9. Chicken Momos

MOMOS! Yes! I personally do not know a single person who does not like these lovelies. So, here's my take on momos, oh so delicious! Try them on a cold winter evening and show your tummy some love.

The filling

The Steamed Momos

For the dough:

All purpose flour

Vegetable oil

Salt

Water 

For the Filling:

Chicken + 1 Cinnamon stick + Black peppercorns + 1/2 an onion + 2/3 cloves of garlic

Onion 1 medium

Garlic 5/6 cloves

Green chillies 4/5                                      

Cabbage, shredded

Chili Sauce

Tomato Sauce 

Black pepper

Salt

What You're Gonna Do:

Make a well in the dough. Add the oil and salt. Mix well. Add water according to requirement and knead into a semi-soft dough. Cover and set aside. 

Boil the chicken with the cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, half an onion, 2/3 cloves of garlic and a pinch of salt. Shred and set aside. 

Dice the onions, garlic cloves, green chilies finely. 

Shred the cabbage and boil in salted water until glossy and translucent. 

In a non-stick pan, heat 2 tablespoon full of vegetable oil. Add the finely chopped onions, garlic and green chilies. Saute until onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant. Now add the cabbage. Saute. 

Add the boiled, shredded chicken.  Toss to combine. 

Add a tablespoon each of chili sauce and tomato sauce. Mix well.

Adjust salt and pepper to your taste. Set aside to cool. 

Make teeny balls from your dough, about the size of quail eggs. Roll each into a thin disc of about 4 cm diameter. 

Spoon the filling into the middle of the dough. (Add as much or ass little at you wish to!) Fold in a semi-circle and cinch the edge to make waves. (This bit is SO much fun!)

Steam these for 8/10 mins, flipping sides at around the 5 min mark. They turn glossy and translucent when done.

Serve hot with a fiery red chutney. Pan fry them. Insert a fork and transfer to your mouth, whatever suits you best! 

-Love, La. 

8. Paneer Chili

What You're Gonna Need:

Paneer 200 grams
Bell pepper
Garlic cloves(minced)
Ginger(minced)
Onion(chopped in to small pieces)
Green Chilies (according to taste)
Red Chili powder (1 tablespoon)
Black Pepper (powdered)
Dark Soy Sauce
Cornflour
Olive/ Vegetable oil
Pinch of sugar
Salt to taste

What You're Gonna Do: 

Heat oil (2 tablespoons) in a skillet. Add the minced garlic and ginger and saute for a minute or two. Add the chopped onions , saute until translucent. Add salt as per taste. Then add powdered black pepper along with the red chili powder, cook until oil separates from the mixture. After this add the cubed paneer and mix well with the masalas. Then in a bowl, dissolve some cornflour in water along with the dark soy sauce  and a pinch of sugar to adjust the acidity of the soy sauce. Stir well to combine. Make sure there are no lumps. Then add the liquid mixture to the skillet. Simmer for 5 minutes by covering the skillet . And it's ready !Garnish it with green chilies. Serve hot with anything you like, Chapattis or fried rice.

Happy Cooking,
-Deb

7. Chocolate & Roasted Cashew Cookies

YES! The season of merry making is upon us and here goes the first cookie recipe of the season. Make these, wrap some up as gifts for loved ones, and I solemnly swear they're going to love you more!

Pic by Debatri

What You're Gonna Need:

A standard sized coffee mug that we're gonna call 'cup' from now on shall be the basis of all measurements. 

All purpose flour   3/4th cup

Semolina               1/4th cup
Baking Soda          1/2 teaspoon
Sugar                     1/2 cup
Ginger                   1/2 inch piece

Egg                        1

Unsalted butter      200 g
Chocolate              200 g
Cashew                  1/2 cup
A pinch of salt


What You're Gonna Do:

Heat a non-stick pan/skillet on medium high flame and roast the cashews until they are browned on both sides. Let it cool slightly and blend to a fine powder in a blender/ mixer grinder. Set aside.

In a similar fashion, dry roast the semolina (sooji) and set aside.

Grind your sugar to get icing sugar. Grate in one 1/2 inch piece of ginger into the sugar and grind well. Set aside.

Roughly chop your chocolate and melt in a double boiler/ microwave it for 2 mins, give it a stir & microwave for another 1 min. Set aside. (You can use dark/semi sweet, depending on your preference.)

Soften the butter to room temp, add the sugar + grated ginger and cream until pale yellow in colour.

Add the egg, blend well to form a uniform mixture.

Sift in the flour, baking soda & semolina. Fold in to form the batter.

Add a pinch of salt to the dry ingredients if you're using unsalted butter. If you're not, skip the salt as the commonly used butter has salt in it. 

Add in the melted chocolate & fold it in.

Add the powdered cashews & fold it in to get a uniformly distributed batter.


Scoop out 1 tablespoon full of the mixture and set into a paper lined tray. Leave at least about 2 fingers of space between 2 successive scoops. Once all the scoops are lined, freeze them for 15 mins in a refrigerator. (NOT the deep freezer, mind you! )

Bake at 180 degree Celsius for 15 mins.

