Happy thanksgiving 2017 !

"When you express gratitude and appreciation, you change your mindset. When you feel grateful for everything you have, no matter how small it is, and you allow yourself to FEEL this gratitude, you will receive more of what you are asking for". 

Lisa Townsend

Onam 2017

Celebrating the harvest festival !

Last week was all about Onam which is the harvest festival in kerala it is glorified as the  celebration of harvest season in the southern state of India.
Onam is best described visually as a display of beautiful flower arrangements in front of the house and  with a delectable array of vegetarian food preparations served on banana leaf along with rice  .
I absolutely love Onam so in my lil' way I try to make the most of it .
With all the globalization in today's time it was easy to pull of this traditional festival .
Thanks to Amazon prime and the Local Indian store :)

Now to the recipe

What U need :

1. Beans / Payar - 1 bunch chopped fine 
   Turmeric powder- 1 tsp
   Chopped garlic - 4-5
   Coconut grated - 1/2 cup
   Green chillies- 1-2 chopped
   Curry Leaves- 1 spring
   Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
   Olive Oil & salt - as needed
   
   Chop the beans or payar really fine use a blender if needed .
   
   
   

   Chop onion and the green chilies mix some of the green chillies with the beans add the turmeric powder and set aside.

   
   
   

   Heat oil in a non stick pan. Add the mustard seeds let the mustard seeds splutter, add the chopped onion, garlic, curry leaves and one slit green chilies. Sauté  the onion for few minutes till light brown

   Add the coconut and then add  the chopped beans and mix well cook for about 10-15 minutes. Stir intermediately  
   
   

   

   
   
   Serve with rice and all the other onam recipes  Njoy !

Penne pasta with basil chicken balls

This is one of the simplest and quickest dinner idea to put together, especially on the busy and bustling days this can be a life saver. Usually I have a rustic bread to go along with the pasta .

What you need :

Pasta  - 1cup (penne)
Sun dried tomatoes - 1 Tbsp
Chicken balls or meatballs - 7-8 (I used Costco chicken balls)
Parsley - a hand full chopped
Parmesan cheese - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 3 chopped finely
Olive oil - 2tbsp
Salt as needed


Boil  the pasta with salted water, usually penne a little longer as compared to the thinner pastas like angel hair or fettuccine
Heat the pan add the oil , sauté the chopped garlic add the meatballs cook for few mins
Add the cooked pasta with a little water this helps to create these sauce .
Toss together then add the tomatoes, parsley and cheese
Check the salt add more is needed.
Serve with buttered rustic bread and some good wine
Njoy !

Groundnut Chutney

What u need 

• Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Shallots  - 1-2 chopped
• Ginger  - 1 inch
• Curry leaves  - 4-5
• Oil -  1 tbsp
• Salt as needed
• Roasted groundnuts - 1 tablespoon
• Mustard seeds  - 1/2tsp
• Dried red Achilles - 4-5

Roast coconut , roasted ground nuts , red chillies , ginger and shallots in a bit of oil for few minutes  .

Then grind the above ingredients into a paste , add oil in a pan when hot add the mustard seeds as they start to break add the finely chopped shallots and curry leaves,

Add the grand coconut mixture to the oil.

Keep in stirring for few mins then add salt.

Serve it with some crispy masala dosas . Njoy !

Spicy Salmon fish fry

This is a very simple and healthy recipe that U can make  any time , it so happened while I was on my morning walk with my walking buddy and she mentioned that our grocery FM had some really good salmon on sale !
So I headed to the store and got some on my list :)

What U need
Salmon fillet - 2 Lbs
Salt -as needed
Paprika- 1 tsp
Pepper white and black- 1tsp
Turmeric pwd- 1 tsp
Chilli pwd- 2 tsp
Garlic pwd- 2 tsp
Lemon slices
Red onions for garnish
Olive oil for shallow frying

Marinate the fish with the above ingredients at least for 2 hours  or overnight too ,Heat  a non stick pan for  a few minutes add oil and gently slide in the fish.
Fry each side for few minutes till crispy then serve with some sliced lemon wedges and red onions NJoy !

