Oven Fried Crispy Chicken

One of those days when you crave for something crispy without the deep-frying......I thank to the broil option of the oven :) Give these a shot...you will want more....

Dish Category: Starter, Appetizers, Side Dish

Serves: 4

What I like about this recipe: Simple, easy, healthy, savoury and tasty

Ingredients:

1. 1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
2. 1 cup yogurt, lightly beaten
3. 2 tbsp lemon/lime juice
4. 1 tbsp hot sauce of choice
5. 1 tsp garlic salt - optional
6. 2 cloves garlic, paste
7. 2 cups cornflakes/bread crumbs/all-purpose flour
8. 1 egg
9. 1 cup milk
10. salt and black pepper to taste
11. 2 tbsp olive oil
12. Cooking spray

Steps:

1. Whisk the yogurt, lemon juice and garlic paste together and coat the chicken pieces well. Let marinate for 20 - 30 mins. The longer the better
2. Preheat oven to 350 deg F
3. Crush cornflakes (if using) in a food processor and set aside. 
4. Beat together egg and milk, season with salt, pepper and hot sauce
5. Dip the chicken pieces into the milk and egg mix and coat with cornflakes. Repeat after 10 minutes as the cornflakes become moist; re-dippin them in the crumbs enhances crispiness
6. Spray baking sheet with cooking spray and place chicken pieces 
7. Sprinkle with seasonings if desired
8. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes...or until inside of tenders are white
9. Broil for 5 - 6 mins or until golden and crispy on the outside
10. Serve with your choice of sauce

Baked Ricotta and Mushroom Pots

Pots of Baked Ricotta and Mushrooms

Recipe Source: From the book "Vegetarian Cooking - A common sense guide" 

What I like about the recipe: Super easy, quick and delicious, great for get-togethers

Dish Category: Starter

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

1. 20 g ( 3/4 oz) butter
2. 1 tsp olive oil
3. 1 and 1/2 cup sliced button mushrooms
4. 1 garlic clove, crushed
5. a pinch of ground nutmeg
6. Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling - optional
7. 400 g (14 oz) block ricotta cheese
8. Salt or sea-salt to taste

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 deg F
2. Heat the butter and olive oil in a small frying pan and add the mushrooms and garlic and briefly fry over high heat until lightly golden
3. Remove from the heat and stir in salt and black pepper to taste
4. Brush flour ramekins with a little extra virgin olive oil and line the bases with a circle of baking/parchment paper
5. Gently mix the mushroom mixture and ricotta cheese. Divide among the ramekins and press down firmly
6. Bake for 20 - 25 mins., or until the tops are crusty and the mixture has started to shrink from the side of the ramekins
7. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5 mins. before turning out
8. Serve hot, warm or cold, drizzled with a little extra virgin olive oil

Dahi Ke Kebab

Dahi Ke Kebab_An absolute Mughlai Delight

Dish category : Vegetarian Starter, Side Dish

What I like about the recipe: Unique and absolute delicacy, simple ingredients

Ingredients

1. 1 cup hung curd (take about 1.5 cups curd in a muslin/cheese cloth and hang over the sink for atleast 2 hours). For best results full-fat Yougurt
2. 1/2 cup besan/gram flour
3. 1/2 tsp chilli powder or green chilli paste
4. 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
5. 2 pods green cardamom, powdered
6. 2 cloves, powdered
7. A pinch of powdered cinnamon (optional, I didn't add any)
8. Salt to taste
9. Golden raisins 
10. Roasted Cashew

Steps:

1. Hang the curd as mentioned for atleast 2 hours until you get a thick, sticky curd. To this, add the rest of the ingredients to make a thick paste-like batter. Don't add any water - if you find the mixture too thick, add milk by the tsp and if you find it too thin, add besan by the tsp.

2. Heat oil until almost smoking, shape dough into small, flat kebabs and deep fry until golden brown on both sides. Serve immediately with any Chutney/sauce of choice.