FIVE SPICE STIR FRY

Noodles and vegetables stir-fried and flavored with five spice powder. Preparation Time : 10-15 minutes Cooking Time : 10-15 minutes

Ingredients

Noodles, boiled 200 grams French beans 8-10 Cornflour/ corn starch 1 tablespoon Orange juice 1/2 cup Oil 4 tablespoons Garlic, chopped 5-6 cloves Carrots, sliced 2 medium Button mushrooms, quartered 7-8 Onion , sliced 1 medium Broccoli 8-10 florets Salt to taste Soy sauce 2 tablespoons Crushed red chillies 1 teaspoon Five spice powder 1 teaspoon Honey 1 tablespoon

Method

Slit the French beans horizontally and then cut into diamond shaped pieces. Dissolve cornflour in orange juice.Heat two tablespoons of oil in a wok; add chopped garlic, carrots and mushrooms. Stir-fry. Add sliced onion, broccoli, French beans, salt, soy sauce, one fourth teaspoon of crushed red chillies, five spice powder and continue to stir-fry for three to four minutes. Add cornstarch dissolved in orange juice. Stir and cook till thickened. Add honey and mix. Heat the remaining oil in another pan. Add the boiled noodles and stir-fry for two minutes. Transfer the noodles onto a plate. Pour the sauce over. Sprinkle the remaining crushed red chillies on top and serve hot.

Macaroni

Ingredent

2 chickens

1/2 lb. beef

2 onions

6 tomatoes

6 potatoes

3 T. corn oil

oil for frying

1/2 cup yogurt

1 t. ground cumin

3 sticks cinnamon

1 packet spaghetti

3 hard-boiled eggs

1 t. ground black pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

salt

Methord


Cut the chicken into four pieces. Wash thoroughly. Heat oil in pan; add chicken and fry for five minutes. Puree tomatoes and add yogurt plus half the spices. Pour the above mixture over chicken and leave to cook. Put in another saucepan the minced meat, onion and half teaspoon each of salt, pepper and cumin. Stir and cook. Place aside. Peel potatoes. Slice thinly in rings, then lengthwise in match- stick size pieces. Soak potatoes in water. Strain. Heat oil and fry potatoes until browned. Remove from oil and place on paper towel. Hard-boil, peel and slice eggs. Break spaghetti into medium-sized pieces and cook in water. Strain. Put spaghetti in serving dish, arrange chicken on top and pour on sauce. Decorate with meat, potatoes and sliced eggs. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

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CHICKEN KANDHARI KOFTA

Steamed mince ball of chicken cooked in creamy gravy

Ingredients

Chicken mince 500 grams Cinnamon powder 1/2 teaspoon Salt to taste Oil 3 tablespoon Onion paste, boiled 3/4 cup Ginger-garlic paste 1 tablespoons Red chili powder 1 teaspoon Coriander powder 1 teaspoon Tomato puree 1/2 cup Cashewnut paste 2/3 cup Garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon Pomegranate syrup 2 tablespoon Fresh cream 1/2 cup

Method

Mix chicken mince, cinnamon powder and a teaspoon of salt thoroughly. Divide into twelve equal sized portions. Shape them into balls (koftas). Keep aside.Heat oil in a pan. Add boiled onion paste and cook till onions turn pink. Add ginger-garlic paste. Saute for a minute, add red chilli powder and coriander powder. Stir in tomato puree and cashewnut paste dissolved in a little water. Cook for five minutes on a high heat, stirring constantly. Add one and half cups of water, bring it to a boil. Add chicken koftas, cover and cook for ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garam masala powder and pomegranate syrup. Correct seasoning. Simmer for five minutes. Stir in fresh cream. Serve with naan or parantha. Tip Make cashew nut paste by soaking half-cup cashew nuts in water for half an hour. Grind it to a smooth paste. You need not use the more expensive full cashew nuts in this recipe. The readily available tukda cashew nuts will do.

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PASTA CUTLET

Delightful cutlets made out of Spaghetti. Preparation Time : 20-25 minutes Cooking Time : 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

Spaghetti 250 grams Milk 2 cups Refined flour (maida) 2 tablespoons Butter 2 tablespoons Black pepper powder 1/2 teaspoon Salt to taste Mustard powder 1/4 teaspoon Cheese, grated 1/2 cup Fresh bread crumbs as required

Method

Boil five cups of water with half a teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon oil. Add spaghetti and cook till al-dente. Refresh in cold water, drain and spread on a plate to cool. To prepare white sauce, heat butter, add refined flour and sauté for a couple of minutes. Gradually add milk, stirring all the while to avoid lumps. Add salt, pepper and mustard powder and stir to mix well. Take the pan off the heat and add grated cheese and mix well. When the white sauce cools a little, add boiled spaghetti and mix. Add fresh breadcrumbs as required to get dough consistency. Heat sufficient oil in a deep pan. Shape the dough into marble sized balls, press slightly and deep fry till light golden. Drain onto an absorbent paper and serve hot with a sauce of your choice.

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Tip

* To keep Cheddar, Swiss and other firm cheeses from drying, rub soft butter over the cut surfaces, wrap in plastic food wrap and store in the refrigerator.

