And I’m a Mommy now

Blessed by almighty on 24th July with a baby girl. My life will never be the same again and so would be my cooking 🙂

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Chicken Biryani

Coming from a vegetarian background it was a completely new world for me learning about my Husband’s favorite dishes forget about the delicacies…I didn’t even knew the difference between chicken and Mutton (lol). Eventually when I started cooking Non Veg I had to try my hand on hubby’s favorite Chicken Biryani. Tried many different recipes however this version of Aditya Bal from Chak le India show struck out to be the best as per my family’s taste buds.

Preparation time – 30 min (marinating time – 8 hrs)

Cooking time- 30 min

Serves – 6

Ingredients-

Biryani basmati rice – ½ kg

Chicken- 1 kg

Onions – 2, chopped

Saffron – ½ tsp

Milk- 1 cup

Juice of 1 lemon

Chopped coriander

Sliced Green Chilli – 4

Chicken Marinade

Ginger-garlic paste -2 tbsp

Turmeric powder -1 tsp

Curd-1 1/2 cup

Red chilli powder-1 tsp

Salt to taste

Cloves-4

Cinnamon- 1″

Bay leaf – 1
Green cardamoms -2

Black cardamom-1

Cumin seeds -1/2 tsp

Spices for Rice

Cloves – 2

Cinnamon – ½”

Green Cardamoms – 2

Salt – As per taste

Dough- made from wheat flour and water

Vegetable oil- 2 tbsp

Process-

Grind all the chicken marinating spices, marinate the chicken and keep it for minimum four hours or eight hours. Deep fry the chopped onions and add them to the marinate and let it marinate for next ½ hour. Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes drain and wash the rice, in a cooking vessel add rice, spices for rice and requisite amount of water. Cover and cook till water is absorbed (till the rice is half cooked only).In a big Handi (or Dutch oven) add oil, heat it and then add the marinated chicken. Cook it on high flame till the oil separates and chicken takes good brown color. Now lower the flame, and layer the rice on top of chicken. Meanwhile make a dough from wheat n water. Warm milk in a pan and add saffron. Keep aside. After layering the rice pour in the saffron milk. Add chopped coriander and chopped chillies on top and then add lemon juice. Apply the dough firmly on the edges of the vessel and cover it with the lid. Cook on slow flame for 15-20 minutes. (the time might vary depending on your vessel). The seal will harden after 15-20 minutes. Take it off the heat. Wait for some time and then carefully cut through the seal. Serve the Biryani with Raita or Chicken Chaap.

P.S- As you cannot stir the Biryani while it is cooking sealed with dough, there are slight chances that the chicken might stick to the base, if possible give the vessel a slight shake around mid cooking time.

Banana and Walnut Muffins

After a long break from baking and closing of neighbor bakery gave me a huge excuse to get up and start baking again. Entered my third trimester and everyone’s focus has zoomed in now on my eating…so  better keep baking all that I savor and love to eat.

Preparation Time – 5 min
Baking time- 40 min
Yield- 10 muffins
Ingredients –
Flour- 2 cups
Eggs- 2
Ground cinnamon powder- ½ tsp
Baking powder- ¾ tsp
Baking soda- ¼ tsp
Ripe bananas – 3 med size
Brown sugar- ¾ cup
Walnut kernels- 10
Butter- ½ cup
Milk- ½ cup

Method-
Soak the walnuts in milk for 10-15 minutes. Sift together flour, soda, baking powder, cinnamon powder in a big bowl. Melt butter and mix sugar. Puree the bananas and beat the eggs separately. Make a well in the dough ball and stir in eggs and butter. Then add the banana puree, add milk if required. Pre heat the oven at 180°C. Line the muffin tray with muffin liners or grease lightly with butter. Pour the batter upto 1/2 of capacity and place the walnut kernel on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and let them cool on wire rack.
PS- I soaked the walnuts so as to avoid them getting dry from top.

Red Velvet and Nuts cake with Warm Cocktail syrup dressing

Cakes just need an excuse to be baked, and what more of an excuse seeing my younger SIL joining her alumni as Sr Manager. This definitely called for a cake. As my family prefers to stay away from heavy icing cakes, choose to combine Moist Red velvet and Dry Fruits cake. Also had a tin of Cocktail fruits along with some rum handy…they all had to combine …..yayay.

