Egg Pulao

This is for all the domestic goddesses I know. Another simple and delicious egg recipe handed over from generation to generation. Well, you can cook the rice separately in a rice cooker or pressure cooker. Next, you can fry 1-2 chopped onions (lengthwise) separately till it turns brownish. The fried onions can be added to the pulao at the end along with chopped coriander.

Now for cooking the egg, you will require:

Ingredients:

Eggs - 4-6 (can vary depending on the number of folks and their appetite)
Onions - 3-4 chopped
Tomato - 1
Refined Oil/Mustard Oil - Based on your health-o-meter
Salt to taste
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Powdered garam masala (Cloves, cinnamon and cardammom) - 1 tsp
Fresh Coriander - a handful

-Hard boil eggs, peel and fry in salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder till nice and red!
-In the same kadai, add some more oil, add onions and fry till light brown.
-Next, add the tomatoes and fry till cooked.
-Add the masalas and salt and cook till it is done.
-Now add the cooked rice and mix it well
-Garnish with the fried onions and chopped coriander

The egg pulao is ready to eat!

Dark Chocolate Cake

This recipe is amazing. I am sure a lot of folks at work will vouch for this. I have added dark chocolate and walnuts to the original recipe and also changed the baking time as I prefer the traditional slow way of baking but the taste remains divine.

Ingredients:

2 eggs (on the smaller side)
100 gms unsalted butter
100 grams maida
100 grams sugar
1 Dark Chocolate bar melted
1/2 tspn baking powder
30 gms cocoa powder (can vary, depending on preferences)
Handful of walnuts
Few drops of vanilla essence
Milk


-Beat eggs till light and fluffy
-Add sugar and vanilla essence and continue beating
-Add butter and beat some more (Microwave it till it melts)
-Add dark chocolate (Microwave this too till it melts)
-Sieve maida, cocoa powder and baking powder and gradually add to the mixture
-Add a few tablespoons of milk and mix till it reaches the desired consistency
-Crush and add the walnuts
-Bake at 180 degree in a greased bowl for 35 mins in the microwave
-Once it cools, cut into pieces, pack in a tiffin box and bring to office the next day :)

Prawn Curry

Ingredients:
Prawn - 500 gm
Potatoes- 2 cut lengthwise
Green peas- 1/2 cup
Onions -2
Ginger paste-1 tsp
Chilli powder-1 tsp
Turmeric powder-1 tsp
Tomato-1
Oil- to cover the pan
Bay leaves-1,
Garam masala powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt according to taste

-Peel, clean and wash the prawns
-Apply salt and turmeric and fry
-Remove from pan, fry potatoes and keep aside.
-Fry the bay leaf with onion, ginger and garlic paste and fry. Mix turmeric and chili powder in little water and add in the pan.
-Add tomato pieces and fry
-Add potatoes, peas, prawns, salt and water and cover the pan. Let it simmer until the gravy thickens.
-Add garam masala powder and remove from heat.

Chocolate Cake

This recipe is dedicated to all the chocoholics around. Well, baked this yesterday for a lunch party at Meenu's. Meenu added her own special touch and we (Prati, Gowri, Meenu and I) had chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice cream topped with Hershey's chocolate sauce topped with choco chips. Yummilicious. Here goes:

Ingredients:

Maida - 2 cups
Cocoa Powder - 3 tbsp
Sugar - 1 cup
Eggs - 3
Baking powder - 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1 tsp
Melted chocolate - 1 bar
Butter - 100 gm
Oil - 50 ml
Water - 150 ml
Chopped Walnuts if you like the nutty crunch
Orange essence since I did not have vanilla essence

-Mix all ingredient in a mixer till it forms a ribbon like consistency
-Grease a baking bowl with oil/butter and sprinkle some flour
-Pour the cake mix to the baking bowl
-Set the oven temperature to around 180 degree Celsius and bake for around 35 minutes

Eggless Coffee Cake

Today, I decided to bake an eggless cake for dessert for some vegan friends of mine who are visiting. I haven’t tasted it yet but thought I will share it with you folks as it is pretty simple.



Ingredients:

Sugar – 1 and half cup
Flour - 2 cups
Vegetable Oil – ½ cup
Cinnamon powder– 2 tsp
Coffee powder – 2 tbsp
Baking soda – 1 tsp
Baking powder – ½ tsp
Milk – 1 cup
Vanilla Essence – 1 tsp
Chopped walnuts - 1/2 cup

-Mix all ingredients in a mixer
-Grease a baking bowl with butter or oil and sprinkle some flour on it
-Pour the cake mix to the baking bowl and place in the oven
-Set the oven temperature to around 180 degree Celsius and bake for around 30-35 minutes
-Wait till it cools and then cut into slices

North Eastern fish curry

Well, Nupur you absolutely must try this recipe. It is simple to cook, amazingly hot, the house smells when it cooks but the taste is absolutely divine especially for those who have a zest for north-eastern cuisine. Special thanks to Joy's friends in Nagaland for their inputs.

Its also a healthy recipe as there is minimal use of oil. In the original recipe, the fish is boiled along with the veggies so there is no use of oil, but in my customized version I fry the fish as I am so not used to boiled fish. I also grind fresh ginger and garlic and store the paste in the fridge.

Ingredients:

Fish - 6-8 pcs (any variety)
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Water- 3 cups
Ginger garlic paste - 3 heaped tbsp
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Tomatoes - 2
Peas - 1 cup
Potatoes - 3 pcs chopped to small squares
Salt - to taste
Coriander

-Rub the fish with turmeric and chilli powder and fry on both sides till it turns reddish
-Boil 3 cups of water in a separate kadai
-Add the ginger garlic paste and chilli powder and mix till it boils
-Add the potatoes, peas and tomatoes and boil till the vegetables are cooked (around 8-10 minutes)
-Add salt to taste and mix
-Add the fish pieces and boil for another 5 minutes
-Garnish with chopped coriander

Phulkopir Torkari

Today I am going to post something for my vegan friends. This is especially for you Meenu, cauliflower curry bong style! I have never tasted this curry as I am allergic to cauliflower, but Joy simply loves it. Well, not that he has a choice. :)

Anyways, next time, I will try and find a healthier recipe for you and Ash since I know you both are trying to reduce fried food.

I generally cut the cauliflower into large sized florets and slit the potatoes lengthwise into 4 pieces. I make garam masala at home by grinding cinnamon, cloves, elaichi in a grinder. If you are pressed for time, you can always use the packet variety that is readily available across most grocery stores.

Ingredients:

Cauliflower - small size
Potatoes - 2
Green chilli - 2
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin powder - - 1 tsp
Bay leaf - 1
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Water - 3 cups
Coriander - a handful

-Heat oil in a pan and add cauliflower. Fry till it turns reddish and remove from heat.
-Fry potatoes till reddish and remove from heat.
-Add cumin seeds, green chilli and bay leaf in the same pan. Sauté till it splutters.
-Add the fried potatoes and cauliflower.
-Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder and chilli powder.
-Add cumin powder, salt and 3 cups of water. Cover and cook till vegetables are done.
-Add garam masala powder and mix.
-Garnish with coriander.