Chicken Pie

          

Chicken Pie

This is a very delicious continental dish & is one of my favourites.

Ingredients:-
Potato – 2 big
Butter – 50 grams
Milk – 1/4 cup
Salt as needed
Chicken – 200 grams, finely chopped
Onion – 1 big, finely chopped
Greenchilly – 2 numbers, chopped
Ginger – 11/2 tbsp, minced
Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – 3/4 tsp
Egg – 1, large; seperated
Bread crumbs – 2 tbsp.

Method:-
Cook the potatoes along with their skin in your pressure cooker. Simmer for 20 minutes after the first whistle. Open the cooker after the pressure completely subsides. Peel the potatoes & mash them very well adding the milk when still hot. Add salt & the butter. Mix well & keep aside.

Mashed potato

Heat the oil & saute the onion, greenchillies & minced ginger. When the onion changes its color to light brown add the pepper powder, 3/4 tsp salt & the chopped chicken pieces. Stir fry for a minute; add 1/8 cup of water & cover cook on low heat for 20 minutes. Finally add the garam masala powder & fry for 1 more minute. Remove from heat & keep aside. Let the mixture cool slightly; add the beaten egg yolk & mix well.

The chicken mixture

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Spread the chicken mixture on your pie dish followed by the mashed potato. Spread the well beaten egg white on top of the potato & sprinkle the bread crumbs.

Bake at 180C for 30 minutes/ till the top of the pie is lightly browned.

Cut into wedges, serve hot & enjoy!!

Stuffed Buns

          

 

Stuffed Buns

Recipe Source:- Ria’s Collection

Ingredients:-

For the Buns:-
Yeast – 2 tsp.
Sugar – 1/4 tbsp.+ 4 rounded tbsp (bit heaped)
Lukewarm water – 2 tbsp.
Milk – 1/2 cup
Canola oil – 1/4 cup
Salt – 1 tsp.
Egg – 1, beaten
All purpose flour-2.5 cups
Egg white – of 1 egg (beat well); this is for egg wash
White sesame seeds – for sprinkling on top of the buns

 For the stuffing:-

Onion – 2, medium
Ginger- garlic paste – 1 tbsp
Coriander powder – 1/2 tbsp
Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder – 1/2 tbsp
Garam masala powder – a generous pinch
Frozen greenpeas – 1/2 cup
Carrot – 1/2 cup
Chicken (cooked and shredded) – 1/2 cup
Cilantro – 2 tbsp (chopped)
Oil as needed
Salt as needed

Method:-

Prepare the stuffing:-

Heat the oil.Add the chopped onions and saute till golden brown.Add the gg paste and saute for 7 minutes.Add all the spice powders (except garam masala powder) and fry for 2 minutes.
Add greenpeas and the chopped carrot.Stir fry for 10 minutes/ till veggies become soft.Add the shredded chicken, garam masala powder, cilantro and enough salt.Mix well and switch off heat.
Let cool.

Prepare the buns:-

Dissolve yeast and sugar in 2 tbsp. of lukewarm water.Cover and keep aside for 10 – 15 minutes/till frothy.

The yeast solution after 15 minutes

Boil the milk and cool it to lukewarm tempearture.Add sugar, salt and oil.Mix well till the sugar dissolves completely.Add the beaten egg, yeast solution and 1 cup flour.Mix well to make a smooth paste.Add the remaining flour little by little till you get a smooth and soft dough.Knead it well for 10 minutes.

The kneaded dough

Apply little oil on the dough and let it rest covered in a warm place for 2 – 3 hours / till it doubles in volume.

The dough after 2 hours

Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal balls.Take each ball in your palm, flatten and place 1 tbsp. (heaped) of the filling and shape it again into a ball.

Place the stuffed buns on a non-stick baking tray lined with a lightly greased Al foil.Cover and let them rest again for 15-20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200⁰C.

Apply a little well beaten egg white on the buns and sprinkle the white sesame seeds.

Bake the buns in the preheated oven for 15 minutes/ till brown.

Cheese Scones

          

Cheese Scones

Ingredients:-

All purpose flour – Slightly less than 1 cup
Baking powder – 3/4 tsp
Red chilly powder – a pinch
Salt – 1/4 tsp / to taste
Butter – 25 grams, coarsely chopped ( frozen)
Red Cheddar cheese, grated - 1/4 cup + for topping
Buttermilk – as needed

Method:-
Preheat the oven to 220C. Grease a 10″ round cake pan.

Sift together the flour, salt, red chilly powder & baking powder 2-3 times. Rub in the coarsely chopped butter with your hands till the whole flour resembles bread crumbs / wetted rice flour for Puttu.

Stir in the grated cheddar cheese & add the buttermilk little by little & knead till you get a very smooth & soft dough. Flatten the dough into a circle with 2 cm. thickness evenly. Using a 5 cm cookie cutter cut out a round from the dough & place it on the prepared cake tin. Gather the remaining dough scratches & repeat the cutting process till you have finished of the entire dough.
Sprinkle little cheddar cheese on top of each scone.

Bake the scones at 220C for 20 minutes. This tastes great when served hot.

Cream Cheese, Coconut & Lime Cookies

 

This recipe is  from the Australian Women’s weekly cookbook. These cookies tasted great.

