RAISIN AND OAT BAR

Trying for the first time to bake bar cookies, it turns out to be greatest hit with my family.  Raisin and Oat Bar  is soft, healthy and very pleasant taste, I bet you would love this bar once you tried it.

WESTERN FOOD PLATTER

After days of rice and bread dishes, we want to have something different so prepared this Western Food Platter meal consisting of baked potato wedges, baked beans and roasted chicken.

My family really enjoyed them with a request to include this in our weekly menu. Recipe for baked potato is similar to the pan fried potato except this time baked in an oven for 20 minutes, continue baking for another 20 minutes after turning them. Here goes the recipe for Roasted Chicken.

CHICKEN RICE

We used to buy chicken rice from our favorite shop but no more from now since my family have accepted and enjoyed this one cooked by me. Added carrot and potato in the soup to make it healthier,  fried the chicken with addition of turmeric, ginger, garlic, soya sauce and honey although the chicken could be taken as it is.

INGREDIENTS

RICE
500g long grain rice washed
3 shallots sliced
3 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger sliced
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 screwpine leaves
chicken stock
water
salt

SOUP
1 whole chicken cleaned
2 screwpine leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger sliced
3 shallots
1 piece cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons white peppercorn coarsely ground
salt

CHILI SAUCE
10 red chilli
5 red bird's eye chili
4 cloves garlic
1 cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 inch ginger
salt to taste
2 teaspoons vinegar/lime juice

DIRECTIONS

1. Boil water, salt, screwpine leaves, rub chicken with ginger and garlic then put the chicken into boiling water with  shallot, cinnamon and white pepper, cook until tender. Keep the stock for making the soup and cooking the rice.

2. Remove chicken  from the stock and cut into bite sizes. If you prefer to fry them, coat with 2 tablespoons of  honey, turmeric powder, ginger, garlic, salt and dark soya sauce, marinate for 30 minutes..

3. Heat the oil, add shallots, ginger, garlic and screwpine leaves, fry until fragrant. Add the rice, stir for about two minutes..

4. Add water, chicken stock,  and salt, water level should be 1/2 inch above the rice,cook the rice until done.

5. For the soup, reboil chicken stock, add water,  vegetables if any, spring onion, salt and pepper.

6. Put the red chili, bird's eye chili, garlic, ginger and 1/2 cup water into a blender.

7. Transfer ground ingredients in a pot, add water, brown sugar and salt. Cook until thick.

8. Remove from heat, add vinegar or lime juice.

9. To serve, place the rice and chicken in a plate together with the soup and the chili sauce.

#rice #lunch #chickenrecipes #yummy #foodlovers #homemade #lovefood

 

PAN FRIED POTATO

When my son is asking about chips, this recipe came into my mind, not only it is healthy but very delicious. To speed up cooking, boil the potato until half cooked with little salt, drain then sprinkle with the required spices. Try to cut the potato almost same size for even cooking. Used minimum oil just to coat them and to obtain lovely brown color.

INGREDIENTS

5 medium size potatoes cut into wedges
salt to taste
3 tablespoons oil
1 - 2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the cut potato, water and salt into a pot. Water level should be above the potato. Boil until half cooked. Drain.

2. In a bowl combine together potato, chili powder, garam masala, salt and turmeric powder. Mix well. Caution not to break the potato.

3. Heat the oil, add in the potato and fry until light brown.

4. Remove from heat. The potato is ready to be served.

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PRUNE CAKE

Do you want a healthy and easy recipe that only takes about 10 minutes to prepare? This cake uses prune as one of the ingredients and not overly sweet. One great thing about prunes however they are good for you. Prunes are dehydrated plum come from sweetest and flavorful plums.

Having long holiday due to Chinese New Year so bake this eggless cake to be enjoyed by my family. It is so moist and received compliments from my sons definitely would bake it again. Due to shortage of prunes have added some raisin to the batter.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups plain flour
1/2 cup pitted prunes chopped
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
extra prune to sprinkle on top

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven @ 180 C. Grease 7 inches round cake pan.

