Me As Chef

INGREDIENTS:  1) 500gms Potatoes  2) 3-4 Garlic Cloves  3) Salt to taste  4) Black pepper to taste  5) 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil  6) 100gms Cherry Tomatoes for garnish  7) 100gms Spinach Leaves  8) 4 Slices of Bread PREPARATION TIME: 40 Minutes HOW TO PREPARE: * Chop the garlic cloves and keep in a bowl * Add olive oil and mix well * Dice the potatoes and cut the bread into 1" pieces * Pour olive oil mix on potatoes and bread separately * Sprinkle salt and pepper on potatoes and bread * Toast the bread in oven till it gets crisp and brown * Till then the potatoes get a good marinate time * Roast the potatoes in the oven at 220 for 20 minutes * When done sprinkle some dried mint for extra flavor (optional) * Take out the potatoes on the serving dish * Sprinkle some chopped spinach leaves, halves of cherry tomatoes * Garnish with toasted bread croutons and a lemon wedge

One of my favorites is DOMINO'S garlic breadsticks. Recipe for this is easy and can be found on web as many people have tried it out. I didn't want to follow the suit but secretly wanted to give it a try at least once. As I didn't have oregano at home, I made a different version of the breadsticks with garlic and dried mint. It tasted awesome and fresh. So the recipe following is my version. To make the original breadsticks just replace dried mint and chilly flakes with oregano!! INGREDIENTS:  1) 1/2kg Flour/Maida  2) 1/2 Sachet Active dry yeast  3) 1 Tablespoon Sugar  4) 1 Cup Lukewarm water  5) 6 Garlic Cloves Chopped  6) 3 Tablespoon Olive oil  7) 1 Teaspoon Salt  8) 2 Teaspoon dried mint  9) 1 Teaspoon chilly Flakes 10) 1 Cup Corn kernels 11) 1 Cup grated Cheese 12) Black pepper to taste PREPARATION TIME: 1 hour (knead and bake) and 24 hours(rest and prove) HOW TO PREPARE: DOUGH: * In a bowl take yeast and add sugar. * Add lukewarm water and leave for 10minutes to activ

INGREDIENTS: 1) 2½ Cups Self Raising flour 2) 1½ Cups of castor sugar 3) 1 Cup Vegetable oil/Melted butter/Malai 4) 3 Eggs 5) 100ml Milk 6) 1 Tablespoon lemon rind 7) 1/2 Cup Lemon juice 8) A pinch of salt 9) 1/2 Cup Sugar for glaze 10) 1 Tablespoon Lemon juice for glaze 11) Finely grated Lemon rind to garnish PREPARATION TIME: 1 Hour 15 Minutes HOW TO PREPARE: * Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease the cake ton and keep aside * Sift flour into a bowl. Stir in caster sugar * Whisk the butter, eggs till fluffy and light * Add milk, lemon rind and 100ml of lemon juice, Whisk until combined * Add the lemon mixture to the flour mixture and stir until well combined * Pour into greased tray and Bake for 40-45 minutes * Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely FOR LEMON GLAZE: * In a pan, add sugar, 2 teaspoon water * Mix till sugar dissolves * Finally add lemon juice and mix well * Put the cake on serving tray and make holes with skewer on top * Pour over lemon glaze and let i

INGREDIENTS: 1) 2 Cups Curd/Yogurt 2) 1/2 Cup Chopped Apple 3) 1/2 Cup Chopped Grapes 4) 1 Teaspoon Red Chilly Flakes 5) 1 Teaspoon Green Chilly 6) Salt to taste 7) Black pepper to taste PREPARATION TIME: 15 Minutes HOW TO PREPARE: * Finely chop the green chilly and keep aside * In a bowl whisk the curd to form a smooth paste * Add in chopped apples and grapes * Add salt, pepper, red chilly flakes and green chilly * Mix and serve chilled with pulav, parathas, or as a dip

INGREDIENTS: 1) 4 Cups Mixed salad leaves 2) 1/2 Cup baked beans without sauce 3) 1/2 Cup Grapes 4) 1/2 Cup crumbled paneer 5) Salt to taste 6) Pepper to taste 7) 1/2 Cups Bread Crumbs 8) Few roasted peanuts 9) 1 Teaspoon lemon juice PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes HOW TO PREPARE: * Wash the salad leaves and keep aside to drain excess water * These leaves are baby spinach, chard, rocket, and tatsoi * Cut the grapes into halves and keep it in a bowl * Add peanuts, baked beans, bread crumbs to grapes * Add in leaves, crumbled pander, salt and pepper * Mix well and finally sprinkle lemon juice

INGREDIENTS: 1) 6 Chicken drumsticks 2) 5-6 Garlic cloves 3) 1-2 Cloves/Long 4) 1 Lemon 5) 2 Tablespoon Curd 6) Salt to taste 7) Black pepper to taste 8) 1 Teaspoon Red Chilly Flakes 9) 1/2 Cup Spring Onions 10) 1/2 Cup Orange juice PREPARATION TIME: 1 Hour HOW TO PREPARE: * Wash the chicken and make slits on it * In a bowl put chicken and add curd * Add grated garlic and rub it on chicken * Add salt, black pepper, chilly flakes and long * Mix properly and keep the marinated chicken for 30 minutes * In a wok, add the drumsticks and lemon * Let it cook in curd, if needed add a little water * Cook covered so that the chicken cooks in its own juices * When done, take out the chicken drumsticks in a bowl * You can serve as it is as a snack * To make curry or gravy, add orange juice in the wok * All the left over things get mixed up with juice * Give it a boil and curry is done. Pour over the chicken * Serve hot with rice and garnish with spring onions

Bathua/Cheel bhuaji/chill bhaji/Chenpodium/lamb's-quarter/ Paruppu Keerai is popularly found during the winter months in india. Its a wild relative of spinach plant. It is rich in vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, calcium, potassium, phosphorus, trace minerals, iron and fibre. It is the most nutritious wild herb that people can eat. INGREDIENTS: 1) 1 Bunch Bathua/Chenopodium Leaves 2) 3 Cups Curd/Yogurt 3) 1 Teaspoon Roasted Jeers/Cummin Powder 4) Salt to taste 5) Black Pepper to taste 6) 1 Teaspoon Sugar or Honey 7) 1/2 Cup Boondi (optional) PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes HOW TO PREPARE: * Wash and boil the bathua for 5 minutes * When cooled, take the leaves in your palm and squeeze water * When all extra water squeezed out, grind the leaves coarsely * In a bowl, beat the curd till smooth * Add water for a thinner consistency * Add roasted jeers powder, black pepper, salt and sugar * Rock salt can also be used here, mix well * Add bathua and mix well * Serve