Quick & Easy Vermicelli /Semiya Upma

This is popular South Indian breakfast.  A quick and easy recipe, this is made from vermicelli, a type of pasta. This is so satisfying and delicious to prepare when you want a quick and easy breakfast.

When I was working my  South Indian  friends used to bring different types of vermicelli upma  for tiffin / lunch box and enjoyed having them.  This is one of the most simple and quick upma to prepare.  Instead of cashew nuts you can add raw peanuts and fry them till brown.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Teaspoon Mustard seeds
1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 Teaspoon Urad dal

1 Teaspoon Chana Dal
A Sprig Curry leaves

2 Dried Red Chillies
10-12 Cashew nuts
1 Medium Onion - chopped
1 - 2 Green chillies - choppedSalt to taste

A Pinch of Sugar

1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric powder

1 Cup Vermicelli
 2 Cups Water  or as Required

1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
MethodHeat oil in kadai, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds,  dals, curry leaves and cashew nuts.

Saute them  till the dals are golden.  Add onion and green chilly, fry till translucent. Add salt and turmeric powder and vermicelli fry for a  minute. Slowly add water.  Bring this to a rolling boil and then cover the pan  and let it cook on medium low flame for a while to let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes.  Take  off the lid and check if the water has evaporated and the vermicelli is cooked.  

If there is till a little moisture  in the kadai then cook on high flame for minute stirring lightly.  Switch off the flame, cover  the kadai and let it stand  for 2 -3 minutes all the moisture will be absorbed by the vermicelli. Sprinkle lemon juice  and serve hot.

Delicious Vermicelli Upma is ready.

Labels: Mustard seeds, Urad dal, Chana Dal,  Curry leaves, Cashewnuts, Onion, Vermicelli, Pasta, South Indian, Breakfast, Lunch Box

Gluten Free Chicken & Rice Soup#Soupswappers

This is a delicious soup for a cold winter night or a snowy day.  Have this hot and makes a full meal. It has all the nutrients necessary for a healthy and complete meal.

Today is  our posting for Soup Swappers and our Host is Sue Lau and the theme is Snow Day Soups

Serves 3
Ingredients
4 Cup Chicken stock
200 Grams Chicken boneless - cut into tiny cubes
1 Stalks Celery - chopped
1 Medium Onion - chopped -
1 Carrot - chopped 

Salt To Taste
1 Teaspoon Lemon Pepper
2 Big Cloves Garlic - minced
1/2 Teaspoon Chilly Flakes
1/2 teaspoon Cumin powder
1/2 Cup Rice
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Method

Heat a pan with oil saute the onion and garlic till transparent. Add chicken and saute till it changes color . Add the carrot and rice, stock , bring it to a rolling boil. Cover and cook on very low flame till rice is done, stirring after every 15 minutes. Now add the and all the seasonings. Taste for salt add if necessary. 

Enjoy this soup hot on a cold winter night or a snowy day.

 Labels :  Soup, Chicken, Soup Swappers, Rice, Healthy, Main course, Appetizer

An InLinkz Link-up

Sheet Pan Prawns Stuffed Bell Peppers#FishFriday

These are fantastic Shrimp Stuffed Bellpeppers that are best for potlucks, family dinner's and parties. These can be served as appetizers too.

Sending this to our event for Fish Friday Foodies, Hosted by Caroline Williams . Theme is Fish and Seafood dishes cooked in the oven eg baked, sheet pan.

Servings 4
Ingredients
2 Small Bellpeppers (I used 1 Green and 1 Red)

For Prawn Marination
10 Large Prawns / Shrimp -cleaned & chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Sea Salt or as per taste
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder
A Juice of half a lemon
For  the stuffing
2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Large Onion - finely Chopped
1 Medium Tomato - scoop out he seeds and chopped
A Pinch of Sugar
2 Tablespoons Heaped Cooking Cream
1 Tablespoon Chopped Coriander leaves
Other Ingredients
Grated Cheeza Cheese  as required

Method

Wash the peppers, pat dry them.  Cut each pepper,from top to bottom,remove seeds and white membranes. Apply a pinch Salt,for each half of bellpepper

Wash the cleaned and de veined prawns. Cut each shrimp into small pieces.
Marinate the shrimp pieces with ingredients mentioned under marination.