2. Sift flour and baking powder, add sugar and prune. Mix well.

3. Combine together butter, milk, orange juice and vanilla essence until well blended.

4. Pour butter mixture onto flour, mix until well incoporated.

5. Transfer this mixture into a greased pan, sprinkle the prune on top and bake for 25-30 minutes or a skewer inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

6. Cool on rack.

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SPAGHETTI IN TANGY SOUP

Trying to avoid rice so whipped up a dish made of spaghetti, it's soupy type added with seafood and mushroom. Other leafy vegetables could be added. Adjust the taste to your liking.

INGREDIENTS

400g spaghetti boiled until aldente
200g prawn peel and devein
200g squid cut into ring
15 button mushroom sliced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tomato chopped
6 shallots sliced
3 cloves garlic sliced
2 thick slices ginger
5 bird's eye chili (optional)
1 stalk lemon grass bruised
1 tablespoon tamarind mix with 1/2 cup wated to obtain juice
5 small limes squeezed to get the juice
4 stalk coriander leaves including the roots reserved some for garnish
3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons sweet soya sauce
3 red chillies for garnish
4-5 cups water
salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil, add onion and fry until light brown. Add garlic, ginger, lemon grass and tomato, cook until tomato turns soft. Add chili powder and some water, fry until fragrant.

2. Pour in the prawn and squid, cook until color changes.

3. Add 4-5 cups water, mushroom and tamarind juice, bring to boil.

4. Now add salt, sugar, soya sauce, coriander leaves including the roots and bird's eye chili, simmer for a few minutes.

5. Remove from heat and add lime juice. Check for salt.

6. Place spaghetti into a bowl, pour the soup and garnish with coriander leaves and red chillies.



LOVELY BLOG AWARD

This award was given by Priya of Priyas Recipes for celebrating her 200th post. Thanks my dear for sharing this with me, hope you have successful journey in blogging and keep up the good work.Wish to share this award with all bloggers. Please display this in your blog.



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OAT AND BANANA CAKE

In order to clear my over riped banana, I have baked this oat and banana cake. It is very simple and hardly take a few minutes to prepare. The best part is no major clean up involved, just use a whisk to incorporate all the ingredient.

Oat & Banana Cake turned out moist and flavorful. Already planning to bake them again next week. It can easily turn into muffin by adjusting the baking time and  using muffin pan.. Here is the recipe, hope you will enjoy it as much as we do.

AWARD AGAIN!

Very lucky week for me since i have been showered with award one after another. This time my dear friend, Jyoti of Veggie Hut has shared the following awards. Thanks so much dear for your kindness.





Wish to share the above awards with all bloggers hope by this would motivate all of us to post more worthy and informative articles.

DATES AND OAT COOKIES

Another great cookies I love to bake, simply aromatic and delicious. The dough is quite sticky to handle but managed to shape it using cookie cutter if not just drop a tablespoonful onto a baking tray or shape into small ball then flatten and bake them.

INGREDIENTS

125g butter
3/4 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1 and 1/4 cups flour
1 and 1/2 cups rolled oat
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 teaspoon baking powder

METHOD

1. Place dates, butter, water and sugar in a pot, cook until boiling, let it cool.

2. In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, oat and baking powder.

3. Pour butter mixture into dry ingredient together with vanilla essence, form into pliable dough.

4. Roll into small ball then flatten or use cookie cutter to shape.

5. Bake @ 160C for 20 minutes.

6. Cool completely before storing into airtight container.

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AWARD TIME !!!

First of all, would like to thank Akal's Saappadu for sharing this award, so kind of you my friend and really appreciate it. Your kind gesture means a lot to me.



Really excited to receive these award shared by my friends, Devi Meyyappan and Neetz. Thanks so much for remembering me and hope by this would encourage me to continue blogging and post more in near future.







I'm sharing these with all bloggers who have posted a wonderful comments and visited my space. Thanks again for your support and encouragement. Please accept these award and post in your blog.

WATER CHESTNUT JELLY

Love by young and old alike, jelly is such an easy dessert to make. Fill them with fresh fruits to encourage your kids to eat healthy and at the same time enjoy this healthy dessert. Using diced fresh water chestnut or else you could use other available fruit for making this dessert which is not very sweet yet so easy to prepare.

