Spaghetti with chicken Sausages

During our visit to a mall on Thursday,my husband grabbed some Italian spaghetti(He picked the most expensive one in the store instead of the local ones which was one sixth of the price of the said one). Anyway,today i had to prepare it for him as he gave me an ultimatum that he wont have anything else in dinner.So here is a a very easy recipe which can be prepared with only few ingredients in hand.Buon Appetito!

Serves 2
Ingredients:
Spaghetti-250 gms
Thinly Chopped veggies-1 Cup
*I used onions,red and green capsicum,carrot *
Garlic-4-5 buds
Olive Oil-2 1/2 tbsp
Oyster sauce-1 Tsp
Soy Sauce-1 Tsp
Chilly Vinegar-1 tsp
Pepper-1/2 tsp
Salt-As per taste

 Method:
1.Heat 1 1/2 Tbsps oil in a wok to a smoky flame.Add the thinly sliced onions and crushed garlic and toss for a minute.

2.Add the thinly sliced vegetables and toss for another minute or two on high flame.

3.Add the sauces,vinegar,salt and pepper powder and mix well.

4.Add the pre boiled spaghetti to the tossed vegetables and mix well.

5.For the sausages,heat a non stick pan and add 1 tbsp oil.

6.Add the chicken sausages and cooked till they are brown from all sides.

7.Add little tomato puree,ginger garlic paste, chilly powder,oyster sauce.No need to add salt as the sausages already have it.

Ready to be serve with spaghetti or can be served alone!!!

Note:

1.Follow the packet instructions to cook the spaghetti.Use five times the water and it should be cooked to al dente.Hence skipped the steps here.

2.I didn't measure the ingredients to prepare the sausages.It was a complete free flow recipe.Add anything you have in the kitchen and it will definitely taste good.

Eggless chocolate Cake

I always wanted to bake an eggless cake but never dare to, as many people told me that cakes without eggs doesn't rise at all.But its just a myth.Please try this recipe and like me,you will surely jump with joy.

Recipe adapted from Sharmilee's Blog
Ingredients:
All purpose flour/Maida-1 1/2 cup
Sugar-1 Cup
Baking Soda-3/4 Tsp
Baking Powder-1/4 Tsp
Salt-1/4 Tsp
Cocoa Powder-3 Tbsps
Water-1 Cup
Vanilla Essence-1 Tsp
Lemon Juice-1 Tbsp
Refined Oil-1/4 Cup


Method:
1.Take a bowl and mix together water,vanilla essence,lemon juice,oil and sugar.Mix till sugar is completely dissolve.

2.Now take all the dry ingredients and sift together for three times.

3.Meanwhile grease the cake tin and preheat the oven at 180C.
4.Mix the sifted flour mix to the sugar solution little at a time till all the flour are mixed.

5.Pour the mixture into the greased tin and bake it for 35-40 mins.

6.Insert a tooth pick and check if its done.let it cool for 30 mins and then serve.

Note:
1.Original recipe ask for choco chips but since i was out of stock i skipped the same.
2.The sweetness in the cake is just adequate.If you want more please increase the quantity of the sugar by 3-4 tbsps.

Til Pitha

Today being 14th April marks Rongali Bihu.Well, again being away from my native place, I miss the celebrations a lot. I made the Til Pitha today just to cherish old memories. I must admit that making til pithas is really a tough job.We need to use only Bora Saul(Glutinous Rice) and the art of making the perfect pithas lies in our hands.And seriously, today when i tried the first one,i knew what kind of perfection it demands. Anyway i could make only few of them.Since we don't get ready made ones here, it was a nice experience to make some in the my own kitchen. Thanks to my mom for getting me the ingredients - Bora Saul, Black Til and Gur(Jaggery) from Assam.

Makes:10
Ingredients
Bora Saul(Glutinous Rice)-1 1/2 Cups
Black Sesame seeds(Til)-1/2 Cup
Gur/Jaggery-1/2 Cup or less
Water-To soak the rice


Method:
1.Soak the rice overnite and then drain the water in the morning.Keep aside for 2 hours.

2.Grind the rice without adding any water.

3.Sieve it to get fine powder.Grind the remaining rice.

4.Stack it in a bowl and make sure to cover it up otherwise it will become dry.

5.Slightly roast the sesame seeds in medium heat.Turn off the gas when a rice aroma comes.Let it cool.

6.Grind it to a powder.It will be slightly coarse in texture.

7.Now add the jaggery,please be careful with the portion of jaggery.Add little jaggery first and taste for the sweetness after the first grind.

8.This is how the jaggery til mixture will look like.

9.Spread the rice flour to form a chapatti like shape.Please be quick as the rice immediately stick to the tawa.

10.Spread the til gur mixture in the middle.

11.Roll it from one side to give a shape like below.

12.Make the rest of the Pithas.

