Olives & Cheese Crackers#Improve

Crackers with Cheese, is good snack or appetizer which everyone loves. Makes a great party pleaser. They're tempting and totally addicting!

Ingredients

9 Cracker Biscuits - as required
100 Grams Cream Cheese
1 Cube Processed Cheese
For Topping:
Spicy Chicken Salami - as required
Black / Green olives - as required - I used stuffed Green Olives
Pizza Seasonings  - as required

Method

Blend both the cheese in the blender till smooth. Pour this into a piping bag.
Pipe cream cheese spread evenly on top of the crackers. Sprinkle a pinch of pizza seasonings. Arrange  a chicken salami and a green olive.    Serve and Enjoy!!

My Notes
Can use any topping of your choice, like, Finely chopped sausage or any fresh or dried fruits. The choice is unlimited.

Labels : Cheese, Crackers, Chicken, Salami, Cream Cheese, Olives, Improve, Starters, Appetizer

Check out what the other bloggers have made!
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Mushroom Pepper Fry - Side Dish

In my house we love mushrooms and this veggie is a must at least once a week. This is a protein packed mushroom dish, it's simple and yummy. A person who does not like mushroom will also love this dish. This is a dry dish with no gravy.

Ingredients 

1 Onion - finely chopped 
1 Tomato - finely chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 Bay leaf
1 Stick Cinnamon
4 Peppercorns
2 Green Cardamons
3 Cloves
1 Teaspoon Ginger- Garlic paste

1 Teaspoon Coriander powder

1 Teaspoon Cumin powder
1/2 Teaspoon Pepper powder
1/2 Teaspoon Red chilly powder

1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
Salt to Taste
1 Teaspoon Lemon juice

3 Tablespoons Oil

A Spring Curry leaves

1 Green chilly -  finely chopped

1 Packet Mushroom - chopped

For the Tadka

1 Tablespoon Butter
5 Peppercorns
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
4 Cloves Garlic

1 Tablespoon Coriander - chopped  for garnishing

Method

Heat oil in a pan , add whole garam masala, cumin seeds and when they crackle add chopped onions ,salt.  turmeric,  ginger garlic paste and tomatoes,  fry till tomatoes turn soft and mushy .  Then add curry leaves,  green chilly and add mushrooms, coriander, cumin, chilly and pepper powder, stir fry for  a minute, then cover and  cook till the mushrooms are done.  
For the Tadka

Roughly crush the garlic. pepper and cumin seeds in a mortar  pestle. 

In another pan add butter , add crushed garlic, pepper,cumin seeds mixture just stir fry for a minute. Pour this over the cooked mushroom mixture, add  lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves serve hot with chapatis and rotis or as side dish.

We had this for our afternoon lunch and it's yummy. 

Labels : Mushroom, Vegetarian, Vegetables, Side Dish

Chicken Curry in Frithad Masala#FoodieExtravaganza

Frithad Masala is a wet ground masala with spices & coconut which is slowly dry roasted before grinding. This is a East Indian recipe, this masala used for making chicken , mutton & beef curries. My mother use to make this curry over wood fire and in mud pots,  it tasted awesome. She use to make this dry Frithad Masala for the full year minus the coconut and wet ingredients.  

This  masala can  be used to  make usal (dried legumes) and prawn curry, look out for more recipe using this masala. 

We our bringing in the new year 2020, for  Foodie Extravaganza with Curried Chicken.  I, am, the host and January 12 is National Curried Chicken Day, asked our group to "Post  favorite curried chicken recipe".  

Ingredients

1 kg Chicken - cut into 16 pieces
1 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt

For the Frithad  Masala

Dry Spices
8 Dry Kashmiri Chillies
2 Tablespoons Coriander seeds
1 Teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 Cup Freshly Grated Coconut
1 Tablespoon Poppy seeds/khus khus
1 Teaspoon Heaped Sesame seeds/Till
2" Piece Cinnamon stick
5 Cloves
8 Peppercorns
2 Green Cardamons

Wet Ingredients
2" Piece  Ginger
8 Cloves Garlic
3 + 1 Onions - sliced

2 Medium Tomatoes - sliced 

1 Tablespoon Tamarind paste 

3 Potatoes - cut in quarters

1/3 Cup Oil

Method

Wash the Chicken well & marinate with salt & turmeric powder.

Dry roast the spices over low flame till nice & aromatic. Keep aside.  Then roast the coconut till light brown. Keep aside.

In the same pan heat  a tablespoon of oil and roast the 3  onions, ginger and garlic till light pink , then add the tomatoes and fry again till tomato is soft. Keep aside to cool.

In a blender add the dry spices and powder then add the coconut and onion mixture grind  to a fine paste adding little water.

In a pot / kadai  heat oil then add the remaining one onion sliced and fry till light golden .  Now mix in the freshly ground masala paste and fry till oil starts leaving the sides.
Then add the chicken & fry well till the masala coats it.

Add  a cup of water, potatoes and let it come to a nice boil. Cover and cook till the chicken is tender & the potatoes are soft. Add salt to taste , mix the tamarind paste in little water as necessary to adjust the gravy consistency. Bring  it to a rolling boil.  

Garnish with coriander leaves & serve hot with rice.

