Butter garlic Masala Shrimp

Serving size : 3-4
Total preparation time : 10 mins
Cooking time : 8 mins

Ingredients :
12 headless and cleaned shrimps
1 tspn paprika
1/8 tspn turmeric
1/2 tspn cumin powder
1/2 tspn coriander powder
1 tspn lime juice
1 tbspn butter
1 tspn garlic paste
Salt to taste.

Method:
Marinate the shrimp with the lime juice, spices and salt for about 20 mins under refrigeration.
Grease a foil on a baking sheet and preheat the oven at 350*F. Arrange the marinated shrimp on the tray over the foil. Sprinkle some butter over it and bake for 5-6 minutes. Once cooked serve hot with lemon wedges.

Tips :
You could also pan sear these shrimps on a non stick pan on medium heat with butter instead of using the oven
Make sure the coat of the spices is thick enough and doesn't drip.
You could also use ghee/clarified butter/oil instead of unsalted butter.

Jeera Aloo mutter/ Potato green peas stir fry with cumin

Serving size : 4
Total preparation time : 5 mins
Cooking time : 12 -15 mins

Ingredients:
2 medium size russet potatoes ,cut into cubes
1 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
2 tspn cumin leaves
A pinch of asafetida
1 tspn garlic paste
1 tspn ginger paste (Optional)
1/4 tspn turmeric powder
1 tspn chili powder
1 tspn roasted cumin and coriander powder
2 tspn oil
1 tspn salt

Method :
Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and let them crackle. Then add the asafetida followed by ginger and garlic. Saute for a minute and add the potato cubes. Season with chili powder, cumin and coriander powder, turmeric and salt and mix well. Simmer covered on low heat for 5-6 mins until potatoes are partly cooked. Now add the green peas and cook for another 3 mins. Cook for another 2 mins on medium heat stirring at intervals making sure the potatoes dont stick at the bottom of the pan. Once the potatoes are cooked, turn off the heat and garnish with coriander leaves. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve hot with rotis/ phulkas.

Tips :
Use a heavy bottom non stick pan so that you can use less oil
You can skip the garlic and asafetida to make it a pure vegetarian recipe.

Chicken Drumsticks in yogurt and coconut cream gravy

Serving size :4
Total preparation time : 4-8 hours for marination,
Cooking time : 10 mins

Ingredients :
For the marination
8 skinless chicken drumsticks
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tbspn yogurt
1 tspn salt
1 tspn oil
1/2 tspn turmeric
1 tspn paprika
1 tspn tandoori chicken masala
1 tbspn dried kasoori methi leaves
1 tspn home made extra spicy garam masala
1 tspn roasted cumin and coriander powder

For the gravy :
1 tbspn ghee
1 bay leaf
3 black pepper corns
2 cloves
1 inch cinnamon
1 star anise
2 red chilies (bedagi chilies)
1 black cardamom
7 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch freshly grated ginger
1/2 can coconut milk

For garnish :
2 tbspn finely chopped coriander leaves

Method :
Heat ghee in a large saucepan on medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the whole spices one by one and saute till brown. Add the ginger and garlic and saute for 1 min. Now add the marinated chicken along with the residual marinade paste and cook covered for 5 mins on low - medium heat. Once the drumsticks are cooked, add the coconut milk along with more salt if required. Cook covered for another 3 mins on medium heat and bring the curry to a boil. Turn off the heat and serve hot garnished with coriander leaves. Best served with roti/naan or rice.

Tip :
Add more sour cream and less yogurt for  a creamy mild spicy gravy.
The coconut milk should be thick and not watery.
Cooking in ghee along with the whole spices adds to the flavor for this recipe.
Note that this recipe doesn't use onion and tomato and thus is quick to prepare and ready in minutes if you already have the chicken marinated.
You could also use boneless chicken thigh pieces or chicken breasts with rib meat instead of drumsticks.

Peas pulav

Serving size : 4
Total preparation time  10 mins
Cooking time : 10 mins

Ingredients :
1 cup basmati rice, presoaked for 10 mins
1 cup fresh/frozen green peas
2 cups water
1 cube maggi vegetable stock cube
1 tbpsn ghee
1 tspn ginger paste
1 tspn garlic paste

For the spice mixture :
1/2 inch cinnamon stick
1 green cardamom
2 black pepper corns
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 red chili
1 tspn shahi jeera/ black cumin seeds

Method :
Heat ghee on medium heat in a pressure cooker. Add the freshly ground spice mixture once the oil is hot and stir fry for 1 min. Now add the ginger garlic. Add the strained presoaked rice and fry the rice in the oil and spices for about 2 mins. Add the water followed by the mashed vegetable stock cube. Mix well and close the lid. Cook in the pressure cooker on medium heat  for about 2 whistles or about 8 mins. Turn off the heat, transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot with any spicy Indian curry.

