hello friends... i really apologise for not been around since so long... please forgive me...anyways how u people are doing do let me know!!! you know what i missed you all a lot:-(

QUICK BITES (3)

WHEAT (ATTA) LADDU:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 glass wheat flour
• 1 glass gram flour
• 1 glass sugar powder
• 3/4 glass ghee
• 1/4 cardamom powder
• 100 gms roasted cashewnuts, chopped into small pieces

METHOD:

• Roast gram flour and wheat flour for a few minutes with one tbsp ghee.
• keep aside.
• In a kadhai, heat the remaining ghee add the roasted flour, cashewnuts, powdered sugar and cardamom powder and mix well.
• Remove from heat.
• Make laddus while hot.
• It makes a very nutritious snack.

MANGO RASMALAI:

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 big slices of bread
• 1/2 tin milkmaid
• 1 cup mango, cubed
• 1 tsp almond paste
• 4-5 strands saffron
• 250 ml milk
• 2 drops rose water
• 3 cups water

METHOD:

• Soak bread in water for a few seconds.
• Squeeze lightly to remove water.
• Fill mango pieces in the bread and pack them softly.
• Add milkmaid to the milk and boil for a few minutes.
• Arrange the bread balls in a broad vessel.
• Pour the milk over them.
• Pour rose water and sprinkle the saffron strands.
• Decorate with dry fruits and serve chilled.

DELIGHTFUL DESSERT:

• You can prepare a dessert using leftover cakes, cookies, candies and fruits.
• Prepare thick custard (flavour of your choice).
• In a large deep bowl, arrange biscuits, cake pieces, cookies etc.
• Pour hot custard over this, spread it out evenly, arrange another layer of biscuits and cakes followed by custard.
• Top it with fruits, nuts and whipped cream.
• Keep it in the fridge to set.
• Serve chilled with a scoop of ice cream.

