Bruschetta

Bruschetta pronounced as Brus – ketta is a light, delicious and healthy snack. It is supposed to be an appetizer (antipasto in Italian) but besides making it a pre-pasta meal I also make it for breakfast at times!

Wheat bread – 4 slices (you can use the bread of your choice)
Tomato – 3 nos (nice and firm ones)
Garlic – few flakes
Oregano – 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Olive Oil – 2 tablespoons
Fresh Basil leaves – 5-6 nos
Olives – for garnish (optional)
Mozarella / Cheddar cheese – 3- 4 tbsp

1. Chop the tomatoes into small cubes
2. Add to tomatoes oil, cheese, salt, basil and oregano. Mix well, cover with shrink wrap and refrigerate for ½ hr or put it in the freezer for 10 minutes
3. Apply few drops of oil to bread slices and toast them at 150 degree C for about 10 minutes. It should be fairly crisp
4. Rub garlic on all slices
5. Place the tomato topping over each slice and garnish with olives
6. Serve immediately (else the juice of tomatoes will make the bread soggy)

You can also  thin slices of meat like prosciutto (pronounced as pro-shutto)  or salamis etc as topping

till next time…happy cooking!

photo credit: sushi♥ina

Pastas are my all time favorite so much so that I stack my cup board with different varieties of pasta and make them as often as I can

Cut into thin strips Capsicum (use colored one to make it interesting)
Cube or slice other veggies like carrots, zucchini, tomatoes etc
Blanch broccoli florets
Slice baby corn and parboil
Sausages / grilled chicken pieces
Bean sprouts
Button mushrooms
Boiled Pasta (of your choice)
Oregano – 2 tsp
Dried herbs – 1 tsp (of your choice)
Salt and Pepper

1. In a pan take a little oil and add all veggies and fry on low heat (except mushrooms)
2. Add button mushroom after 3-4 minutes
3. Add meat
4. Add boiled pasta
5. Add Oregano and dried herbs
6. Season with salt and pepper
7. Sprinkle parmesan or other cheese of your choice (optional)
8. Serve

Until next time…. happy cooking!

photo credit: rore

Well, am always impressed with men who can cook and more so when it comes to something as exotic as Honey Walnut Chicken. Rishi who is based out of USA sent me over this recipe for my Walnut week. Check it out…
Boneless Skinless Chicken breasts – 1 kg
Walnut – 1 cup (halved)
Honey – 1 tsp
Ginger – 1 tsp (finely chopped)
Rice Wine – 2 tsp
Cornstarch – 1 tsp
Brown Sugar – 1 tsp
Dark Soy Sauce – 2 tsp
Garlic – 2 tsp  (coarsely chopped)
Green onions – ½ cup (Cut 2” long. Slit in half)
Green bell pepper – ½ cup (Cut 2” long thin.)
Chopped white onions – ½ cup
Chinese 5 spice powder – 1 tsp*
Mix fruit jelly – 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Butter – ½ tsp
Sesame oil – 1 tsp

• Marinate chicken in ginger, rice wine, salt, cornstarch and Chinese 5 spice powder for atleast1 hr
• Roast walnuts with a bit of butter.  Add honey and mix till dry
• Prepare a mix of dark soy sauce, brown sugar and mix fruit jelly
• In a pan, heat oil. Stir-fry chicken and keep separate
• Add garlic and stir-fry
• Add green onions, green bell pepper and white onions and stir-fry
• Add cooked chicken and mix
• Garnish with roasted sesame
• Serve with fried rice or noodles

*The 5 spices if not available can be prepared at home. Combine schezwan pepper corns (if not available use normal pepper corns), star anise, cloves, cinnamon & fennel seeds and grind them to fine powder.

Thanks Rishi for sharing this fab recipe with us.

Meet Rishi…

Rishi Menon is a software consultant. He dabbles in cooking and photography in his spare time. You can check out his portfolio here

Spanish Tortilla Image: Priya Q

This one I learnt to make while my stay in Barcelona. The Spanish Tortilla or omelette made with potatoes and bell pepper is a typical Spanish breakfast which is wholesome and delectable. Only tricky part is the transferring of the omelette…but what fun without creative cooking..yeh? so let’s get going!

