Ribbon Sandwich

I have been making this sandwich for years whenever there is a kids' party at home. It is a healthy sandwich and is yummy too! Coriander leaves and mint leaves are used to make the green chutney which enhances the nutritive value of this sandwich.

This is my entry for this week's Weekend Herb Blogging which is the brilliant idea of Kalyn. It is being hosted this week by Nami Nami.

What you need:

Bread -1 loaf

For the green chutney:

Grated coconut -1\4 cup
Coriander leaves -2 tbsp
Mint leaves -2 tbsp
Green chilli -1
Juice of half a lime
Salt -to taste
Cheddar cheese -1 cube

For the red chutney:

Tomato sauce -4 tbsp
Butter -2 tbsp
Pepper powder -1\4 tsp
Salt -to taste

Method:

Grind together all the ingredients for the green chutney to a fine paste except the cheese. Transfer it to a bowl and add grated cheese. (Add less salt for both the chutneys as the cheese and butter already contain salt.) Mix well and keep aside. In another bowl, mix together tomato sauce, butter, pepper and salt. Take a slice of bread and spread the green chutney on it. Place another slice of bread on top of it. Spread the red chutney . Place one more slice of bread on top. Press firmly and cut the edges. Cut it diagonally. Repeat the same with other slices. Serve immediately. If you need to make them before hand, keep them wrapped in a wet cloth. The chutneys can be refrigerated for 1 or 2 days.

Chicken Pulao

Chicken Pulao is a South Indian Dish in which chicken is cooked along with rice. In Kerala, we make only Chicken Biriyani in which the chicken is prepared separately and then rice and the chicken are arranged layer by layer and then put on dum or baked. I learnt to make Chicken Pulao only after coming to Bangalore. In fact, it is quite easy to prepare and tastes really good. I have used Saffron Essence in this dish. You can substitute it with Saffron strands soaked in little milk.

This is my entry for the Think Spice : Saffron event being hosted by Sunita of Sunita's World.

Ingredients:

Basmati rice -2 1\2 cups
Chicken -1 kg
Onions -3 sliced
Tomatoes -2 chopped
Green chillies -3 slit
Ginger - garlic paste -2 tbsp
Coriander leaves -2 tbsp chopped
Mint leaves -2 tbsp chopped
Biriyani masala powder -2 1\2 tbsp
Turmeric powder -1\2 tsp
Bay leaf -1
Cinnamon -1" piece
Cardamom -3
Cloves -3
Curd -1 cup
Water -3 cups
Salt -to taste
Ghee -3 tbsp
Oil -4 tbsp
Cashewnuts -2 tbsp
Raisins -2tbsp
Ghee -1 tsp
Saffron essence -1 tsp
Juice of half a lime

Method:

Clean and cut the chicken into big pieces. Wash the rice and soak in 3 cups of water for 20 minutes. Heat ghee and oil together in a pressure cooker. Put the bay leaf and whole spices. Add the onions and green chillies. Fry till the onions turn golden brown. Add the ginger - garlic paste and fry for a minute. Now add the biriyani masala powder and turmeric powder. Fry for few seconds. Add the tomatoes and salt. Fry till the oil separates. Add the chicken pieces and chopped coriander and mint leaves. Fry for 5 minutes till the chicken is half cooked. Add the curd and mix well. Then add the soaked rice along with the water. Finally add the lime juice and saffron essence. Mix gently and close the lid. When the first whistle comes, reduce the flame to low. Cook for 4 minutes and put off the fire. Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp ghee in a small pan and fry the cashewnuts and raisins. Keep aside. Once the pressure is gone, open the lid of the cooker. Keep it open for 10 minutes and transfer the pulao to a serving dish. Garnish with fried cashewnuts and raisins. Serve hot with tomato salad, pickle and pappads. Enjoy!

Snake Gourd Dal Curry

Padavalanga Parippu Curry

Ingredients:

Snake gourd -1\2 kg
Toor dal -1\2 cup
Grated coconut -1\2 cup
Green chillies -4
Turmeric powder -1\2 tsp
Cumin seeds -1\4 tsp
Water -2 cups
Salt -to taste

For Tempering:

Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Small onions -4 sliced
Dry red chillies -3 broken
Curry leaves -1 sprig
Oil -1 tbsp

Method:

Scrape the skin of the snake gourd and remove the seeds. Wash it and chop into small pieces. Wash the dal and put it into a pressure cooker. Add the chopped snake gourd and pour 2 cups of water. Add salt and cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, grind the coconut, green chillies, turmeric powder and cumin seeds to a fine paste. Open the lid of the cooker and add the ground coconut paste. Add water if the curry is too thick. Keep it on a medium flame and boil it for about 2 minutes. Put off the flame. Heat oil in a small pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add the small onions, dry red chillies and curry leaves. Fry till the onions turn light brown. Put off the fire and add the tempering to the curry. Mix well and serve hot with rice.