In a pan,add oil and when its hot,add the onion and tomato followed by all ingredients except cream and cook on low flame till soft.
Add shrimp to this and cook further,finally add the cream,mix and cook further till no moisture left. Add the coriander leaves and keep aside to cool.

Line a sheet pan with foil and oil it well. Arrange the bellpeppers.

Add this stuffing generously to each pepper cavity 

Likewise fill the others too.

Top with grated cheese.

Bake in a preheat the oven at 180 C and bake for 10 minutes or till the cheese is melted.

Served immediately.

Labels : Baked, Capsicum, Fish Friday, Prawns, Seafood/Fish, Sheet Pan, Shrimps, Stuffed Peppers, Appetizer, Main course

An InLinkz Link-up

Nutty Upside Down Cake#BundtBakers

Bundt Bakers is celebrating its 5th year anniversary, our Host and founder of this group Stacy Livingston Rushton asked us to make "Nutty Bundts".  Thank you Stacy for making this group, I am happy to be a part of  Bundt Bakers. 

Here is my Nutty Upside Down Cake, which is full of nuts on the inside and with nutty crunch from outside.

I reduced the sugar for the cake by ¼ cup, since I do not like very sweet cakes and there was sugar in the base too. My friends loved this cake, but, my hubby who is a sweet lover, promptly commented that this cake requires a little more sweetness. 

So increase the sugar by ¼ cup if you want it sweeter, like my hubby.

A  10 inch ring pan is perfect for this batter, since I used an 8 inch bundt pan , had batter remaining made 6 cupcakes, without the crunch.

Ingredients
For Base 

75 Grams Butter
½ Cup Brown Sugar
½ Cup Silvered Almonds
½ Cup Chopped Walnuts
¼ Cup Chopped Pistachios
¼ Cup Silvered Cashewnuts
For Cake200 Grams Butter - I used salted
1 Cup Sugar
4 Large Eggs
1/3 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa powder
1½ Cup All Purpose Flour
1½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
¼ Teaspoon Baking Soda
¾ Cup Buttermilk

Method
For Base

Mix the nuts in a bowl, reserve 1/4 of it for the cake batter. 

In a bundt pan place the butter and heat till it melts then add the   sugar  spread it well.

Sprinkle nuts evenly at the base and sides. Keep aside.

For Cake Batter

Sieve together flour, baking powder, soda and cocoa powder, keep aside. In half of the flour mix add the reserved nuts. 

Beat Butter and sugar till fluffy add essence and eggs, one  at a time till all the eggs are incorporated.  Now fold in flour alternating with butter milk, add the nuts flour and mix it lightly.  

Pour this batter  in the prepared tin and evenly spread it.

 Bake in a preheated for 45 minutes . After you take it from the oven let it cool for 5 for 7 minutes, then immediately turn it upside down. 

I Overturned this cake after an hour since, had to attend mass and the result was that all the base / crunch did not come out, the bottom which had cooled got stuck. 

This I, scraped with spoon and topped it for the cupcakes.

This cake was so soft and nutty, you will love it.

Labels : Bundts, Bundt Bakers, Walnuts, Pistachios, Cashewnuts, Almond

Have a look at the other Nutty Bundts prepared by our bakers:

Almond Amaretto Bundt Cake from Patty's Cake
Baklava Bundt Cake from All That's Left Are The Crumbs
Bundt Cake Nueces Pacanas from Merce`s Cake
Bundt Pan Banana Nut Bread from Palatable Pastime
Date & Walnut Bundt Cake from Living the Gourmet
Gateau de Noix–French Nut Cake from Food Lust People Love
Peanut Butter Cake from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Nutty Upside Down Cake from Sneha's Recipe 


#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers, can be found on our home page.

Overnight Oats With Grapes & Strawberry's#FantasticalFoodFight

This is an excellent combo that matches so well together. Topped with sliced strawberry's this was a icing on the cake.. an oatmeal beauty.  

Yum Yum, you will definitely love overnight oats. 

Single Serving

Ingredients
¼ Cup Quick Oats
1/3 Cup Milk
5 + 5 Green & Black Grapes - sliced in half
3 Tablespoons Fresh Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Honey
4 Strawberry's - sliced

Method

Add  the oats  and pour the milk in a jar

 Top it with sliced grapes

Pour the fresh yogurt. Drizzle the honey and place the sliced strawberry's

Cover it with spill proof silicone lid and refrigerate overnight.  