Labels: Chicken, East Indian, Main course, Foodie Extravaganza Party, Frithad Masala, Coconut
We begin the New Year 2020 and for Foodie Extravaganza event, since January 12 is National Curried Chicken Day. I am the host " We are posting our favorite Curried Chicken recipe". 

• Chicken Curry with Cashews Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Chicken Curry in Frithad Masala Sneha's Recipe
• Chinese Chicken Curry A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Curry in a Hurry Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Special Chicken Tikka Masala Palatable Pastime

Crispy Beef Chilly- Thai Style

This is so delicious that you must try it and for a dish that comes together in less than 45 minutes.

Serve 4 - 5 

Ingredients
For the Marination 
500 Gram Beef Undercut/Sirloin 
2 Eggs - Whites Only
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Black pepper powder
2 Tablespoons Light Soy sauce
1 Tablespoon Chili oil
½ Teaspoon Baking soda
6 Tablespoons Heaped Corn flour
Oil as required for deep frying
Other Ingredients 

¼ Cup Oil 
1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
3 Tablespoons Hoisin sauce or BBQ Sauce
2 Tablespoons Oyster sauce
2 Tablespoons Fish sauce
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Chili Garlic Sauce
2 Tablespoons Vinegar
2 Thai Red Chilies / Bird Eye Chilly -chopped
1 Cup Chicken stock
1 Tablespoon Corn flour - dissolve in ¼ cup water
½ Teaspoon Black pepper powder
1 Medium Capsicum - thinly sliced
5 - 6 Kaffir Lime Leaves
2 Spring Onion  - green  cut diagonally
5 Green chilies - slit and sliced
8 - 10 Cashewnuts- fried

Method

Cut  the beef undercut/sirloin meat into juliennes/thin long strips. Marinate the beef with egg whites, salt, black pepper, soy sauce, chili oil, baking soda and corn flour, keep it aside for 15 minutes. Then separate each strip in a big plate. 

Heat oil in a deep frying pan deep fry each strip till crisp and golden for about 6 - 8 minutes, remove. 

Keep aside

Mix all the sauces, vinegar and brown sugar in a bowl. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok, add minced garlic, fry till light golden, add all the seasoning, mixed sauces and chicken stock brig it to a boil

add fried beef, let it simmer then add all the veggies, and kaffir lime leaves, except the spring onions, cook for a minute, thicken with corn flour paste, garnish with spring onions and cashew nuts.

Serve with steamed rice or noodles

My Notes 

If you do not have Hoisin sauce substitute it with BBQ Sauce.

Labels : Asian Cuisine, Beef, Thailand, Chillies, Stir Fry, Main course

Stuffed Chicken Drumsticks In Saucy Tomato Gravy

Stuffed Chicken Drumsticks In Saucy Tomato Gravy is so yummy can be served, as a side dish or as a main course meal. Can be had with Garlic Rice or Rotis. These are simply yum... delicious. Try it and you'll love these.

De boning the drumsticks is the only tricky task rest all it so easy to make.

Ingredients5 Chicken Drumsticks - These drumstick should be large
For the filling
200 Grams Cottage Cheese or Ricotta Cheese
1 Teaspoon Red Chilly powder
1 Teaspoon Finely Chopped Ginger
2 Green chilies - finely chopped
1 Teaspoon Finely Chopped Garlic
3 Tablespoons Coriander Leaves - finely chopped
½ Teaspoon Salt or to taste
Dry Roast these ingredients and pound them coarsely  
½ Teaspoon Cumin seeds
½ Teaspoon Heaped Coriander seeds
¼ Teaspoon Ajwain / Carom Seeds
For the Sauce 
2 Tablespoons Oil
1 Green chilies - slit and de seeded
1/2 Teaspoon Red chilly powder
A Juice of half a Lemon
3 Big loves Garlic - finely chopped
½ Cup Tomato Puree
½ Teaspoon Salt or to taste
Method

De bone chicken from the drumsticks like you make for wings

then cut the bone( keep only the bottom part of the bone)

Make a pocket

Now lightly roast the carom seeds, cumin, coriander seeds together and coarsely pound them. 

In another bowl mix cottage cheese, pounded spices ,chilly powder ,green chilies, coriander leaves , garlic, ginger and salt very well. 

Stuffing is ready.

Fill this cheese mixture inside chicken drumsticks by pressing it right till the bottom 

seal them with two tooth picks or stitch them ( I stitched them). 

Heat oil in a pan and fry garlic till it starts to turn pink, add the slit green chilly,  stuffed chicken and saute on high flame for 3 minutes 

turning them till they turn pink to white. 

Add the 1 cup water, tomato puree,  chilly powder, salt and lemon juice, cover, cook for on high flame for 5 minutes. Open and turn the sides, cover again and cook for 10 to 12 minutes on medium low flame till the drumsticks are cooked. 

The gravy should be saucy and thick.

To serve  

Snip of the thread of the drumsticks. Arrange the drumsticks on a platter and pour the sauce over it.

Enjoy!! this is super delicious.. 

My Notes 

I cooked only 3 drumsticks the other two, freezed to make them at a later date.

Labels: Chicken, Chicken Drumsticks, Paneer, Ricotta, Stuffed, Tomato, Main course, Side Dish