Preparation time- 30 min

Cooking time- 60 min

Serves- 6

Ingredients-

Dry Nuts Cake –

• Chopped Dry Fruits (almond, walnuts, raisins, dried apricots, Cashew, Dried Figs) – 1 cup
• Orange juice / Rum – 1 cup
• Eggs- 2
• Butter- ½ cup
• Sugar- ¾ cup
• Flour- 1 ½ cup
• Vanilla essence- ½ tsp
• Baking powder- 1 tsp
• Baking soda- ½ tsp
• Salt- a pinch
• Yellow food color- ¼ tsp

Red Velvet cake-

• Butter- ½ cup
• Sugar- ¾ cup
• Eggs- 4 separated
• Vanilla essence- ½ tsp
• Baking powder- 1 tsp
• Baking soda- ½ tsp
• Cocoa Powder- 2 tbsp
• Salt- a pinch
• Red Food color
• Buttermilk- 1 cup
• White Wine Vinegar- 1 tbsp

Rum – 1/2 cup

Chopped fruits- 1 cup / 1 can – cocktail fruits

Seedless grapes (optional)- ½ cup- sliced in half

Method

Dry Fruit cake– Soak the chopped dry fruits in orange juice / rum for min 30 minutes. Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy, gradually add eggs one at a time and then add the vanilla essence. In a separate bowl sift together flour, salt, baking powder n soda. Add the chopped dry fruits to the flour, mix, add the food color and then fold in the egg batter. Preheat the oven to 180°C, grease a round cake tin and pour the batter. Bake for 20 minutes or till the skewer comes out clean.

Red velvet cake– Separate the eggs, beat the butter and sugar till they are light and fluffy, add the yolks, mix well and then add the vanilla essence. Sift together flour, cocoa powder,salt, baking powder and soda, add food color and mix in the egg batter. Meanwhile start beating the egg whites till the mixture is very fluffy. Add white wine vinegar and red food color to the flour batter and then fold in gently the egg white mix. Preheat the oven to 180°C, grease a round cake tin and pour the batter. Bake for 20 minutes or till the skewer comes out clean.

If using the canned fruits- heat the syrup and add rum to it. Soak the red velvet cake and place the dry fruit cake on top. Arrange the sliced grapes and when serving pour the warm syrup with fruits on the top.

Fried Chicken

Summer or winter this one needs no excuse. Made this among starters as part of celebration for my SIL’s new job.

Preparation time- 10 min

Cooking time- 15 min

Serves- 3

Ingredients

• Leg pieces – 6
• Flour- 2 cup
• Cornflour- ½ cup
• Garlic powder- 1 tbsp
• Onion Powder- 1 tbsp
• Paprika- 1 tsp
• Italian seasoning – 1 tsp
• Salt- as per taste
• Eggs- 2
• Oil- Deep Frying

Method– Wash and pat dry the legs, mix all the dry ingredients together. In a separate big bowl beat the eggs and keep aside. Coat the leg piece in the flour mixture and then dip it in the egg mix. Repeat this 3 times making sure to dust off the excess mix while coating. Refrigerate the marinated leg pieces in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Bring them to the room temp before frying. Heat the oil and deep fry them on slow flame till golden brown. Serve hot with coleslaw salad.

Orange cake with Marmalade Glaze

Meeting friends over dinner Is special, but meeting them after 23 years makes it Just oh so special. So when an old school friend dropped in by after 23 years had to make something special. As the dinner planned was heavy on palate decided to go with fresh orange flavor. Made fluffy orange cake and gave a glaze of homemade marmalade.

Preparation Time- 10 minutes

Cooking time- 55 minutes

Ingredients –

Fresh Orange juice – 1 ½ cup

Orange zest – 1 tbsp

Flour- 2 cups

Butter- ¾ cup

Brown Sugar- ½ cup

Eggs- 4

Vanilla essence – ½ tsp

Baking powder- 1 tsp

Baking soda- ½ tsp

Salt- a pinch

Star anise- 1

Sugar- 1 tbsp

Orange marmalade – 2 tbsp

Method –

Cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy, add eggs one at a time beating till all are incorporated and batter is light and fluffy, add vanilla essence, orange zest and mix. Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda. Fold in gently with the egg batter, add 1 cup juice and mix. Grease the cake pan and preheat the oven at 180°C. Bake for 45-50 minutes or till the skewer comes out clean. Place the cake on serving tray , heat orange juice, star anise, sugar in a pan, boil it for 2-3 minutes and then add marmalade. Stir and once the marmalade melts remove from heat and pour over the cake. I served it along with Chocolate and Hazelnut ice cream (store brought) and Sauvignon Blanc.

Oatmeal and raisin Cookies

 

Feast season is here so how about keeping it light with something else. September month in my home is full of celebrations, birthdays to be precise. With loads of guests coming over planned to make some light and healthy cookies. Replaced butter with margarine to get rid of the butter guilt.

Preparation time- 10 min

Cooking time- 20 min

Ingredients:-

Oatmeal- 1 ½ cup

Flour- 1 ½ cup

Sugar- ½ cup

Margarine- ¾ stick or ½ cup

Raisins- ½ cup

Vanilla essence- ½ tsp

Eggs-2

Method-

Butter the flour and then add sugar, rub together and then add raisins and oatmeal. Add vanilla essence and mix thoroughly. Add one egg at a time forming dough. Heat the oven to 200°C. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate for 10 minutes. Roll out the dough and cut round cookies. Place them on greased tray and bake till golden brown for approx 15-20 minutes.