Eggs – 4 nos

Potatoes – 3 big (wash and peeled)

Capsicum – 1 big (sliced)

Onions -2 nos (sliced fine)

Black pepper – 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Herbs (optional and my contribution to the recipe )

1. Beat the eggs with bit of salt and keep aside
2. Finely slice the potatoes and fry them in a pan in olive oil
3. Add onions and fry further
4. Add capsicum and the seasonings
5. The herbs I use is thyme and a pinch or oregano
6. Fry well and transfer the frid contents to the beaten egg. Mix well.
7. In a flat pan add a dash of olive oil and when hot add the egg mixture
8. Cook on slow heat while scraping the sides of the omletter and depositing it to the centre so that we have one thick mass holding together than a thin omlette
9. Place a plate over the pan and quickly up turn the tortilla in order to transfer it on the plate
10. Now you will have the cooked side facing you while the uncooked side will be facing the plate
11. Transfer the tortilla back to the pan to cook the uncooked side
12. This process is supposed to be repeated 4-5 atleast to get the best tortilla! ..Traditionally it was done and is still follwed by the older generation. However, in the fast paced life today people have started make do with 2-3 times!
13. Put a fork or a knife in your tortilla. If its comes out clean your tortilla is ready
14. Slice it in triangles (like you pizza) and serve with toast.
15. The Spanish tradition also calls for rubbing your toast with tomato and garlic which adds to the flavor!

*You can also oven bake your tortilla. Once you mix the vegies and the egg; place in a baking dish and bake for 30-40 minutes at 190 degree C. Cut into triangles. Or if you plan to serve it as snack in the evening cut into cubes, add a dash of tomato sauce, pierce a toothpick  and serve in style !… however, one thing that you need to keep in mind is to leave the egg mixture after adding the vegetables for about 10 minutes before baking it.

So till text time….happy cooking!

Meet Joan and Aitor, two wonderful human beings based out of the beautiful city of Barcelona in Spain who shared this recipe of Spanish Tortilla with me thanks guys!

image: Priya Q

image: Priya Q

Pronounced as ‘tra-khana‘ this is a Greek breakfast cereal I had during my trip to Greece 3 months back. I loved it so much so that i picked up few packets of it for my Indian kitchen back home… and I absolutely love it . Thanks Kay for teaching me how to make it!

Tarhana – 3/4 cups

Water – 2 cups

Dry red chili – 1-2 nos.

Salt to taste

Olive oil – 1 tbsp

Feta Cheese – to your liking!

• In a thick bottom vessel heat oil and add the red chillies and fry for 4-5 seconds
• Add tarhana and water and stir.
• Cook on medium heat and keep stirring in between
• Add salt and cook till the water almost disappears and the cereal cooked
• Serve hot with feta cheese sprinkled over
• Optionally you can drizzles a spoonful of olive oil along with feta cheese

Till next time….happy cooking!

Meet Kay…a retired Librarian, enthusiastic and adventurous, warm and gentle and a lovely person

image: Priya Q

We are living in times where most of the things come to us pre-done. Making ravioli from scratch is not required any more. All you need to do is to visit your nearest super market and pick a packet of ravioli just like any other pasta packet! And that’s what I did, when I made ravioli pasta last week …

Ravioli – 100 gms

All purpose flour (Maida) – 2 Tbsp

Milk – 1 litre

Olive Oil – 1 Tbsp

Garlic – 3 flakes (finely chopped)

Frozen peas – 1/ 2 cup

Mushrooms – 1 cup (sliced)

Broccoli – 3/4 cup (florets)

Parsley – 3 tsp

Salt and pepper – to taste

Oregano – 2 tsp

Rosemary – 1-2 nos

Parmesan or Cheddar Cheese – as required

• Boil and drain ravioli pasta. Keep it aside
• Cook peas,broccoli and mushrooms in a vessel with a 2 tsp olive oil. Keep it aside.
• In a thick bottom vessel heat oil and add garlic. As you get the aroma add flour and fry for few seconds. Add more oil if required to nicely coat the flour
• Take off heat and add milk slowly with continuous stirring
• Keep stirring till the sauce starts sticking to the walls and becomes nearly thick
• Add the cooked vegetables and salt and pepper. Stir.
• Sprinkle finely chopped parsley
• Lay the ravioli pasta on your serving plates. Pour over top the prepared sauce and sprinkle grated cheese.
• Serve hot with garlic bread.

Till next time….happy cooking!

* you can also add meat of your choice like bacon, chicken etc to the sauce.

photo credit: irrational_cat

Garlic’s health benefits and medicinal properties have been long known. Its considered to be a natural antibiotic. However, it also said that most of its properties are killed while cooking. Since, I am not a big fan of consuming raw garlic and since I simply love cooking with garlic, I will stick to the latter option

Here’s another chicken variety for you..and cooked with yes…Garlic!!