LATE BLOGGING

OHH GOD!!! finally im posting...yes i know i was away for a couple of days coz of some personal reasons and that kept me away from blogging and im really SORRY but now im back with whole bunch of stuff for my lovely readers/visitors /friends and vl start posting asap.
~~~LOTS OF LOVE~~~

BRAIN OR BELLY

BRAIN INFLUENCES IMPLUSE TO EAT FOOD, NOT BELLY:

The next time you crave for some spicy snacks or chocolate in the middle of the night ,do not blame your biology,the impulse to eating the food is in the mind,a new study has found.

Researchers in britain have debunked the common belief that cravings are the resullt of the body's biological needs,that a vitamin or mineral in the food we yearn for is missing from our own diet and needs replacing.

There is no evidence that food craving are linked to nutritional deficiencies.What is more likely is that the foods we crave are those we usually attempt to resist because they induce guilty feelings when we eat them.If we try to resist something,though,the urge for it doesn't go away,it actually becomes amplified,lead researcher Prof.Peter rogers of Bristol university was quoted by the sunday times as saying.

A recent study has also proved that cravings for food are emotionally or psychologically driven.Researchers showed that women who tried to supress thoughts about the favourite fattening food ends up eating 50% more of it than those who talked about thier cravings.

EAT MANGOES, STAY HEALTHY

Summer and mangoes seems inseparable. This healthy fruit, rich in vitamin A, is too tempting to resist. At the same time,mangoes are quite high in calories. For instance a medium sized ripe mango contains around 300 calories. While indulging in juicy mangoes this season, dieticians suggest we keep certain points in mind.

Its ok to eat a mango daily. Cut down on other sweets so that the calories in-take remains balanced. Mangoes are not only rich in vitamin A, (good for eyes and skin), they are also a source of anti-oxidants because of their orange colour. Mangoes are high in fibre too. Again, fresh green mango panna is re-hydrating, while a glass of milk shake can remove fatigue quickly.

One or two mangoes a day is fine and rather beneficial. If you workout everyday there is no need to worry about the calorie intake. Still,if you are too finicky, half-an-hour of brisk walking will be enough to burn the calories you consume. However, diabetics shouldn't eat more than a slice or two as mangoes have high sugar content.

DUM ALOO

A delicious veggie dish with easy ingredients and easy preparation.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 kg baby potatoes, peeled, washed, boiled and prickle with a fork
• 1/2 cup curd
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste heaped
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsbp butter
• 1 tsp lemon juice

FOR THE SEASONING:

• 3-4 green chillies, slit length-wise
• few curry leaves

METHOD:

• Beat the curd until smooth and mix in all the masala including the butter and lemon juice.
• Marinate potatoes in this mixtures for one hour.
• Heat 1 tbsp oil, add the curry leaves and green chillies.
• Stir in the marinated potatoes and simmer for five minutes till the butter floats up to the surface.
• Garnish with coriander.

RICE RECIPES (5)

PEPPER RICE WITH LEMON OLIVE CHICKEN:


INGREDIENTS:

• 250 gms. basmati rice
• 1 red pepper, halved and cored
• 4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic crushed
• juice of 1 small lemon
• leaves from 2 sprigs fresh thyme
• 350 gms. skinned, boneless chicken breasts
• 600 ml. stock or water
• 3 spring onions, sliced thinly
• 3 tbsp. fresh chopped coriander or parsley
• handful black olives stoned
• slices of avocado to garnish
• salt and ground black pepper.

METHOD:

• Heat a grill until very hot, then grill the pepper halves, skin side up, until blackened.
• Cool, then peel off the skin. Slice the peppers in thin strips and toss in one tablespoon of oil.
• Mix two teaspoons of oil with the garlic, lemon juice and thyme then spoon into a large polythene bag.
• Cut the chicken into strips and pop into the food bag, rubbing the marinade in well. Chill for an hour.
• Simmer the rice mix with the stock and salt to taste in a medium saucepan, covered for 20 mins.
• Allow to stand for 3 mins. before uncovering and forking through the remaining oil.
• Mix in the pepper strips, spring onions and the chopped herbs.
• Mound on to a platter and cook the chicken strips about 3 mins. each side until well browned and cooked.
• Serve with the rice garnished with fresh herbs, olives and avocado.

QUICK CHICKEN BIRYANI:

INGREDIENTS:

• Chicken pieces (4 chicken legs)
• Rice (Soak the rice before hand) 2 cups
• Coriander leaves
• Ginger/garlic paste
• Powdered masalas
• 1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric powder)
• 1/2 tsp Chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp Dhaniya powder
• Salt to taste

WHOLE MASALA:

• Cloves 2-3
• Badi elaichi (Big cardamom) 1/2
• Pepper corns 7-10
• Jeera (Cumin seeds)

METHOD:

• Boil the chicken. When boiling, add 1/4 tsp of haldi, cloves, badi elaichi, peppercorns,a green chilli cut in two, etc.
• Once boiled, de-bone the chicken.
• In a pressure cooker, heat some oil, throw in the whole masalas.
• Once they start spluttering, add some ginger/garlic paste.
• Almost immediately, add the powdered masalas and a little water for the masala to cook.
• Keep stirring every couple of minutes.
• Add the boneless chicken once the water in the masala has evaporated.
• Add the rice and mix well with the chicken.
• Add some water, and close the cooker.
• Take off the heat after 3 whistles.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
  

BAKED CHICKEN PISTACHIO RICE:

INGREDIENTS:

• 250 gms rice cooked in salt watee
• 50 gms pistachio paste
• 1 cup chicken, boiled and shredded
• 2-3 tbsp butter
• 2 cups spring onion chopped
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 3-4 chillies, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp ajinomoto
• Carrots for garnishing
• Few pistachios chopped

METHOD:

• Heat butter and saute 1 cup onion.
• Add chicken and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add flour, saute till light brown.
• Add the pistachio paste, saute for 1 minute.
• Gradually add milk, stock, chillies and 1/2 cup spring onion.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes season with salt, pepper and ajinomoto and remove from fire.
• Fry remaining spring onions in oil, add rice and remove from fire.
• Grease an oven proof dish, spread half the rice, spread the sauce over it and cover with remaining rice.
• Sprinkle some chopped pistachio on the rice and knobs of butter.
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Decorate with carrot petals.

GINGER PRAWN FRIED RICE:

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups cooked rice, refrigerated for 2-3 hours. For best results, overnight.
• 2 tbsp. ginger, grated
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 1 cup prawns, shelled and cleaned
• ½ cup spring onion leaves
• 1 tsp. red chilli paste (optional)
• 1 tbsp. soya sauce (optional)
• 3 tbsp. oil
• salt to taste.

METHOD:

• Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a wok and saute ginger for 20 seconds.
• Add prawns and saute for 2 mins.
• Add egg and stir vigorously to scramble. Remove from wok.
• Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in the wok and add the red chilli paste, soya sauce and salt.
• Stir in the rice and saute for a minute.
• Add the prawn egg mixture and the spring onion leaves. Saute for 30 seconds.

FISH BIRYANI:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups basmati rice, soaked in water for 30 mins

For Bouquet Garni :

• 10 black pepper corns
• 2" stick cinnamon
• 3 brown cardamoms
• 10 cloves
• 4 bay leaves, mace, a generous pinch
• 1 tsp. caraway seeds (shahi jeera)
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp salt

Powdered together :

• ½ tsp carum seeds
• 4 green cardamoms
• 6 clove
• 400 gms yoghurt
• 4 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• ¾ cup clarified butter (ghee)

For the fish:

• 1 kg. fish pieces
• make a paste with a little water: 2 tbsp. gram flour (besan), 1 tsp. salt, 2 tbsp. lemon juice.
• (Smear the fish with the paste and keep aside for 30 mins. Wash fish and pat dry).
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tbsp. green chillies
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 1 ½ tsp. red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander powder

METHOD:

• Boil the rice in water along with salt, bouquet garni and lemon juice. Cook till 90% done and drain.
• Discard the bouquet garni. Heat ½ cup clarified butter in a pan.
• Saute bay leaves and fry onions till pink.
• Now add the ginger, garlic paste and green chillies. Saute till brown.
• Add the coriander and red chilli powder and saute for 15 seconds.
• Add the whisked yoghurt and caraway seeds, cardamom and clove powder and cook for 5 mins.
• Now slide in the fish pieces and cook for about 5 mins.
• Remove from heat. Sprinkle the coriander leaves and 1 tbsp lemon juice on the fish.
• Layer the fish on the rice.
• Pour the balance melted clarified butter evenly over the rice.
• Close with a tight lid and seal with dough.
• Place the pan on top of a griddle on very low heat and cook for 6-8 mins.