Author: Christina

Prawn Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Chilli and Basil

Post author By Christina
Post date March 11, 2021
No Comments on Prawn Spaghetti with Tomatoes, Chilli and Basil

An easy and a wholesome meal with a spicy kick of chilli flakes.
Christina

INGREDIENTS

200 gms spagetti
1/2 cups prawns ( you can use chicken as well)
1/2 tsp each of dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
15 nos cherry tomatoes, cut half
10 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
3 tbsp olive oil1 tbsp red chilli flakes
Handful fresh basil
Salt and pepper as per taste
Grated cheese as per your taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Bring a large vessel of salted water to boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package directions.

Reserve about 1/2 cup spagetti water.

Apply salt, pepper, oregano and basil to prawns and keep aside

Add olive oil in a large pan, add garlic and cook slowly on low heat, let the garlic flavor infused in the oil, do not brown or burn, add chilli flakes.

Now add tomatoes, salt and pepper and let the heat be medium-low. Saute it for about 4-5 minutes.

Add the prawns, saute it till its cooked.

Add the spaghetti to the tomatoes and toss well. Add grated cheese and mix in well to get a creamy texture. If spagetti seems too dry, add some of the reserved spagetti water.

Check for seasoning. Add fresh basil, toss it in. Top it with grated cheese and serve.

Tags italian, sea food

Appetizers

Crispy Smashed Baked Potatoes

Post author By Christina
Post date March 8, 2021
No Comments on Crispy Smashed Baked Potatoes

A perfect side dish, amazingly crispy on the outside and tender from within. Spiced up with flavors and a delicious snack!!!

Ingredients

10 to 15 baby potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder/ grated
1 tsp chilli powder
Mix herbs of your choice
Lime juice as per taste
Salt as per taste
Coriander leaves & chillies flakes for garnish

Instructions

Take about 10 to 15 baby potatoes, boil it with salt until soft and drain the water.
Toss the potatoes with olive oil ( u can use butter as well), garlic powder / grated garlic, chilli powder, mix herbs, lime juice, salt and let it rest for 10 mins
While the potatoes are still warm,place them on the baking tray, use a glass to gently press down on the potatoes to flatten them.
Apply the marinate over the potatoes.
Bake them for 25 to 30 mins on 180°C flipping them in between or until golden n crispy.

Sprinkle some chopped coriander leaves and chilli flakes and serve with some spicy chutney.

Tags Appetizer, Baked, Potatoes

Appetizers Main Course Sea Food

Prawn Roast

A spicy, aromatic kerala style prawn roast. Delicious and flavorful dish.

Ingredients

2.5 tbsp Coconut Oil
2 Onion, chopped/ sliced
1 tbsp Ginger- Garlic paste
1 chillies chopped
1 sprig Curry leaves-
1 Tomatoes ( optional)
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp chili powder
1.5 tsp coriander pwd
1 tsp garam masala pwd
1/2 tsp black pepper pwd
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves- Garnish

Marination for prawns
250 to 300 gms Prawns
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Salt

Instructions
Marinate the Prawns and keep aside.
In a pan heat oil over medium heat, add cumin, fennel seeds, saute. Add onions, saute for a few minutes.
Add ginger-garlic paste, chilli and curry leaves saute till onions turn golden brown.
Add tomatoes, if you prefer at time. Let it cook till the tomatoes are soft.
Add the marinated prawns.,mix in well. Now add chilli pwd, coriander pwd and salt to taste as per required.Cover and cook for a while. You can add around 3 tbsp water and cook till the water dries up.
Add ground pepper and garam masala and combine well.
Add chopped corianderl eaves and serve hot.

Tags Prawns, Roast

Festival Sweets

Coconut Ladoos

A quick and easy dessert for any occassion

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup condensed milk
1 pinch cardamon powder
1 tbsp ghee
2.5 tbsp nuts ( roasted and chopped fine)

Instructions

Heat ghee, add the desiccated coconut and roast it for a min on low heat, add 1/2 cup condensed milk. Cook it till the mixture comes together. Add a pinch of cardamon powder and chopped nuts, mix in well.

When the mixture is warm, form them into small balls. Roll them in the dry desiccated coconut.

Tags Sweets

Sweets

Carrot Halwa

Popular Indian sweet, delicious dessert, perfect to satisfy your sweet tooth craving. A dessert that will not fail to impress anyone.

Ingredients

1 kg carrots
200 gms sugar you can add as per the sweetness you like
1/2 ltr milk
3 tbsp ghee
5 pods cardamon (powdered)
Chopped nuts

Instructions
Grate the carrots and keep aside
Add ghee in a large vessel , add grated carrots . Fry well till it gets soft.
Add milk, let it cook once the milk is dried up, add sugar and chopped nuts.

Tags Carrot Halwa

Appetizers

Chicken Pakora

Beautifully fried chicken pakoras.Its crispy and flavorful. Excellent appetizer for any party or on a relaxing evening.

Instructions

Marination
300 gms boneless chicken thigh
1 to 1 1/2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 chilles finely chopped
1 tsp chillies flakes
1 tsp dry fenugreek leaves crushed
1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp pepper powder
3 to 4 tbsp chopped coriander
Salt to taste

Cut the chicken into thin slices. Marinate the chicken with the above ingredients for an hour.

For frying

About 50 – 60 gms Gramflour
1tbsp Cornflour
1 tsp Baking soda
Water to make a thick paste
Oil for deep frying

Instructions

Mix gramflour, cornflour and baking soda to the chicken mix.Add water little by little to make a batter and the chicken should be well coated. Add salt if needed.

