The Red Rice

When you are cooking rice, make sure you have the rice:water ratio right.The trick is to use the same cup for measuring rice and water.This one i make with red wine and tomatoes, hence  it's tangy and red.

You will need:

rice: 4 cups
red wine: 4 cups
chicken/veg stock:4 cups
vegetables:tomatoes,cauliflower florets,peas, beans, capsicums(thin slices)
2 medium onions,chopped
2tsp ginger garlic paste
coarsely chopped coriander leaves
3 chillies
and seasoning.
(one can also add shrimps)
vegetable oil: 3 tablespoons

How to do it:

Wash and soak the rice in water for an hour.
In a wok, heat the oil,add the onions,once they start becoming translucsent,add chillies(slit),the ginger garlic paste
and stir for a minute.
Add the vegetables,sugar and salt and stir fry for 2 minutes.
If you have a  rice cooker, transfer
the fried stuff in it, or else a pressure cookerwouldwork just fine.
Add the rice, the  wine and the stock and let it cook till it's done.
Garnish with  coriander leaves.
Enjoy.

The "beer chicken" !

At times when I am left with some leftover beer from last night's party i often make these. They are good for breakfasts, as well as for cocktail evenings. Here goes....

You will need:

Chicken drumsticks, about 10 or 12 of them

Flour, one and a half cups

Ginger garlic paste about a teaspoon or more

a mug of beer

salt and pepper to seasoning

a pinch of paprika

a pinch of turmeric powder

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

Oil for frying

How to do it:

In a bowl mix the chicken with ginger garlic paste, seasoning and paprika ans the lemon juice.

Let it sit in the fridge for an hour or so.

In another bowl, make a batter out of flour, beer and turmeric and some salt.

It should be of a "poridgy" consistency!

Then the next steps are real easy!

Dip and coat the chicken legs in the batter and deep fry them!

Enjoy.

The Chicken Salad !!

As I always do, I have another VERY easy recipe to share with you people..... This can be easily done with leftover chicken from last night. As a matter of fact, the chicken can be easily replaced with boiled shrimps.....

You will need:

a cup of boiled chicken/ shrimps

1 medium sized iceberg lettuce

2 small onions chopped

a few cherry tomatoes

1 and a half cup of mayonnaise

half a cup of single cream

salt and pepper for seasoning

oregano

How to do it:

Pierce the tomatoes, wash the lettuce in some cold water.

Lay some of the lettuce on a platter.

Mix the the rest of the ingredients in a different bowl.

Pour it on top of the platter and shove it in a refrigerator.

Enjoy.

Kimchi salad!

Have tasted various versions of this very same thing in various "authentic" Chinese restaurants, here goes MY version....

You will need:

Finely chopped Cabbage half a cup

Finely chopped Cucumber, almost quarter a cup

3 tablespoons of honey

Soy sauce, 2 tablespoons

Tomato ketchup, a tablespoon

Vinegar, 2 tablespoons

A pinch of Garlic Paste

2 teaspoons of Peanut or any refined oil

Salt and pepper and a pinch of red chilly powder/paprika (garnishing)

How to do it:

Boil some water, throw in the cabbage and the carrots.

After one minute, take it out, strain it and wash it in cold running water from a tap.

In a salad bowl mix everything.

Garnish it with paprika!

(Owkhay that was easy!!)

Enjoy!

The cheesy chicken !

The name says it all!

You will need:

Chicken 1 kg, boneless

Cheese spread 100 gm.

Onions 5, medium sized

a pinch of minced garlic,

a pinch of minced ginger

Vegetables, cubed, a cup or so

(capsicums, beans, mushroom, carrots, peas)

refined oil, 2 tablespoons.

flour, quarter cup

a cup of milk.

a pinch of oregano

a pinch of chilly powder/black pepper

and seasoning.

How to do it:

In a wok, heat the oil

Add the ginger, garlic and stir for a minute.

Add the chicken, vegetables and 2 cups of water.

Let it come to a boil and retain the stock.

Boil the stock, taking out the chicken and vegetables.

Add the flour, stirring continuously.

(otherwise it would become lumpy)

Add the milk and the other ingredients.

Stir for 8 more minutes, or till the chicken is done.

Check for seasoning.

Enjoy.

P.S.

One can replace chicken with, vegetables, paneer, fish etc.

The "paturi" !

This, again, is a bengali delicacy. Generally made with Hilsa or Bhetki. But this can be made with practically any damn thing! Last time, I made it with paneer/cottage cheese. Was a huge hit! Here goes....

You will need:

500 gm Fresh firm cottage cheese/ paneer diced into 2 or 3 inch sized pieces.

5 tablespoonful of Mustard Oil.

almost a tablespoon of Turmeric powder

green chilies, made into a paste, about 2 teaspoons.

1 cup of Desiccated coconut.

half a cup of ground mustard.

Salt and sugar.

Banana leaves.

Strings.

How to do it:

While grinding mustard on a stone, always remember to add a green chilly and a pinch of salt to avoid getting a bitter paste.

Except the banana leaves mix all the ingredients and marinate the Cheese/ paneer in it.

Cut the banana leaves into 6 inch squares, brush oil on both surfaces.

Soak the strings in some ice cold water.

Wrap two pieces of cheese/ paneer with some of the mixture in the banana leaves.

Tie them with the cold strings.

Steam it in a pressure cooker for 12 mins.

Or else you can grill them in a microwave for 7 mins or so.

Enjoy.

As said earlier, you can replace the paneer with fish or prawn or almost anything!

The "jhatpat" chicken stew !

I love this! My mom used to make this with leftover chicken all the time. She still does! Quick to make, good to eat and healthy as well!

You will need:

500 gm chicken (boneless, if u have)

3 medium sized onions quartered

6 cloves of garlic (you can grind them if you want)

2 inches of ginger (ground)

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon of vegetable/sunflower oil

1 tablespoon of butter

a drizzling of ground pepper

vegetables like

1 medium potato,

3 pods of peas

a small handful of beans, chopped

1 small carrot sliced

salt and sugar

How to do it:

(In a pressure cooker boil 2 cups of water.

Put the chicken pieces and the vegetables in it for a minute and a half.

Retain the water.) Only if you have hard water in your area, other wise skip these steps.

After drying the cooker, put the oil in it.

Put the bay leaf, onion and the garlic, stir for a minute.

Add the vegetables and the chicken.

Stir till they soften a bit, this should take another 2 mins.

Add the other ingredients and the stock.

Add one more cup of water and close the lid.

Wait for 4 whistles.

Enjoy while its still hot!!