The next morning carry it with you to office or enjoy for breakfast, hassle free, healthy and delicious. 

My NotesCan use maple syrup instead of honey.

Labels :  Oats, Breakfast, Overnight Oats, Grapes, Strawberry, Healthy, Fantastical Food Fight

You can learn more about our group and how to join in the fun over at this site.


#FantasticalFoodFight

Be sure to check out the other Fantastical "food fight" recipes this month !

Click on the hop link button to be transported to the other recipes:

Check out the other recipes below!

Inlinkz Link Party

Baked Mexican Chicken Spaghetti#BakingBloggers

Whenever  we are invited for a party , I always ask my host what can I bring.   Took this  Baked Mexican Chicken Spaghetti for the dinner party.

This was  a delicious and makes a fantastic festive dinner that your friends and  family will enjoy. It's topped with cheese, Mexican seasoning, baked until it becomes oey, gooey and the cheese is melty, to perfection. 

Servings 7 -8
Ingredients  
1 Kg Boneless Chicken - chopped into tiny cubes
2 Large Onions - finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Each Ginger Garlic - minced
1 Green bell pepper - finely chopped
200 Grams Tomato Puree
2 Jalapenos - finely chopped
2 Tablespoons Finely chopped Parsley
6 Medium Ripe Tomatoes
1 Packet Mexican Noodle Taste Maker
1 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper
Salt to taste
1 Teaspoon Mexican Seasoning
3 Tablespoons Oil
500 Grams Spaghetti pasta

For the Toppings  
Few Fresh Basil Leaves
Mixed Herbs
Mexican Seasoning
Chopped Parsley
Diced Coloured Bell Peppers
Chopped Spring Onion Greens
Grated Cheese as required - see notes
Method
First cook the spaghetti as per package instructions. Drain it and keep aside.
Blanche the tomatoes, remove the skin and chopperize them. Keep this aside.
Heat oil a large skillet, add the onions , ginger and garlic, saute till the onions are translucent, add the chicken and saute till it turn pink to white, now add the, tomato puree and chopperized tomatoes, Mexican taste maker , jalapenos and stir fry till nicely mixed. Reduce the flame to medium low and let it cook till dry but still moist. Now add the chopped capsicum and Mexican seasoning, cayenne pepper and taste for salt and add accordingly. See that this mixture is not dry but saucy. 

Grease a big casserole dish lavishly with oil or butter , I used a non stick baking dish to make this.
Transfer the chicken mixture to the baking dish 

Place the coloured bell peppers, sprinkle chopped parsley. 

Sprinkle little cheese on top 

Spread  the spaghetti and place the coloured bell peppers, sprinkle chopped parsley and spring onion greens again cheese as much as you would like, I used a total of 1.1/2 cups of grated cheese.

A sprinkle of Mexican seasonings and mixed herbs on  top 

Dot it with tiny cubes of butter and and few basil leaves  bake  at 180 until cheese is melted or for about 20 to 25 minutes. 

Remove from oven, and let sit 5 minutes or so. Serve and enjoy!  Isn't this  Mexican Chicken Spaghetti, so creamy, dreamy and delicious! 

My Notes
I used a mix of Sheep cheese and cheeza cheese.
Labels : Baked, Pasta & Noodles, Chicken, Mexican, Baking Bloggers, Spaghetti, Cheese, Mexican Seasoning, Main course 
Baking Bloggers, theme for the month is Baked Pasta and our host is Sue. 


Baked Mac and Cheese with Corn by Anybody Can Bake
Baked Mexican Chicken Spaghetti by Sneha's Recipe
Cavatini by Palatable Pastime
Cheesy Artichoke Ravioli Casserole by Food Lust People Love
Cheesy Vegetable Pasta Bake by Cook with Renu
Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta Bake by Caroline's Cooking
Greek Giouvetsi by Pandemonium Noshery
Macarona Bechamel (Egyptian Baked Pasta) by Tara's Multicultural Table
Meatless Lasagna by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Mushroom And Artichoke Pasta Bake by Oventales
Rakott teszta (Hungarian Layered Noodles) by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
Sausage and Spinach Lasagna by Cookaholic Wife
Spiralized Sweet Potato Macaroni and Cheese by Karen's Kitchen Stories
Turkey Ham Mac and Cheese by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
Turkey Tetrazzini by Reviews, Chews & How-Tos