Ingredients:-
Butter – 250 grams, softened
Cream cheese – 90 grams, softened
Lime rind – 1 tbsp, finely grated
Brown sugar – 11/4 cup, firmly packed
Eggs – 2, large
Plain flour – 1 1/2 cups
Self raising flour – 1 1/4 cups
Desiccated coconut – 3/4 cup

Method:-
Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease the cookie tray & line with baking paper.

Beat butter, cream cheese, rind & brown sugar with electric mixer until light & fluffy. Beat in eggs one by one. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Stir in sifted flour & coconut in 2 batches. The dough will be sticky.

Roll level tablespoons of dough into balls, place 2 cm. apart on trays; flatten slightly.

Cookies to be baked

Bake at 180C for 20 minutes.

This recipe yields 36 cookies.

Cream of Onion Soup

          

Cream of Onion Soup

Ingredients:-
Milk – 1 cup
Water  – 3 cups
Butter – 3 tbsp
Onion – 11/2 cups, thinly sliced
All purpose flour – 11/2 tbsp
Coarsely ground pepper – 1 tsp
Salt – 2 tsp / to taste
Toasted bread pieces – a few for garnish

Method:-
Mix together the milk & water.

Heat the butter & saute the onions. When they change their color add the flour & fry for 2 minutes on medium heat.

Pour the milk-water mixture. Add the ground pepper & salt; cook for 15-20 minutes till the soup gets thick.

Garnish with toasted bread pieces.

Date Loaf

Date Loaf

Few days back I came across this Eggless Date cake & tried it out with a few modifications. It tasted amazing. Here’s the modified recipe:

Ingredients:-
Dates – 20 numbers ( I had used Tunisian dates that are very sweet)
Milk – 3/4 cup + 1/8 cup
Granulated sugar – 1/2 cup
Canola oil – 1/4 cup ( Please don’t use any other flavoured oil like corn oil)
Vanilla essence – 1/4 tsp
Egg – 1, large
All purpose flour – 1 cup
Cocoa powder – 1 tsp
Baking soda – 1 tsp
Salt – a pinch
Chopped walnuts – 1 tbsp.

Method:-
Heat the milk & soak the dates in the hot milk for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a loaf tin with parchment paper & grease it.

Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda & cocoa powder.

Grind the dates & sugar using the milk in which you had soaked the dates to a smooth paste. Keep aside.

Beat the egg very well; add the oil & the ground dates mixture. Mix well & fold in the sifted flour & chopped nuts.

Transfer the batter to the greased loaf tin. Bake in the preheated oven at 180C for 35 – 40 minutes.
Let cool for 10 minutes in the loaf tin before inverting the cake on to a rack for cooling completely.

Baked Cheesy Chicken pasta

 

Cook 160 grams/ 2 cups of macaroni ( I used tricolor pasta) pasta in water adding enough salt & 1 tbsp of oil. I like my pasta to be soft & usually cook it for 15 minutes. Pour plenty of cold water into the cooked pasta & drain.

Cut 250 grams of boneless chicken breasts into small pieces. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil & fry the  chicken pieces for 5 minutes adding 1/2 tsp of salt & 1/2 tsp of pepper powder. Cover cook the chicken pieces on low heat for 15 minutes/ till done & lightly browned. Keep the chicken pieces aside.Preheat the oven to 180C.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil & saute 2 garlic cloves ( chopped) & 1 medium onion ( finely chopped) till the onion starts to turn light brown. Add 2 medium tomatoes (chopped) , 3 tbsp of tomato ketchup, pepper & little salt, 1 tsp of mixed Italian herbs & 1/4 cup of water. Bring the mixture to a very good boil. Lower heat & cook for 5 minutes. Add the cooked pasta, 2 tbsp of mozzarella cheese & chicken pieces; mix well. Transfer the mixture to a greased baking dish. Spread 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese on top.

Bake the pasta in the preheated oven at 180C for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Dates pancake

 

 

Dates Pancake

      

Ingredients:-
Whole Wheat flour – 11/2 cup
Salt – 1/2 tsp
Baking powder – 1.5 tsp
Dates – 25 numbers, seeded
Milk – 11/2 cups + 1/2 cup
Egg – 1, large
Sugar – 1/4 – 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence – 1/4 tsp
Method:-
Soak the seeded dates in 1/2 cup of lukewarm milk for 1 hour. Grind to a very smooth paste & keep side.
Sift together the flour, baking powder & salt; keep aside.
Beat the egg well till frothy. Add sugar, essence & beat again. Now add the remaining 11/2 cups of milk & whisk till combined.  Add the dates paste & fold in the sifted flour mixture to make the pancake batter.
Heat a griddle, when it becomes very hot pour a small ladleful of batter & cook both sides of the pancake on a very low heat till browned.

      

Fat free Banana Pancakes

Sift together 1.5 cups of whole wheat flour & 2.5 tsps of baking powder. Puree 2 medium sized chiquita bananas in your mixer & reserve.
Beat one large egg till frothy, add the pureed banana, 4 tbsps of sugar, salt & 11/2 cups of milk. Mix well till the sugar dissolves. Fold in the sifted flour mixture.
Heat a pan till a drop of water sprinkled on it sizzles right away. Pour a ladleful of batter & cook both sides of the pancake on low heat.
Serve hot.