INGREDIENTS

1 pack (12g) agar2 powder
3 cups water
1 cup evaporated milk
250g sugar
3/4 cup water chestnut peel and dice
raisin and cherry for decoration

METHOD

1. Dissolve agar2 with 3 cups of water, add sugar and bring to boil over low heat.

2. Add diced water chestnut and evaporated milk, stir until boiling. Remove from fire.

3. Wet the mould with water then place raisin and cherry.

4. Pour the pudding on top of the dried fruit, allow to cool.

5. Refrigerate before serving.

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SPAGHETTI IN CURRY SAUCE

Unlike all spaghetti dishes use tomato based sauce but this one is different. The vegetable used is carrot but bean sprout could be added if you like. Instead of seafood you can substitute with chicken or meat, omit them for vegetarian version,the choice is yours.

INGREDIENTS

400g spaghetti boil until aldente
400g prawn peel and devein
200g carrot cubed
400g sweet potato mashed
1-2 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons curry powder
4 cloves garlic chopped
6 shallots sliced
1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
2 lemon grass bruised
3 hard tofu cubed and fried
4 red chili sliced
4-6 cups water
coriander leaves
small limes
oil

METHOD

1. Heat the oil, fry onion until light brown. Add in ginger, garlic and lemon grass, fry until fragrant.

2. Now add chili powder, curry powder and little water, fry for a few minutes then add the prawn, stir until the color changes.

3. Pour 4 cups water, carrot and mashed sweet potato and cook until boiling.

4. Check the salt, add more water if it is very thick, remove from heat.

5. Place the spaghetti in an individual bowl, pour the sauce, garnish with fried tofu, red chili and coriander leaves. Squeeze the lime if you prefer sour taste.

CHICKEN SALNA

Tried to cook a new dish so settled for this  Chicken Salna  using chicken which is famous in Tamil Nadu normally served with parata, idli, dosa or even briyani. The amount of spices used have been modified to suit my taste so adjust accordingly.

KEERAI SAMBAR

Spinach is a favourite vegetable of my family, need to prepare this it in many ways so that they don't feel bored eating it. Combination of the green and dal produce an excellent side dish and this recipe is one of them.

INGREDIENTS

250g spinach chopped and washed
1/2 cup toor dal
1 cup tamarind juice
2 tomatoes chopped
6 dry chilli
1 teaspoon mustard seed
5 shallots sliced
a pinch of asafoetida
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons chana dal
2 teaspoons urad dal
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
oil
salt

METHOD

1. Boil dal with turmeric until soft.

2. Heat the oil, fry dry chilli, coriander seeds and chana dal then blend them.

3. Add the spinach, onion, water and tomato to the dal, cook until soft.

4. Now add salt and tamarind juice let it boils. Add ground ingredient, cook for 5 minutes.

5. In a separate pan, fry mustard seed, urad dal and asafoetida until it splutters then pour this onto spinach pot, cook for a few minutes then remove from heat.

6. Serve hot.

APAM (STEAMED CAKE)

This apam is very challenging to make since it used yeast and must be kept for one hour or more, sometime it doesn't rise at all so it becomes just like unleavened bread which is hard and sticky. So do check the yeast whether it is still active if not just discard it. Another guide is that the water in the steamer should be boiling before steaming, recommended the lid to be covered with clean cloth to avoid water dripping onto the steamed cake.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups all purpose flour
5 tablespoons rice flour
2 and 3/4 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 and 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sugar
food colouring
cake pan 10 inches diameter oiled

TOPPING
1 cup grated coconut (white part only)
a pinch of salt

METHOD

1. Boil 2 and 3/4 cups of water and sugar until dissolved. Cool.

2. In a bowl, combine yeast, warm water and a teaspoon sugar until frothy about 10 minutes.

3. Put flour and rice flour into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center, pour the yeast mixture.

4. Gradually add the syrup and food colouring, mix until well incorporated. Rest for one hour or until double the size.

5. Fill water in the steamer, cook until boiling and wrap the lid with clean cloth.

5. Pour the batter onto oiled cake pan and steam for 40 minutes or until a tester inserted comes out clean.

6. Steam the coconut of which salt is added for few minutes.

7. Remove the cake pan and place it into a pan filled with water to hasten the cooling process.

9. When completely cool, slice with sharp knife and top with grated coconut.