Roasted Tomato Chutney

This chutney is a must at my home on every Saturday.Our Saturday lunch menu is fixed.It consists of Khichdi,Aloo ka Chokha,tamatar ki chutney and Achar.Sometimes i prepare this chutney along with Parathas also.

Ingredients:

Serves:2

Tomatoes-4 Nos

Onion-1 Big Sized

Green Chilies-2 Nos

Garlic Flakes-2-3

Ginger-Small Piece

Coriander/Dhaniya-Small sprig

Mustard Oil-1 Tsp

Salt-As per taste

Method:

1.Roast the tomatoes over the gas till they are tender.Remove from fire when the skin comes out.

2.Meanwhile chop the veggies and keep aside.

3.When the roasted tomatoes are cool,remove the skin and mash all with the chopped veggies and sprinkle oil and salt.

Serve with Khichdi and Parathas!!!

Dahi Papdi Chaat

Few days back I tried the recipe of Baked Papdi,but it didn't turn out well.So i tried the traditional recipe today and also the all time hit.And yes,this time it was a HIT in my kitchen too. 

Ingredients:

Serves TWO

For Papdi

Makes-12-13

All Purpose Flour/Maida-1/2 Cup

Ghee/Oil-1/2 Tbsp

Ajwain/carom seeds-1 Tsp

Water-For kneading

Salt as per taste

For Chaat

Boiled potato Cubed-From 1 medium sized

Green Chutney-2 Tbsp

Imli Chutney-2 Tbsp

Chopped tomato-1 medium sized

Chopped Onion-1 medium size

Curd-1/2 Cup

Sugar-1 Tsp

Chilli Powder-1/2 Tsp

Chaat Masala-1/2 Tsp

Bhuna Jeera Powder-1/2 Tsp

Coriander/Dhania-For garnishing

Sev-For Garnishing

Salt-As per taste

Method:

1.Take maida,oil,ajwain and salt in a bowl.Add little water at a time to make the dough.The dough should be little dry compared to the dough we make for chappati.

 2.Wrap the dough with a wet kitchen towel and set aside for 15-20 mins.

3.Roll out the dough to a very very thin sheet and cut it into round shape with a cookie cutter(I used the lid of a small stainless steel dabba).Prick the surface of each papdi with a fork.

4.Fry the papdis in hot oil till brown.Be careful not to burn them.And make sure oil is very hot oil otherwise it wont be crispy.

5.Arrange the papdis in a seving bowl.

6.Add the boil cubed poatoes.

7.Add whipped curd(mixed with sugar) and the two chutneys.

8.Garnish with chopped onion,tomatoes,dry masalas,sev and chopped coriander.Enjoy!!!

Note:

1.Serve it immediately,otherwise papdis will loose the crispiness.

2.Along with the boiled cubed potatoes,you can add boiled chikpeas too. 

Spicy Egg Curry

While preparing lunch today,I deeply remembered one of my old colleague and a dear friend "Vidi".She used to get me Egg Curry prepared by her mom exclusively for me.And i must admit that no egg curry on this earth could beat that taste. Aunty also used to put few pieces of raw banana and it tastes heavenly Yummy.Now i know i cant prepare aunty's Version of Egg curry but here it is an effort to make a spicier version which is dedicated to me and in remembrance to Aunty's one.

Ingredients:

Boiled Eggs-2 Nos

Soaked red Chilies-4 Nos

Onion-1 Big Sized

Tomato-1 Big sized
Ginger-Garlic paste-1/2 Tsp

Cumin/Zeera seeds-1/2 Tsp

Black Mustard Seeds/Rai-1/2 Tsp

Hing-A Pinch

Mustard/Any Oil-2 Tbsps

Turmeric/Haldi Powder-1/2 Tsp

Garam Masala Powder-1/2 Tsp

Coriander/Dhania Powder-2 Tsps

Tamarind Paste-1/2 tsp

Sambar Powder-1/2 Tsp

Hot water-1/2 Cup

Chopped Coriander-1 Tbsp

Salt-As per Taste

Method:

1.Grind the onion,tomato and chilies to a fine paste.

2.Heat oil in a kadhai.when hot,add the cumin seeds,mustard seeds and hing.You can add few curry leaves too.Let it splutter.

 

3.Add the above prepared paste,ginger garlic paste and fry till oil separates from the sides.It takes 3-4 mins.

4.Add all the dry masalas,salt and tamarind paste and mix well.

5.Add hot water and the slit boiled eggs to the gravy.Cover it and let it simmer for 3-4 mins.You can adjust the amount of hot water to as per the gravy consistency of your choice.

6.Garnish with chopped coriander and serve with hot plain rice.

Notes:

1.Hot water can be replaced by coconut milk.

2.Instead of tomato,ready made puree can be used but fresh is always healthier.

3.More red chilies or powder can be used to spice it up.4 nos was enough for me.

5.You can slightly fry the eggs.I am sure will taste better.

6.Always use hot water to add to the gravies.