Tips :
Making a freshly ground mixture with the whole spices gives a better flavor without pieces/ chunks of spices coming into the mouth while eating.
Roasting the basmati rice in the ghee infused with the spices gives it a good flavor and length upon cooking.

Bell pepper and shrimp stir fry

Serving size : 4
Total preparation time : 10 mins
Cooking time : 10 mins


Ingredients :
For marination :
15 shrimps, headless, washed, and cleaned
1 tspn paprika
1tspn freshly ground black pepper powder
1 tspn salt
1 tspn apple cider vinegar
1 tspn ginger garlic paste

For stir fry :
1.5 tspn olive oil
1 cup sliced green bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced white onion
1 cup tomato puree
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tspn ginger paste

For garnish
1 tspn freshly chopped parsley /basil leaves

Method:
Heat oil in a pan on medium heat, Saute the ginger and garlic. Add the onion and saute for 1 min with salt till transparent. Add the tomato puree and cook covered for 5 mins on low heat. Stir at intervals and cook till the mixture is thick and saucy. Now turn the heat to medium - high and add the marinated shrimp. Stir fry for about 2 mins till shrimp are tender. Add the bell peppers and cook on high heat for about 2 mins till the bell peppers are tender and the shrimp are fully cooked. Mix well and turn off the heat. Serve hot as a side garnished with parsley/ basil leaves.

Tip :
You could add cumin powder for extra flavor.
You could skip the parsley and make it indianized adding garam masala or chinese adding soya sauce for alternative flavor.
The mix of onions and bell peppers should be equal to the quantity of the shrimps
Do not overcook the shrimp or it will taste rubbery.

Bell peppers and parmesan cheese stuffed Mushroom

Serving size : 4
Total preparation time : 5 mins
Cooking time : 8 mins

Ingredients :
15 medium sized mushrooms, washed and dried
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped red bell peppers
4 garlic cloves. minced
2 tspn olive oil
1/2 tspn salt
1/2 tspn black pepper
1/2 tspn oregano
1 tspn dried parsley leaves

For baking :
1 tspn butter.

For garnish.
Grated cheese
1 tspn freshly chopped parsley leaves

Method :
Remove the stems of the mushroom and chop them. Heat 1 tspn oil in a pan and saute the garlic. Add the red bell peppers and the chopped mushroom stems and saute for a min. Add salt, parsley, black pepper and oregano.Turn off the heat and add the grated cheese. Mix well and set aside.
Preheat the oven at 350*F and line a baking sheet with oil or parchment paper. Now stuff each of the mushrooms with the stuffing and line them on the baking sheet. Sprinkle some butter over each of the mushrooms and bake for 5-6 mins until cooked. Remove from the oven, top each of the mushrooms with some more grated cheese as preferred and a dash of chopped parsley. You could again transfer these into the switched off still hot oven for the cheese to melt. Serve hot as an appetizer.

Tips :
You could use sweet corn kernels, chicken, tofu, potato, green peas as the stuffing or a veg mix of your choice.
You could use butter for extra extra and skip the olive oil totally
You could use 1 tbpsn bread crumbs for preparing the stuffing of this recipes to give a crunchy topping.
You can prepare the stuffin,stuff the mushrooms and keep in the refrigerator and bake just mins before your guests arrive.

Vegetable Upma

Serving size : 4
Total Preparation time : 8 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients :
1 cup medium sized semolina, roasted
1.5- 2 tbspn oil/ ghee

For the tempering :
A pinch of asafetida
1 sprig/ 7-8 curry leaves
1 tspn cumin seeds
1 tspn mustard seeds
1/2 inch grated ginger
3 finely chopped green chilies
1 tspn Split and skinned black gram/chana dal/bengal gram
1 tspn Split and skinned black lentils/ urad dal
1 tbpsn peanuts
1 tbspn cashew nuts

For vegetable mix :
1 tbspn finely green peas
1 tbpsn chopped green beans
1 tbspn finely chopped carrots
2 tbspn finely chopped onions
2 tbspn lime juice
1.5 tspn salt
2 tspn sugar
2 cups hot water

For the garnishing :
1 tspn freshly grated coconut (optional)
1 tbspn finely chopped coriander leaves


Method :
Heat a wide heavy bottom non stick pan with ghee/oil on medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and fry till they crackle. Add the asafetida and cumin seeds along with the chana dal and urad dal. Add the cashew nuts and peanuts and fry them along with the lentils/dals. Add the green chilies,curry leaves along with ginger, saute for 1 min. Add the chopped onion and fry till transparent. Now add the chopped vegetables, salt and sugar and mix well. Turn the heat to medium, add hot water to the vegetables, mix well and bring the water to a boil. Cook till the vegetables are tender. Now turn the heat to medium and add the roasted semolina in 3- 4 batches stirring continuously to make sure there are no lumps. Keep on stirring and cook the semolina till it absorbs the water and swells. Lower the heat and cook the mixture till it becomes dry. If the mixture is too dry add some more water. Simmer for another 2 mins stirring making sure the mixture doesn't stick at the bottom. Turn off the heat, add the lime juice and mix well. Garnish with coriander leaves and freshly grated coconut and serve hot.

