato sauce, green chilly sauce and salt and combine well.
7. Add the baby corn fries and combine well. Note that baby corns should be added just 5 minutes before serving. If they remain in the sauce for more time, they lose the crispness. This is applicable to all manchurian dishes as well.

Serve hot with Fried Rice

Kadai Paneer

I love paneer in any form. I usually make Matar Paneer, but this time I decided to try kadai paneer for a change. I use store bought paneer.

Ingredients:

Paneer cubes - 250 gms

Capsicum/Bell Pepper - 1 diced

Onion - 1 diced

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

Tomato puree - 2 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Chilly powder - 1 tsp or more

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp (I use home made masala. Check cooking tips for the recipe)

Kasoori methi - a pinch

Salt

Ghee/Oil - 2 tbsp

Preparation:

1. Heat Ghee/Oil in a pan, add onions and saute till they are soft.

2. Add ginger garlic paste and saute well.

3. Add the spice powders,kasoori methi and salt and saute for a minute.

4. Add tomato puree and saute till oil starts appearing.

5. Now add capsicum and mix well. Add some warm water and cover and cook for a couple of minutes.

6. Add paneer cubes and combine. Check the gravy and add water if required.

7. Cover and cook on low flame for few minutes.

8. Serve hot with chappathi, roti or nan.

Stuffed and baked Bell Peppers

A Perfect evening snack.

Thanks Mila for the wonderful recipe...Ive made some variations to your recipe...

Ingredients:

Bell Peppers / Capsicum - 5

Potatoes cubed - 500 grms

Onion - 1 small finely chopped

Chopped Ginger - 1 tbsp

Chopped Garlic - 1 tbsp

Chopped Green chillies - 2

Chopped coriander - 2 tbsp

Cumin Seeds - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/4 tsp

Lemon juice - 1 tbsp

Sunflower oil

Salt

Preparation:

1. Cut the top of the bell pepper and remove and discard the seeds.

2. Make sure that the bell pepper can stand upright or cut a thin slice from the bottom of the pepper to level it .

3. Bring a large pan of boiling water slightly salted and immerse the peppers in it for 6-8 mins.

4. Boil the potato cubes in slightly salted water. When they are 3/4th cooked, drain and keep aside.

5. Heat sunflower oil in a large frying pan.

6. Add the cumin seeds followed by chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies and onion. Saute till onions are soft.

7. Add potato cubes, salt and turmeric powder. Combine well and cook for few minutes. Take care not to mash the potatoes.

8. Add pepper powder, coriander leaves and lemon juice and give a good stir.

9. Stuff the bell peppers with the potato mix.

10. Preheat the oven at 150 degree for 10 mins. Bake the stuffed peppers for 30 - 35 mins.

Serve hot with a cup of tea/coffee ...

Sending this to Let's Get Stuffed Series: Bell Peppers or Capsicum hosted by Archana of The Mad Scientist's Kitchen . This event is initiated by Vatsala of Show and Tell

Linking to Life is green

Also to Potato Mania hosted by Siri