Heat oil. Add the chicken one by one and fry till golden brown. Serve hot.

Tags Chicken, Snack

Main Course Sea Food

King Fish Curry

This is one of my favorite curries❤
It’s simple and delicious,with a blend of fragrant spices.

Ingredients

6 to 7 pcs Surmai/ King Fish
2 mediun size onions chopped
1 Tomato chopped
2 green chilies
Coriander to garnish
1 1/2 tsp Vineger
1 tsp sugar
Salt as per taste
4 to 5 tbsp Oil cooking and frying

Red Masala ( grind into fine paste)

7- 8 Dry red chillies
10 Cloves
8 peppercorn
1 inch Cinnamon
½ tsp Tumeriv powder
1 marble size tamarind
10 pods Garlic
1 inch Ginger

Instructions

Apply salt and turmeric to the fish, marinate it for 30 mins and fry , keep aside
In a pan heat oil and saute onions, till golden.
Add chillies and fry well, add chopped tomatoes cook till they are soft and you see the oil at the sides.
Add the red masala and fry well, till the oil floats.
Add water to it as per the thickness you require.
Once the curry starts boiling, lower the heat and add the fried fish.
Add salt, sugar and vinegar as per you taste..Let it simmer for 5 to 7 mins.
Garnish with coriander and serve.

Tags Fish, Goan, Kingfish, Surmai

Appetizers

Pepper Chicken

Hot and spicy, finger-licking Pepper chicken

Ingredients

5 to 6 chicken drumsticks
1 onion sliced
1 tomato chopped
2 to 3 sprigs of curry leaves
1 tsp Pepper powder
1 chilli slit
2 tbsp coconut oil
Salt to taste
1/2 cup water

For the masala – grind into fine paste
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1.5 tsp peppercorn
1/2 tsp tumeric powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 large onion sliced
2 dry red chillies
8 garlic flakes
1/2 inch ginger

Instructions

Clean and slit the chicken legs, apply salt and keep aside.

Saute onion, once golden in colour , add the chopped tomato and 1 sprig curry leaves, fry well. Now add the ground paste. Fry the masala till you see oil at the side of the pan and also rhe colour of the mixture will get darker.
Now add the chicken legs and mix till the legs are well coated with the masala.
Add 1/2 cup water , add salt to taste, now cover and cook till the chicken is done and the water is dried up..you can slowly keep adding water if required
Now add the chilli and the remaining curry leaves and pepper powder. Give it a good mix and cook it for 2 to 3 mins. Serve hot!!

Tags Pepper chicken

Bakery Christmas

Cinnamon Twist Star Bread

Post author By Christina
Post date December 5, 2020
No Comments on Cinnamon Twist Star Bread

A sweet bread with the goodness of cinnamon and sugar.Christmas excitment is setting in and I cant help myself but bake this beautiful soft & fluffy pull apart bread.

Ingredients

2 1/4 All purpose flour
3 tbsp pwd sugar
2 tsp active dry yeast
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, at room temp ( if using unsalted butter , add 1tsp salt)
1 egg
1 tbsp olive oil for greasing
For egg wash: 1 egg mixed with 1.5 tbsp milk
For filling : 3 tbsp unsalted butter ( 1tbsp for each layer). mix 2 tsp cinnamom powder and 4 tbsp powdered sugar
Dusting: 2 tbsp pwd sugar

Instructions

Line the baking tray with a parachment paper.
Place the yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl. Heat the milk until warm.( you should be able to put your last finger in at ease ) Pour warm milk into the yeast & sugar mix.. Stir in well and cover it. let it sit for 10 mins till it gets frothy.
Now add in butter, egg, flour.and mix in well. Add the yeast mixture.Using your hand mix the flour lightly knead it into a ball
Grease the bowl, place the dough in it and place a cloth or a cling wrap over it . Keep it in a warm place for an hour or till it doubles in size.
Punch the dough so the air is released.Divide into 4 equal pieces . Dust the surface and roll each out into a circle. Place it in a baking sheet. Dust it with butter and sprinkle in the cinnamon and sugar filling, then layer the remaining circles and filling The last will not have filling on top of it. Keep a glass or bowl in the centre, cut strips from the glass to the edge (cut 16 even strips, leaving few gaps) now grab two strips and twist them twice, then press the two ends together.
Now cover it once again and let it rest for 20 -30 mins
Preheat oven to 180°C
Brush the star bread with egg wash and bake for 25- 30 minutes or until golden brown. Once out dust powdered sugar over it.

Beverages

Mulled Wine

A gorgeous festive drink with wintery flavors of citrus, cinnamon, apple , to have on a cozy winter evening with friends and family. This cocktail is comforting and warms the soul.

Ingredients

750 Red wine ( sweet )
2 inch cinnamon
4 star anise
2 cloves
1/2 apple sliced
1 tangerine sliced
1/2 pc nutmeg dashed

Instructions

Pour the wine in a pot , mix all the ingredients given above. On low heat, let it simmer for 10 mins to 15mins. Put off the fire
Remove the tangerine and apple and let it cool with the spices.
Strain and serve warm.

Note: if you are using dry wine , you can use 2- 3 tbsp of sugar as per the sweetness you like.
If you prefer non alcoholic add 500 ml Cranberry juice and 250 ml apple juice ( skip adding the sliced apples).

Tags Drinks, Mulled wine, Wine