Best served as a snack or breakfast with green coconut chutney, lemon wedges or pickle

Tip :
Using hot water to cook the semolina helps in saving cooking time.
You could skip the veggies totally and use only the nuts and lentil.
Veggies leave water upon cooking so add water in parts, you could add more water if required.
Adjust sugar, salt and lime juice as per required taste.

Sprouted Turkish gram pilaf/ Matki pulav

Serving size :4
Total preparation time : 5 mins
Cooking time: 12-15 mins

Ingredients :
1 cup white sona masoori/ basmati rice, washed and pre soaked for 10 mins
3/4 cup washed and sprouted turkish gram/matki/moth
2 1/4 cup water/ equivalent vegetable stock
1 finely chopped onion.
5 garlic cloves, minced.
1 tspn ginger paste
4-5 green beans, blanched (optional)
1 finely chopped tomato
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick
2 black pepper corns
2 whole red chilies
1 tspn shahi jeera/ black cumin seeds
1 black cardamom/ 2 green cardamoms
4 - 5 roasted cashew nuts
1 tspn salt
1 tbspn ghee/ clarified butter/ oil
2 tbpsn chopped cilantro/ coriander leaves

Method :
Heat ghee/oil in a pressure cooker. Add the whole spices and chilies and saute till brown. Add the garlic and ginger and saute till brown for 1 min. Add the cashew nuts followed by the chopped onion and saute till transparent for 1 min. Add the tomatoes, green beans, the sprouted turkish gram, salt and the water/stock. Cover the cooker with the lid and pressure cook for 6-8 mins or till 2 whistles.
Once the steam is out, remove the rice and transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves. Serve hot with choice of curry or grilled seafood/ chicken.


Tips :
Do not add too much water. 2 - 21/4 cups water is sufficient depending on the quality of the rice.
You can add a mix of sprouted lentils or a mix of veggies to this recipe.

Asparagus and mushroom rice

Serving size :4
Total preparation time : 10 mins
Cooking time: 18 mins

Ingredients :
1 cup white rice, washed and pre soaked for 10 mins
12 stalks of asparagus, washed, cleaned and blanched into 2 inch length.
1 knorr/maggi vegetable stock cube.
1 finely chopped onion.
1 cup diced mushroom
5 garlic cloves, minced.
1 bay leaf
2 cloves
1 tspn black pepper
1 tbspn olive oil
1 tspn freshly chopped parsley leaves

Method :
Cook the rice with 2 cups water, bay leaf and vegetable stock cube and set aside.
Heat oil in a pan on medium heat. Add the minced garlic and the cloves and saute well for 2 mins.
Add the chopped onion and saute on medium heat for 2 mins till transparent. Now add the blanched asparagus,mushrooms, salt and black pepper and cook on medium heat for 3 mins. Once the asparagus and mushrooms are cooked, add the cooked rice and parsley leaves and mix well.
Best served with seafood or any choice of protein.

Tips :
You could use home made vegetable stock or chicken broth instead of the readymade stock cube.
Note that if you are adding the stock cube, it already contains salt. So do not add salt to the rice.
However if using your own stock you can add salt accordingly.
Do not overcook the asparagus. Cook it till tender but crispy.
Cook the rice 90% such that its not sticky and the grains are separated.

Cilantro lime rice

Serving size :4
Total preparation time : 10 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients :
1 cup white rice, washed and pre soaked for 10 mins
1/4 cup lime juice
1 cup freshly cilantro leaves
1 bay leaf
1.5 tspn salt.
2-3 cilantro leaves to garnish

Method :
Puree the cilantro leaves.
Cook the rice with 3 cups water and a little salt, strain the water and keep aside.
Heat oil in a pan on medium heat, add the bay leaf. Add the pureed cilantro paste and simmer for 2 mins on low heat. Add the rice,lime juice and mix well. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve hot. Best served with black beans or with seafood or chicken on the side.

Tips :
You could add a cinnamon stick and use chopped coriander leaves instead of puree.