Mutton Soup

My family loves this soup, especially my little one..the best feeling in the world is when your kids ask for more :)

Ingredients:

• Mutton soup bones - 500 gms
• Mutton shoulder curry pieces - 2 - 3
• Onion - 2 medium sized
• Tomatoes - 3 medium sized
• Mint leaves - 1 small cup
• Coriander leaves - half a cup
• Ginger garlic paste  -  1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder - half tsp 
• Garam masala powder - half tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin powder - half tsp
• Red chili powder - half tsp
• Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Ghee - 1 tbsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker, add sliced onions and fry until golden in color, now add ginger garlic paste and mint leaves and saute for 2 minutes.
2. Add finely chopped tomatoes, salt, little coriander and all the powders, mix well.
3. Now cover the cooker with a plate and cook this on low flame for 5 minutes, once the oil separates from the masala, add the mutton and fry this in the masala for 2 minutes.
4. Add two big glasses of water and close the pressure cooker until 7 to 8 whistles.
5. The water added should be reduced to less than half the quantity.
6. Now take the strainer and separate the soup from the mutton.
7. Take out the mutton shoulder curry pieces, shred them and add it in the soup along with little chopped coriander.
8. Hot mutton soup is ready to sluurppp.... :)

Note:

While making this soup for kids you can skip red chili powder and use only black pepper powder as per your preference.

Tandoori Chicken Legs

I got this recipe from my sister Ruby and trust me if you make it once you will never stop making it again and again and moreover it consume less time and effort compared to other chicken dishes.

Ingredients:

• Chicken legs  - 6
• Ginger garlic paste - 2 tsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tsp
• Kasuri methi - 2 tbsp
• Red chilli powder - 1 Tsp
• Black pepper powder - half tsp
• Garam masala - half tsp
• Dhanya ( coriander) powder -  half tsp
• Cumin powder - half tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsps
• Red food color - optional
• Salt as per taste
• Chat masala - A generous pinch

Method:

1. Make deep slits on the chicken legs using a sharp knife.
2. In a bowl add all the ingredients and mix well. Make sure the chicken legs are nicely coated with the masala.
3. Cover the bowl and allow it to marinate overnight, if not minimum of 6 hours before cooking.
4. After removing the marination from fridge, give it  a good mix and place it on a high oven rack.
   
5. Pre heat the oven to 200 Degree Celsius.
6. Place it the oven and set the timer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove it from the oven and flip the chicken legs using a tong and again cook this for another 20 minutes at 200 degree celsius.
7. It is ready to be served. 
8. You can sprinkle little chat masala (optional) and garnish it with chopped coriander and onion rings before serving. 

Note:

The oven settings ,temperature and timing may vary depending on your oven model.

Instant Gulab Jamun

I always keep a instant MTR Gulab Jamun Mix at home for the instant sweet cravings ;)
The entire procedure is mentioned on the packet but i do few changes to it.

• I knead the mix with warm milk instead of water.
• Apply few drops of ghee and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes before cooking.

Follow the rest of the recipe as usual and in the end garnish it with sliced almonds and enjoy !!

Dal Ka meetha

Dal ka meetha is a traditional sweet which we make during weddings, eid and family gatherings.

The best dal ka meetha is made by my mom. :)

This is her recipe which i followed.

Ingredients:

• Chana dal - 1 cup
• Almonds - 2 cups
• Khova - 250gms
• Milk - half litre
• Sugar - 2 cups
• Kesar food colour - a pinch
• Vanilla essence - 2 - 3 drops
• Cardamom - 2
• Cinnamon stick - half inch
• Ghee - 2 tbsps
• Almonds - blanched & sliced (for garnish)
• Raisins

Method :

1. Soak almonds in enough water for 6 hours minimum. Peel and grind the almonds to a fine paste, use few tbsps of milk while grinding it. Do not add water.
2. In a cooking pot add the dal and one big glass of water and soak it for 2 hours.
3. Now keep the pot on the stove and cook it until the dal is soft and make sure the water dries up while cooking the dal. If needed you can add more water for the dal to cook but don't add too much water as it has to dry up during the cooking process of dal.
4. Grind the cooked dal, now add khova and milk and grind it again. The consistency should be slightly thick and not watery.
5. Take a thick bottom vessel, add the dal mixture, almond paste, sugar and food colour, give it a good mix , cover the vessel and cook it on medium to low flame for 20 minutes, keep stirring every 5 minutes, add vanilla essence in the last and keep it on simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Once it is cooked turn off the stove and keep aside.
7. Take a separate pan, add ghee and fry cardamom, cinnamon, raisins and almonds (blanched & sliced) on low flame and add it to the dal ka meetha and its ready to serve.
8. Tastes good hot and cold :)

Note: Adjust the consistency of the dal mixture with milk while grinding and cooking. Add more milk if the mixture is getting too thick while cooking. Also adjust the quantity of sugar as per taste.

Chicken Shashlik

My first attempt on pan fried Chicken Shashlik, must say this dish is worth cooking often :)

Ingredients:

  
For chicken marination:

• Boneless chicken cubes - 500gms
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Soya sauce - 2 tsp
• Vinegar - 2 tsp
• Red chili powder  - 1 tsp
• Tandoori chicken masala - 2 tsp
• Black pepper powder - half tsp
• Cumin powder - 1 tsp
• Garam masala - half tsp
• Chat masala - half tsp
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Salt as per taste

Marinate this chicken and refrigerate it for 6 hrs or overnight marination would be the best.

 

For veggies marination: 

• Onions cut in to cubes
• Capsicum cut in to cubes
• Tomatoes cut in to cubes
• Soya sauce - 1 tsp
• Red chili powder  - half tsp
• Tandoori chicken masala - 1 tsp
• Black pepper powder - half tsp
• Cumin powder - half tsp
• Garam masala - a generous pinch
• Chat masala -  a generous pinch
• Salt - half tsp
• Oil - 1 tsp

Marinate veggies and refrigerate it for an hour before cooking.

 

Method:

1. Take wooden skewers and soak it in water for 30 minutes.
2. Thread cubes of marinated capsicum,onion, tomato and chicken in the skewer, repeat the process depending upon on the length of the skewer. 
3. In a non stick pan add 4 - 5 tbsps of oil and shallow fry it, keep it covered and cook it on medium to low flame, keep turning it every 5 minutes until it is cooked.

Paneer Fry

My kids favorite paneer fry !!

A quick and tasty paneer recipe when you are in a hurry, also it needs only a few basic ingredients from your pantry :)

Ingredients:

• Paneer - 300 gms
• Olive oil - 2 tbsp
• Chat masala - 1 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - half a tsp 
• Cumin powder - half a tsp
• Garam masala powder - half a tsp
• Black pepper powder - half a tsp
• Salt as per taste 
• Oil for frying

Method:

1. In a bowl add olive oil and rest of the ingredients (except paneer) and mix well.
2. Now add paneer cubes to the above mixture and mix well.
3. Refrigerate this for one or two hours .
4. In a frying pan, add 3 - 4 tbsps of oil and shallow fry the paneer until golden in colour and its ready.

Sweets and more sweets :)