Paneer Supreme

What you need:

Paneer -200gms cubed

Capsicum -1 cubed

Tomato -1 cubed

Onion -1 cubed

Green chillies -2 chopped

Ginger - garlic paste -1 tsp

Tomato sauce -2 tbsp

Chilli powder -1 tsp

Turmeric powder -1\4 tsp

Garam masala -1\2 tsp

Water -1 cup

Coriander leaves -1 tbsp chopped

Salt -to taste

Oil -2 tbsp

Method:

Heat oil in a non stick pan. Put the paneer cubes and fry them till light brown. Take them out and keep aside. In the same oil, fry onions and green chillies for a minute. Add the ginger - garlic paste and fry. Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder and garam masala. Mix and add the capsicum and tomatoes and fry for another minute. Add the tomato sauce, water and salt. Bring it to boil and put the fried paneer cubes. Mix well and let it simmer for 3 minutes. When the gravy is thick, put off the fire. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot. It goes well with roti, nan or kulcha.

Mutton Masala

Ingredients:


Mutton -1 kg
Onions -2 sliced
Ginger -2" piece chopped
Garlic -5 chopped
Green chillies -4 slit
Dry red chillies -3 broken, seedless
Curry leaves -2 sprigs
Mutton masala -2 tsp
Coriander powder -2 tsp
Chilli powder -1 tsp
Turmeric powder -1 tsp
Gram masala -1 tsp
Curd -1 cup
Salt -to taste
Oil -2 tbsp
Coriander leaves -2 tbsp chopped


Method:


Clean the mutton pieces and marinate it with turmeric powder, curd and salt. Keep it aside for half an hour. Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies, red chillies and curry leaves. Fry till the onions turn golden brown. Add the masala powders and fry for a minute. Now add the marinated mutton and fry for 5 minutes. Add water only if necessary. Close the lid and cook for 15 minutes or till done. Open the lid once the pressure is gone. Mix well and keep it on a medium flame for 5 miutes more. Adjust the salt. Add the coriander leaves just before putting off the fire. Serve hot with rice or rotis.

Pachoru

Pachoru is an ancient Christian delicay. It is usually made during Church Festivals. In olden days, when one's wishes come true, people used to make Pachoru and take it to the church and distribute it to the devotees, on the festival day. It is served with melted jaggery and can be eaten as a snack or a dessert. Kids will love it too!

Velankanni is a famous pilgrim centre in Tamil Nadu. The church is dedicated to Our Lady of Health. It is one of the most visited pilgrim places in India. The festival is celebrated on September 8th every year. Mother Mary is lovingly known as 'Annai Velankanni' throughout Tamil Nadu. You can read more about Velankanni here.

What you need:

Raw rice -1 cup
Grated coconut -1 cup
Water -6 cups
Cumin seeds -1 tsp, crushed
Salt -as required
Melted jaggery -as required

Method:

Cook the rice along with 4 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 7 minutes. Grind the coconut to a fine paste. Open the cooker and add the ground coconut paste, salt and 2 cups of water. Mix well and simmer it for about 5 minutes till it is thick. Finally add crushed cumin seeds and mix well. Transfer it to a serving dish and let it cool. Cut it into pieces and serve topped with melted jaggery. It can be served chilled or at room temperature.

Easy Chilli Chicken

This is an Indo - Chinese recipe that I often make at home. It is my daughter's favourite chicken dish. No frying is required in its preparation. But it is very tasty!

Ingredients:

Chicken -1 kg

Onion -1 large, chopped

Green chillies -5 slit

Ginger - garlic paste -2 tsp

Chilli powder -1 tsp

Turmeric powder -1\4 tsp

Vinegar -3 tsp

Water -1 cup

Salt -to taste

Orange red color -1\8 tsp

Soya sauce -2 tbsp

Sugar -1\2 tsp

Oil -2 tbsp

Coriander leaves -1 tbsp chopped

Method:

Wash and cut the chicken into small pieces. Mix it with turmeric powder, chilli powder, vineger, orange red color and salt. Keep aside for half an hour. Transfer the chicken to a pan, pour 1 cup of water and cook covered till done. Open the lid and evaporate excess water. Heat oil in a non stick pan and add ginger- garlic paste. Fry for a few seconds on low flame. Add onions and green chillies. Fry till the onions turn pink. Add soya sauce and sugar. Stir and add the cooked chicken pieces. Fry for 5 minutes and put off the fire. Garnish with coriander leaves. Goes well with rice, chapathis, pulao, fried rice or noodles.