Cool completely on a wire rack. This will allow them to crisp up. The longer they rest, the crispier they get. A day's rest is the best. Do not worry if they come out feeling a little soft to touch, that's how they're supposed to be.


Enjoy!
-Love, La. <3
                                                 
                                    P.S: Buddy loved it.

6. Butter Sauteed Fall Veggies

Okay, now that we've done prawns & chicken & fish, let's move over to veggies for a change, eh? This one can be made using simple veggies available at home during fall/winter. Its quick & easy peasy and is something even meat lovers will take delight in, I promise!

What You're Gonna Need:

Potatoes
Carrots
Peas
Green beans
Black olives
Onions
Garlic
Thyme
Oregano
Black pepper (freshly crushed)
Salt to taste
Olive Oil
Butter

What You're Gonna Do:

This dish is all about how nicely you chop your gorgeous, seasonal veggies. So, get a good, clean chopping board and a sharp knife. 

Cut the potato into thick rounds. Now, stack the rounds on top of each other and cut into fingers, like french fries. Now, cut these strips vertically to get cute little potato cubes.

Chop your carrots into cubes in similar fashion. Chop the green beans into tiny circles. Shell the peas.

Drain the liquid from canned olives. Cut them into halves.

Mince the garlic finely. Cut the onion into small chunks and separate the petals.

Boil the potatoes + carrots + beans + peas in salted boiling water. Drain and set aside.

In a non-stick skillet, heat olive oil with a knob of butter.

Add a sprig or two of thyme. Add the minced garlic and onions. Saute until translucent.

Add all the  boiled veggies. Toss.

Add the olives and mix well.

Add freshly crushed black pepper and salt to taste.

Crush a tiny pinch of dried oregano and sprinkle on top.

Serve hot with croutons!

That's it guys, it's really, really simple.
-Love, La. 

5. Prawns in Garlic Butter Sauce

What You're Gonna Need: 

Prawns                   250 g
Butter                     100 g
Lemon Juice          1/2 a tea-cup
Garlic, chopped
Chili flakes
Salt to taste

What You're Gonna Do: 

Clean and devein the prawns, keep the tails on. ( Or remove them if you wish, I like mine because it adds flavour.)

Heat a non-stick skillet and add about 1/4th of the butter. Allow it to melt.

Add the chopped garlic and fry till its fragrant but do not allow any browning.

Add the prawns, fry until cooked. ( The tail will turn orange & the body white.)

Do not overcook the prawns, they will get rubbery and unpleasant.

Slowly add the rest of the butter, alternating with the lemon juice until both are used up.


The flame on your gas should sit low through this step. Otherwise, the butter will brown and the lemon juice will taste bitter!

Toss together. Season with salt.

Garnish with greens of your choice.

Tada!

P.S: It is one of the simplest yet tastiest prawns you'll ever taste.

-Love, La.

4. Cheese Omelette

There's nothing quite as easy & lip-smacking as a nicely made cheese omelette, right guys? I made this one with a wood-smoked Gouda that was a gift from a friend, I won't lie, nothing compares to smoked Gouda, but try this with Mozzarella and I promise, it'd be YUMMY!

What You're Gonna Need:

2 large eggs

Freshly grated mozzarella

Garlic, chopped

Chives, chopped (optional)

1 tablespoon milk

1/2 tablespoon all purpose flour

Freshly crushed black pepper

Salt to taste

Olive Oil to fry. 

What You're Gonna Do:

Break the eggs in a bowl. Whisk. 

Add the milk. Whisk.

Add the flour and beat to avoid lumps. 

  Add a tiny bit of oil to the batter to avoid

 it from sticking to the skillet. 

Add the chopped garlic and chives. 

Season with salt and pepper.

Whisk well to combine. 

Now, heat oil in a non-stick skillet. 

Quote the skillet well. 

Gently pour the egg mixture.

Cook on medium low flame. 

Just as the sides start leaving the pan,

add the grated cheese and fold in half. 

Carefully, flip over to get 

     even colour on the top side. 

The cheese will be all melted, oozing inside once you cut into it. 

Sprinkle some more black pepper, a few chives and even a little bit of oregano to garnish. 

Now, dig in! 

-Love, La. 

<3 

3. Chicken in Soy-Honey-Chili Sauce

What You're Gonna Need:                                  


Boneless, skinless chicken breast 250g                            
Onions, diced     : 1 large                                                      
Garlic, chopped : 6-8 cloves                                                
Ginger julienne  : 3 teaspoons                                              
Green chilies, slit lengthwise
Dry red chilies
Bell peppers, chopped
Dark soy sauce
White vinegar
Honey
Tomato paste/Ketchup
Toasted sesame seeds
Cornstarch
Black pepper
Salt to taste

For the Marinade:
Freshly ground black pepper
White vinegar
Salt to taste

Vegetable oil for frying

What You're Gonna Do:

Clean your chicken and trim off any excess fat. Dice them into bite-sized pieces.

Marinate the chicken in white vinegar, black pepper and a tiny pinch of salt. Set aside for a min of 6 to a max of 8 hours.

