Italian Chicken Pot Pie

Had a small packet of chicken in the deep freezer and only 4 puff pastry sheets remaining, since there was Bechamel Sauce too in the refrigerator I decided to make this pot pie for our evening meal.  I got only two pot pies.    In this pot pie I used different type of spices, dill and steak pepper.

Earlier I used to never like the smell of dill but after using the dry dill, started to like the flavour of the same.  In this pot pie even the  steak pepper gives a very awesome.  If you do not have this do not hesitate to prepare this pie you can use pepper powder.  This was very filling and complete meal with veggies too.  We enjoyed this for our dinner.   So here goes the recipe.

Ingredients

4 Sheets Puff pastry - square sheet
1 Egg - beaten
1 Cup Chicken – cut into small pieces
½ Teaspoon Ginger- Garlic paste
½ Teaspoon Black pepper powder
1 Teaspoon Lime juice
1 Tablespoon Oil
1/2 Medium size Onion - minced
1 Tablespoon frozen Green peas,
1 Tablespoon chopped carrots- chopped in small cubes
2 Tablespoons Red, yellow and green capsicum – chopped in small cubes
Pinch  grated Nutmeg
A pinch dried Celery
A pinch dried Dill
A pinch dried Mint

 A pinch Steakpepper
A pinch White pepper powder
Salt to taste
½ Cup Bechamel Sauce
1 Cheese cube

Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees.

Season chicken with ginger – garlic paste, lime juice, salt and pepper. Heat oil in a pan add onion and all the vegetables saute for a minute then chicken and all the spices and saute add water a little cover and cook. Check if cooked then on high flame dry all the moisture and add the béchamel sauce cheese and mix well add nutmeg and mix well. Remove from heat and cool.

Roll out the puff pastry sheet. Brush the bowl with the oil, then place the dough.  Add the filling in the centre.  Crimp the dough to fold over the side, pressing it to make it stick cover it a another piece of dough. Brush the dough with egg wash and make 3 slits in the top. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Bake until the crust is puffed and golden brown and the filling is bubbly, another 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before serving. 

Labels: Chicken, Continental Cuisine, Bake a thon,Pie & Quiche, Italy

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Rich Plum Cake / Christmas Cake

This is one cake that I only prepare for Christmas and it gets over in a day or two in distributing and friends coming over.  I double this recipe and make it.  This is a moist and yummy cake.  I also soak the fruits  2 - 3 months before in rum and store it  a glass jar.

Ingredients

200 Grams Butter - I used salted
200 Grams All Purpose Flour
1/8 Teaspoon Soda-bi-carb
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
200 Grams Sugar - powdered
5 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Essence
300 Grams Kismis/Raisins - chopped
150 Grams Mixed Preserves - chopped
25 Grams Nuts - sliced
100 Grams Tea Sugar for the caramel
1 Small Nutmeg
Rum for the soaking the fruits

Method

Grease and line the baking pan and keep aside.

Preheat the oven to 160 degree, then start preparing the cake batter.

Sieve the Flour, soda-bicarb and baking powder thrice and keep aside.

Strain the soaked fruits and keep aside

Beat the sugar and butter till light and fluffy.  Then add the eggs one by one and continue beating.  Add the essence and little by little add the flour and lightly fold it into the mixture.  Then add the fruits and gently fold it into the mixture.  Pour this into the prepared pan and bake for 20 - 25 minutes.   
As soon you remove the cake from the oven sprinkle a tablespoon or two of rum on top.

When cooled slice the cake.  Enjoy and share it with your loved ones.

Labels : Cakes, Bake a thon

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Gajar ki Kalakand

I saw the recipe on you tube and had written it down. Wanted to make it long back, but since red carrots are in the market only during winter had to wait to make this. I have made some changes to suit my taste. This recipe is not very tiresome. I made this on high flame, only see that you keep stirring and use a heavy bottom pan.

Ingredients

200 Grams Khoya
1 Kg Carrots - peeled and grated
1. 1/2 Cups Sugar
1/2 Cup Ghee
1/4 Teaspoon Orange color
1 Teaspoon Green cardamom powder
3 Tablespoon Almonds and pistachio or cashewnuts sliced
Silver waraq as required

Method
Peel and grate carrots, blanched in half cup water, add orange color till carrots just soft for 10 minutes, dry up all the water then in the same pan add ghee, fry for 5 minutes on high flame then add the sugar and fry well for 10 minutes on high flame stirring continuously till syrup is thick and then nearly dries. Add khoya, keep frying till absolutely dry, then add green cardamom powder, fry well till it leaves the sides of the pan and comes in the center like a ball, add almonds and pistachio, remove in a greased platter, top with some more almonds and pistachios, leave to set until firm.