Boneless and skinless chicken breast – 4 breast halves
Egg white – 1 No
Corn flour – 1 Tbsp
White wine – 1 Tbsp
Onions – 4 Nos (sliced thin)
Ginger – 1 tsp (minced or finely chopped)
Garlic – 2-3 tsp (minced)
Oil – 2 tbsp
Salt to taste
Spring onions – 1 No (finely chopped)
Dash of pepper

For sauce
2 Tbsp soya sauce
2 Tbsp white wine
1 tsp red chilli paste
1 tsp corn flour
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp vinegar
1 Tbsp water

1. Wash and clean chicken breasts and place them in the freezer for about 1-2 hrs or until very firm. Should not let it freeze
2. Cut them into thin stripes
3. Beat egg white along with the corn flour abd wine till corn flour completely dissolves
4. Add chicken to this and coat all pieces and leave at room temperature for 30 minutes
5. Heat oil in a wok and fry the chicken until it’s somewhat cooked.
6. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon and in the same wok add onions, ginger and garlic and sauté well. They should not turn brown.
7. Tip in the chicken back into the wok.
8. Combine all sauce ingredients, mix well and add to the wok.
9. Keep stirring and cooking till gravy thickens.
10. Sprinkle a pinch of freshly ground pepper and spring onions.
11. Serve hot with rice or noodles.

Till next time….happy cooking!

p.s>> waiting for your feedback!

photo credit: stu_spivack

I love Chinese food. Though I have heard that if the Chinese have Chinese food in India…they will run for their lives We Indians like everything so spicy!! Nevertheless, when I cook, I rather try to keep it as authentic as possible. Try this recipe out. I am sure you will like it!

Boneless chicken cut into strips – ½ kg
Ginger – 1 tsp (finely chopped)
Garlic – 1 tsp (finely chopped)
Onions – 4 Nos medium sized
Capsicum – 1 small (diced)
Carrots – 2 -3 Nos (sliced)
Celery stalk – 2 Nos
Spring onions – 3 tbsp (finely chopped)
Orange juice – ¾ cup
Soya sauce – ¼ cup
Honey – ¼ cup
Cornflour – 1 Tbsp
Pepper – ½ tsp
Roasted cashew – 1 cup
Oil – 2 tbsp
Salt to taste

1. To get your sauce ready, combine orange juice, Soya sauce, honey, cornflour, salt and pepper.
2. Add 1 tbsp of oil to a skillet and stir fry all vegetables until onions turn transparent and fragrant. Remove from the skillet
3. Now, in 1 tbsp of oil cook the strips of chicken until brown and tender.
4. Add cooked vegetables and sauce and continue cooking till the sauce thickens.
5. Sprinkle over roasted cashed and continue cooking for few more minutes.
6. Garnish with spring onions.
7. Serve hot with rice.

Till next time…happy cooking!

p.s>> feedback plz!!

Learn How To Cook Low Fat & Low Carb Chinese Food From Master Chef W/ 40 Years Of Cooking Experience!!

photo credit: wEnDaLicious

Not that I have a major sweet tooth, but anything cooked and glazed with honey is a must try for me! Be it be vegetables or for that matter my favorite chicken. It is simply yummmm………So here goes!

Washed and clean Chicken – 1 kg
Honey – ½ cup
Soya sauce – ¼ cup
Tomato Ketchup – 1 tbsp
Ginger – ½ tsp (paste or finely chopped)
Garlic – 1-2 cloves (crushed)
Oil – 2 tbsp
Pepper – 2 tsp
Salt to taste

1. Combine all the ingredients and coat the chicken pieces with this mixture
2. No marinating required
3. Place the chicken in a pre heated oven and bake at 400 degree F / 200 degree C
4. Serve hot.

Wasn’t that simple to make and delicious to eat? Please let me know how you found it?

Till next time….happy cooking!

photo credit: avlxyz

I was a chickenitarian (to coin the term) till I traveled to Europe where I experimented to the hilt … but Chicken remains my favorite, none the less. So I keep trying out various recipes when it comes to chicken…check this recipe out! But don’t forget to leave me your feedback..!

Boneless and skinless chicken breast – 4 breast halves
Eggs yolk – 2 Nos
Lemon juice – of 2 Nos (big sized)
¾ cup cornflour
1 cup chicken broth
Pepper powder – ½ tsp
½ cup water
3 Tbsp brown sugar
Ginger – 1 tbsp (finely chopped)
Oil for frying
Salt to taste
Spring onions – 2-3 Nos. (finely chopped)

1. Combine ½ cup cornflour, ¼ portion of water, salt and egg yolks and whisk until smooth
2. Coat the chicken pieces evenly with the above mixture
3. Heat oil in a wok and fry the chicken pieces until brown and tender
4. Remove to absorbent paper and rid all excess oil
5. Cut cooked chicken into cubes
6. Take in a pan remaining cornflour, brown sugar and ginger
7. Add to it broth and remaining water
8. Cook on medium flame stirring frequently
9. Cook till the sauce come to a boil and thickens
10. *Remove from the heat and add lemon juice and stir. Your sauce is ready
11. Placed the chicken pieces in a serving dish
12. Pour the sauce over the chicken pieces covering each of the piece nicely
13. Garnish with spring onions (scallions)
14. Serve hot with fried rice or noodles

* Lemon juice should be added in the end post all cooking else the gravy might get bitter. Hence its better to put it after removing the cooked sauce off the burner….this is based purely on my personal experience.

Till next time….happy cooking!