Egg fried rice

What U need ~

•  2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons of garlic chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon cut beans  
•  Olive oil for frying (my preference)
• 4 cups cooked jasmine rice, chilled
• 6 large cloves garlic clove, crushed
• 2 green chillies 
• 2 eggs 
• 1 onion, thinly slices
• 1/2 cup cilantro springs optional 
• 1/2 lemon cut quarter size optional

Prepare the ingredients by finely chopping the garlic and green chili. Heat a wok until very hot and then add 1-2 Tablespoons of oil . Add the finely chopped garlic and chilis and stir fry until the garlic is golden brown. Add the onion slices and  cut beans stir fry for 30 seconds to a minute until they are translucent, but still slightly firm. Add the rice and mix together with all of the other ingredients. Once the sauces have been mixed thoroughly with the rice,  make  a center hole in the pan add the eggs that have been beaten scramble it along with the rice add the cilantro leaves and turn off the heat.
Add the lemon on the side serve eat yourself and Njoy !

Happy Easter with yummy Beef Puffs

Easter has always been a special time of celebration coming together and spending time with family and friends . This easter instead of making the beef cutlets I decided to go with a twist beef puffs very similar just a different cover -up :)

What You need :

Puff pastry rolls - 1 box

Beef -2 pounds boiled and highly salted and minced or shredded

Boiled potatoes-1 crumbled 

Shallots chopped-1/2 cup

Ginger finely chopped-1/2 inch

Green chillies chopped as per taste

Cilantro chopped -1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Oil- 1 tablespoon 

Garam masala - 1 teaspoon

Heat  a pan and add the oil when hot add the onions , ginger sauce for few minutes

Add the shredded meat, boiled potatoes, green chillies, cilantro.

Mix well saute for few minutes more, add salt and garam nasal towards the end.

Next step is to cut up the pastry I usually cut one roll into 6 pieces, so one box will be enough to make 12 puffs. Then stuff these rolls with the meat mixture pinch on the edges like in the picture and lightly pat the top .

Once all these puffs are stuffed arranged them on a tray with a 1 inch space between each of them 

Bake at 400 " for 15 mins you can always brush the top with egg whites for an extra shiny glaze too.

After 15 mins the Beef puffs are ready to be devoured , serve with a tangy chutney or ketchup and NJoy !!

 " Wish you all a very happy and joyous Easter "

Cajun Rice

• What you need :
• 
  
• 1 cup uncooked rice
• 2 cups water or chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 lb sausage cut up
• Cajun or Creole Seasoning
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 cups diced onions and bell peppers
• 
  
• Combine rice, water (or broth) and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer . Remove from heat and set aside when done. Keep covered.
• 
  
• Cut the sausage into bite-sized pieces, about 1-inch cubes. For extra flavor you can use chorizo too . When the oil is very hot, add the sausage  in a single layer. Brown on one side, about 2-3 minutes, then flip and brown on the other side. Remove the sausage to a plate and set aside
• 
  
• Add the remaining olive oil to the pan, increase heat to high, and when the oil is hot, carefully add the onions and bell peppers. Add more seasoning and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and browned.
• 
  
• Add the onions and bell peppers, then add the sausage back in, along with any juices that may have collected on the plate. Add the cooked rice and stir until well combined. 
• NJoy !

Happy new year 2017

Let’s give a warm welcome to the year that starts a new, cherish each moment that the year shall behold, so let’s come together and celebrate a blissful start to the New Year. Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas 2016

" May this Christmas bring joy and love to your heart and soul, and may you start the New Year on a beautiful note. 

Wishing you the best Christmas and a safe and happy New Year "

Happy Thanksgiving

“It’s a gift to be able to give many thanks for the small things in your life. For the kind words and smiles. May the candles burn brightly and offer you peace. 
On this special day, 

May your blessings increase!”