Heat the oil in a non-stick skillet. Roughly dust cornstarch all over the chicken pieces. Gently drop the chicken pieces in the oil, until cooked from inside and golden outside. Drain on absorbent paper and set aside.

Add a lil more to the pan if needed. Add the chopped onions & peppers. Saute until soft.

Add the ginger julienne, chopped garlic, dry red chilies. Saute until fragrant.

Add the fried chicken pieces and toss well.

In a separate bowl, add dark soy sauce, white vinegar, honey and squeeze a lil bit of either tomato paste or ketchup. The dark soy should be the most in quantity but you can also adjust it according to your taste. Mix well.

Add this sauce mixture to the chicken and pepper. Toss to quote well.

Add about 2 tablespoons full water to your sauce bowl, and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Mix well. (This way you don't get another extra bowl dirty and also mop up the remaining sauce mixture!) Add this to your wok.

Add salt as per taste. (Rememeber, soy already has salt, so don't go too heavy.)

Toss to quote and mix well. Turn off the heat.

Sprinkle copious amounts of black pepper, slit green chilies and toasted sesame seeds on top.

Serve it hot & spicy!

-Love, La.





             

2. Amritsari Macchi

 

What You're Gonna Need:

For the Curry                                                Marinade
Boneless Bhetki 250 g                                  Freshly ground black pepper
Chili powder                                                 Lime juice
Cumin powder                                              Pinch of Salt
Coriander powder
Ginger, chopped
Garlic paste
Tomato puree
Onion puree
Bay leaves 2/3
Cornflour
Fresh cream (fat-free)
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste

Vegetable/Olive oil to fry



What You're Gonna Do:


Cut the fish into cubes. Marinate with  lime juice, black pepper and a pinch of salt. Set aside for 5-7 mins.

Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed wok.

Dust the fish lightly with cornflour and deep fry in the heated oil.

Drain on absorbent paper. Set aside.

In a non-stick skillet, heat 2/3 tablespoon of oil.

Add the bay leaves along with the chopped ginger.

Once the ginger is fragrant, add the cumin powder, chili powder, and coriander powder. (This is a no measure recipe, add as per your choice.)

Add the garlic paste, fry for some time. Now, add the onion puree followed by the tomato puree.

Add some of the freshly ground black pepper. Mix well and cook until oil separates from the mixture.

Add the fresh cream and stir well.

Add the fried fish pieces. Toss to quote.

Add a little water to create some gravy. Mix well.

Simmer for 5/6 mins.

Now, garnish with freshly chopped cilantro, a drizzle of fresh cream and serve hot with plain rice/roti/parathas etc.

P.S: The butter has been done away with to make it a tad more healthy.


Happy Cooking!
Deb.

1. Mozzarella Bites

What You're Gonna Need: 

Mozzarella Cheese 100g (well, obviously!)
Freshly made bread crumbs
1 egg
Cornstarch
Chilli flakes
Dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste.

Oil for frying.

Dipping sauce:
Red Chili Sauce
Minced Garlic
Olive Oil
Paprika
Tomato Ketchup


What You're gonna Do:

Wash your hands and get your work station ready.

Cut the mozzarella cheese into bite sized pieces (or sticks, you choose) and set aside.

Add freshly ground black pepper, a tiny pinch of salt, chilli flakes and oregano to your bread crumbs and mix well. Set aside.

Beat the egg, and add a teaspoon of milk. Set aside.

Dust the mozzarella bites lightly with cornstarch. Dust off any excess.

Dip it in the beaten egg. Let the excess drip off.

Coat in breadcrumbs. (Repeat the egg-bread crumb process twice for a crispier coating).

Now, once all your bites are coated, chill in the refrigerator for 15/20 mins.

Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan. To check for the correct oil temp, drop a crumb in the oil, if it sizzles, then your oil is ready to fry!

Gently drop the bites into the oil. ( Be careful not to splatter yourself)

Fry them until they turn golden brown.

Take them out on absorbent paper.

Dipping Sauce:
 Heat the olive oil in a non-stick pan. Add the minced garlic. Once fragrant, add the two sauces to your taste. I added more of the chili, coz' we like it hot. Toss to quote the garlic. Add the paprika and check for seasoning. Garnish with chopped spring onions and ta da!

P.S: Remember us if you make this and don't forget to comment!

-Love, La.

We're in the Scene!

Hello!

So, here we, Deb & La are making our foray into the cooking blog scene. The two of us are big time foodies and we are often raiding mom's kitchen to rustle up delicacies of our own. Amateurs and excited, we will post recipes of what we cook (promise they are easy breezy and not too hard on the pocket). We don't claim that our food is authentic, because we tweak to suit our tastes.

We're also going to review restaurants and cafes that we visit. (Let's face it, we do that A LOT) Put a teensy bit of your faith in us. (:

P.S: We don't take good pictures (indisposed towards DSLRs), but on our soul, try our recipes and we swear your taste buds are gonna reach food heaven!

P.P.S: For queries, mail us at cookupastorm13@gmail.com