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Labels : Sweets & Desserts, Blogging Marathon

Orange Wine

After successfully making Ginger wine, my enthusiasm to try new wines increased. In dug into my recipe book and found this recipe of Orange Wine in this book (East Indian Recipe) with few changes I made this wine and it turned out so lovely and the color is awesome. This is very easy to make. I know when you speak of winemaking the first thought that come to our mind OH God! who wants take the trouble to make wine. Now all types of wines are available in the Wine shop. But try this wine and you will not regret it.  It has a lovely taste and such a pleasant fragrance.  Have this wine chilled.

Let me tell you I not crazy about wines, actually speaking I do not have wine.  This wine I sent to my friends house as a gift and they enjoyed it.  

Ingredients
10 Oranges  
1 ½ kg Sugar  

4 ½ litre Water 
½ Teaspoon Yeast

Method

Wash oranges and wipe it with a kitchen tissue or clean cloth.
With a citrus peeler or vegetable peeler thinly peel the orange zest without the white part. Extract the juice from the oranges and keep aside.

Boil sugar, water and orange zest in a big vessel.

When the mixture begins to boil, add orange juice and bring it to a nice boil and turn off the flame.

When the mixture becomes lukewarm, add yeast and transfer the mixture to a sterilized glass bottle / bharani, cover it and leave for 14 days stirring daily.

After 14 days, strain the mixture through a cheese/muslin cloth in to a clean dry bottle. 

Keep this again for 7 days untouched. After 7 days strain the wine again, pour it into clean dry bottles and use.  

See the lovely color.  Enjoy it.

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Labels: Wine, Blogging Marathon , Orange, Homemade

Stuffed Tandoori Chicken Buns

The previous day was hectic lots of cooking since I had guest. Today I felt like resting and wanted something simple and light for dinner.  Had some chicken tandoori balance in fridge.  Removed it from the fridge.  The first thought that came to my mind was to prepare a side dish. Then I again though why not make something simple and yet filling that we can have without any fuss.  That how I baked these buns, so let's go to the recipe.

Ingredients
For the Bun
1 Tablespoon Instant yeast
2 Tablespoon Warm water
1/2 cup Milk - warm
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoon Oil
2 Cups + 1 Cup All purpose flour
1 Tablespoon Sugar
1  Egg
Water if necessary for kneading

For the filling:
2 Cups Chicken Tandoori - grilled/cooked and chopped into small pieces
1 Capsicum – finely chopped
2 Onions - finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Ginger - garlic paste
Salt to taste
1.1/2 Tablespoons Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Chilly powder

Method

Beat the egg and reserve a tablespoon of it for brushing.

Mix yeast with water and sugar and keep aside till foamy.

Mix 2 cups flour, egg, yeast mixture, oil, salt and milk mix well . Add the remaining flour and mix well till it forms a smooth dough. (I used almost 3 cups of flour to make it a soft dough). You start with 2 cups of flour as mentioned in the recipe and if you find it difficult to form a soft dough add extra flour little by little, till it forms a soft dough, if you find that the dough is already soft and pliable stop adding the flour. Knead well for 10 mins. Place this dough in a greased bowl, cover and let it rest till it doubles in volume (almost 2-3 hrs).

Punch down the dough lightly using your palm and divide them equally. Flatten them into small discs and fill them with a tablespoon of the filling. Re-shape them into a ball. Apply the egg wash. . Let it prove for another 20 mins or till double in size.

Bake them in a pre-heated oven at 200 C for 15-20 mins.

To make the filling:
Heat oil, add the ginger garlic paste and saute till it gives out a nice aroma. Add the onions & salt. Saute them till soft and transparent. Add the capsicum and chilly powder, stir well for 2 mins. Add salt, chicken and mix well. Keep it off the fire and let it cool. Use it for filling the dough.

These buns are very filling you can have them for breakfast or even for dinner.  Had few remaining we had them for breakfast.


Note:
I had grilled tandoori chicken of the previous day and  this was used to make these buns.

I got 12 buns from the above qty.

Check Recipe index for other bread recipes.

Labels : Breads, Chicken, Bake a thon.

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