Me As Chef

Curd rice or Dahi Chawal is a simple delicacy from south India. Mainly taken as part of a meal, but its a comfort food in itself. Easy preparation and is loved by kids, bachelors, and ready to go meals! Its very popular among the south states of Andhra Pradesh, Kerela, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Its a savoury dish as compared to the sweet dahi chawal of north India! INGREDIENTS: 1) 2 Cups Cooked/Leftover Rice 2) 2 Cups Curd/Yogurt/Dahi 3) 1/2 Cup Grated carrots 4) 1/2 Cup Grated Broccoli 5) 1/4 Cup Grated Ginger 6) Few Curry Leaves 7) 2-3 Green Chillis 8) 2 Tablespoon Oil 9) A Pinch of Asafoetida 10) 1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds 11) Salt to taste 12) Black Pepper/Red Chilly to taste 13) Pickle and coriander leaves for garnish PREPARATION TIME: 30 Minutes HOW TO PREPARE: * In a Pan heat oil, add Asafoetida and crackle mustard seeds * Add Curry leaves, Grated Ginger and green chillies, saute for a minute * Add Broccoli and carrots, saute at low heat till carrots get soft * Add ri

INGREDIENTS: 1) 1 Kg Baby Potatoes 2) 3 Cups of Spinach 3) 1 Cup of Sweet Corn Kernels 4) 1/2 Teaspoon of Garlic powder 5) Black Pepper to taste 6) Salt to taste 7) 1 Tablespoon Olive oil PREPARATION TIME: 40 minutes HOW TO PREPARE: * Wash the potatoes thoroughly and cut them in half * Wash the spinach leaves and let the water drain * Chop the leaves roughly and keep aside * In a Oven safe dish put potatoes and oil * Sprinkle garlic powder, black pepper and salt * Mix the spices with potatoes till all potatoes covered * Roast the potatoes in oven for 20 minutes at 220 degrees * Add Chopped spinach and corns and mix well * Roast again for 5 minutes till potatoes get soft inside and crispy outside * Serve hot with dinners as appetizers or as snacks with drinks/tea. Its a hit with Kids too.

INGREDIENTS: 1) 2 Cups Self - Raising Flour 2) 1/4 Cup Butter 3) 1/2 Cup Condensed Milk 4) 1/2 Cup Chocolate Chips PREPARATION TIME: 40 Minutes HOW TO PREPARE: * In a bowl add melted butter and condensed milk, mix well * Add Flour and chocolate chips and mix well like a dough * Make round balls and flatten them * Place them on a baking tray and bake at 200 degrees for 20 minutes * Cool them at wire rack for the best cookies

INGREDIENTS: 1) 1 Bunch Collard Leaves/English Greens 2) 1 Bunch Spinach Leaves 3) 1/2 Cup Cabbage Chopped 4) 1-2 Green Chillies 5) 1 Tablespoon Besan/Chickpea Flour 6) 2 Tablespoon Ghee/Clarified Butter 7) 1 Teaspoon Jeera Seeds 8) 1" Cinnamon Stick 9) 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder 10) 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala 11) 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilly Powder 12) Salt to taste 13) 1 Cup Onion Chopped 14) 2 Teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste 15) 1 Cup Tomatoes Chopped 16) 1 Cup Peas PREPARATION TIME: 30 minutes HOW TO PREPARE: * In a pan heat 1 cup of water and add washed spinach, collard and cabbage * Cook for 15 minutes till they get soft and mushy, Let it cool * Put it in a mixer, add green chillies and make a paste * Add besan/Chickpea flour to the green paste, mix well and keep aside * In a Wok, heat ghee and add cinnamon and jeera, let it crackle * Add Chopped Onions and saute for a minute before adding ginger garlic paste * Saute for few minutes before adding chopped tomatoes *

INGREDIENTS: 1) 2 Chicken Breasts 2) 2 Cups Chickpeas 3) 2 BayLeaves 4) 4-5 Black Peppercones 5) 1" Cinnamon Stick 6) 2-3 Green Cardamoms 7) 2-3 Cloves 8) 1 Teaspoon Turmeric 9) 2 Teaspoon Coriander Powder 10) 1 Teaspoon Red Chilly Powder 11) 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala 12) Salt to taste 13) 2 Onions Chopped 14) 2 Tomatoes Chopped 15) 2 Teaspoon Ginger Garlic paste 16) 2 Green Chillies 17) Coriander and lemon wedges for garnish 18) 4 Tablespoon oil PREPARATION TIME: 45 Minutes HOW TO PREPARE: * Soak the chickpeas in hot water for 3-4 hours * Then Cook in same water till soft, leave aside * In a seperate pan, heat half of the oil and cook the chicken breasts * Sear till all sides are cooked, take out on a kitchen towel and let it cool * Once cooled, pull the chicken with fingers into smaller pieces * In the same pan add little oil depending on the quantity of oil left after cooking chicken * Crackle some peppercones, cinnamom sticks, cardomom, and cloves * Add bayleave

After a long and hectic week at work one tries to find comfort and rest in weekend! What a great idea to start the weekend with a hot, delicious, nutricious, wholesome, easy to digest comfort food like khichdi for lunch. With fried red onions, a papaddom and a spoonful of melted ghee on top is just what is called a comfort life! This is very simple one pot dish generally prepared with rice and dal. INGREDIENTS: 1) 3/4 Cup Rice 2) 1/2 Cup yellow moong dal 3) 1/2 Cup Peas 4) 1 Cup Chopped Spinach 5) 2 Tablespoon Ghee/Clarified Butter 6) 1 Teaspoon Jeera/Cumin Seeds 7) 1/4 Teaspoon asaefotida 8) Salt to taste 9) Black pepper to taste 10) 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala 11) 1/4 Teaspoon Red Chilli powder 12) 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder 13) 1 Cup sliced onions for garnish 14) 2 Papaddoms PREPARATION TIME: 30 Minutes HOW TO PREPARE: * Soak Rice and Dal in hot water for an hour before cooking * In a pan heat ghee and crackle jeera seeds and asaefotida * Add turmeric powder and peas, sau

INGREDIENTS: 1) 1 1/2 Cup Besan/Chickpea Flour 2) 1/2 Cup Suji/Semolina 3) 1 Cup Chopped Broccoli 4) 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala 5) 1 Teaspoon Coriander Powder 6) 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chilly Powder 7) 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder 8) 1 Teaspoon Jeera/Cumin Powder 9) 1 Teaspoon Chopped Ginger 10) 1/2 Teaspoon Chopped Green Chilly 11) Salt to taste 12) Water to make batter PREPARATION TIME: 45 Minutes HOW TO PREPARE: * In a Bowl take besan and mix it with water to make a smooth paste * To the paste add semolina, mix it , if thick then add water to make it runny * Add broccoli, ginger, green chilly and mix well * Add Turmeric, Coriander, Garam masala, Red chilly powder, salt and Jeera powder, mix well * Keep the above mix aside for 30 minutes to blend in all the flavours * Semolina will absorb water and can make batter thick, add little water after 30 minutes * Take a Tawa or flat pan, heat it up, Brush up a little oil on tawa * Take 1 Laddle full of batter and pour it on tawa a