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PASTA IN RED PEPPER SAUCE

Fusilli pasta cooked in red pepper sauce Preparation Time : 20-25 minutes Cooking Time : 20-25 minutes

Ingredients

Fusilli 1 cup Red pepper 1 medium Carrot 1 medium Onion 1 medium Garlic 4-5 cloves Olive oil 4 tablespoons Salt to taste Tomato puree 1/2 cup Black pepper powder 1/4 teaspoon Fresh cream 1/4 cup Basil leaves, dried 1/2 teaspoon Fresh parsley a few sprigs

Method

Wash pepper and carrot. De-seed pepper and cut into one-inch sized pieces. Peel carrot and slice thinly. Peel and wash onion and slice thinly. Peel and chop garlic. Place pepper, carrot and onion on a tray and sprinkle one tablespoon of olive oil and cook in the oven at 180 degree C for ten minutes. Boil sufficient water in a deep pan with salt. Add one tablespoon of oil and cook different coloured fusilli pasta in it till al dente. Drain and refresh in cold water. Add one tablespoon olive oil and mix. Remove the vegetables from the oven and blend with a little water in a mixer. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and add chopped garlic, vegetable puree, tomato puree, salt, pepper powder and simmer for five minutes. Add boiled pasta and mix. Add fresh cream and mix. Add dried basil. Transfer onto a serving dish and garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.

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Tip

* After buying fresh fish, place it in the refrigerator between self-sealing plastic bags filled with ice cubes. This will keep the fish from getting soggy.

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FETTUCINE IN CREAMY PESTO

Fettucine cooked al-dente, tossed in rich basil flavoured sauce.

Preparation Time : 10-15 minutes

Cooking Time : 15-20 minutes

Ingredients

Fettuccine	200 grams
Salt	1 teaspoon
FOR PESTO SAUCE
Basil leaves	30-40
Garlic	3-4 cloves
Salt	to taste
Pine nuts(chilgoza)	3 tablespoons
Olive oil	5 tablespoons
Peppercorns	4-5
Parmesan cheese	1/2 cup
To Serve
Olive oil	2 tablespoons
Salt	to taste
Peppercorns, crushed	5-6
Milk	1/2 cup
Parmesan cheese	2 tablespoons
Fresh basil leaves	3-4

Method

For making the Pesto sauce take fresh basil leaves in a mixer jar. Add garlic, salt and blend. Add pine nuts and continue to blend. Add olive oil and blend some more. Add peppercorns, parmesan cheese and blend till all the ingredients are well mixed. Remove into a bowl.Boil plenty of water with salt in a pan. Place the fettucine in a colander and place the colander in the boiling water. Cook till al-dente. Meanwhile heat olive oil in another pan, add the ground paste (pesto) and sauté for four to five minutes. Lift the colander with fettucine from the boiling water and once the water drains add the pasta to the pesto. Toss so that the sauce covers the pasta well. Add salt, freshly crushed peppercorns and toss. Add milk and parmesan cheese and mix well. Tear the basil leaves and add. Toss once again. Serve immediately. *****

CHICKEN WITH TOMATO SALSA

CHICKEN WITH TOMATO SALSA

Fettucine pasta with chicken and tomato salsa

Preparation Time : 20-25 minutes

Cooking Time : 40 minutes

Ingredients

Boneless chicken breasts 4 Oil 4 teaspoons Fettuccine 350 grams Red chilli flakes 1 teaspoon Olive oil 2 tablespoons Salt to taste FOR MARINADE Black peppercorns 7-8 Dry rosemary 1 tablespoon Dry thyme 1 tablespoon Dry oregano 1 tablespoon Paprika 1/2 tablespoon FOR TOMATO SALSA Tomatoes, halved 4 large Onion , halved 1 large Garlic 5 cloves Whole dry red chillies 2 Green capsicum, seeded 1/2 medium Lemon juice 1 tablespoon

Method

Boil fettucine in seven cups of water till just cooked or al dente. Heat olive oil and toss fettucine. Add salt and red chilli flakes and toss again. Keep warm till required. Lightly roast peppercorns and crush slightly. Roast rosemary, thyme and oregano and crush. Mix together peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, oregano, paprika and salt to taste. Marinate chicken in this for fifteen minutes. To make salsa, heat a griddle and roast the red chillies till charred. Remove. Place tomato halves, onion, capsicum and garlic cloves on hot griddle. Roast till slightly charred. Cool and grind to a coarse pulp with roasted red chillies, lemon juice and salt. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and sear chicken breasts on both sides on high heat. Reduce heat, cover and cook till done. To serve, place fettucine on a platter. Place chicken breasts on them and spoon over salsa generously. Serve immediately.

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Pasta recipes

BURNT GARLIC WITH WHOLE WHEAT PASTA

Healthy pasta flavored deeply with burnt garlic Preparation Time : 40 minutes Cooking Time : 10-15 minutes

Ingredients

Garlic, sliced thinly 15 cloves Whole wheat Penney pasta 200 grams Olive oil 4 tablespoons Green capsicum, seeded and chopped 1 medium Cherry tomatoes, halved 6 Salt to taste Crushed red chillies 1 teaspoon Dried mixed herbs 1 teaspoon Broccoli, blanched 5-6 florets

Method

Boil plenty of water in a deep pan and cook pasta in it till AL Dante. Drain and refresh.Heat olive oil in a wok. Add garlic and saute till golden. Add green capsicum and saute. Add cherry tomatoes and continue to saute. Press the tomatoes with the back of the stirring spoon so that they release some juices. Add salt, crushed red chillies and dry mixed herbs and stir. Drain the pasta and add to the wok. Add broccoli and mix. Serve hot.