photo credit: rore

Well, am always impressed with men who can cook and moreso 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

image: Priya Q

During my spinster days I either liked to cook exotic stuff and not cook at all at times! This is a non spicy chicken recipe which I used to make it quite often then. This dish will not only suit the taste palettes of my European friends but also my Indian friends who am sure are going to love it! So this weekend why not try out this recipe? …don’t forget to give me a feedback though!

Chicken – 1/2 kg (cleaned and cut into pieces)

Cloves – 4 nos

Cinnamon – 2 tsp

Green cardamom – 4 nos

Bay leaf – 2 nos

Star anise – 1/2 number (3 petals)

Dry red chili – 2-3 nos

Carrot – 1 no. big (cubed)

Beans – 50 gms (chopped)

Cauliflower – 3/4 cup (florets)

Bean Sprouts – 1 cup

Coconut milk – 100 ml

Cornflour – 1/2 tbsp

• Grind to a fine powder – cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom, bay leaf and star anise
• Cook chicken along with 2 cups of water, 1/2 tsp salt and red chillies and ground spices. If cooking in a pressure cooker wait for 2 whistles and turn off the gas. Keep it aside to cool
• Except Cauliflower, add all the vegetables including sprouts to the chicken and cook on low flame
• Cauliflower takes less time to cook so add when the other vegetables are half done
• Add coconut milk and cornflour. Stir
• Add salt to taste
• Serve hot with rice

Till next time….happy cooking!

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!

We got to taste the yummy Shrimp Pulao made by our vegetarian aunt at Haren a small town with 23k population located in Germany. Its amazing how despite being a pure vegetarian some one can prepare a non vegetarian dish with such ease and taste.

Deveined and clean Prawns / shrimp – 750 gms

Plain yoghurt / curd – 5 tbsp

freshly pounded ginger and garlic paste – 3-4 tbsp

Onions – 3 numbers big – (finely chopped)

Tomato – 2 numbers big – (finely chopped)

Green chili -2 numbers (finely chopped)

Basmati rice – 1 cup

Garam masala – freshly ground preferred else use ready made

Chili powder – 2 tsp

Salt to taste

1. Wash rice and cook separately
2. Marinate shrimp in yoghurt, fresh ginger-garlic paste and garam masala for atleast 1 hr or more
3. Heat oil in a thick bottom pan and add onions. Fry for a while
4. Add tomatoes and fry well
5. Add green chillies and red chili powder and stir
6. Add the marinated prawns and cook till gravy is almost thick and the water content has evaporated
7. Season
8. Add cooked rice and stir gently avoiding breaking of rice grains
9. Garnish with chopped coriander / parsley
10. Serve hot with raita, pickle and papad / plain potato chips

Meet our peppy aunt Biji Gopi Ram

photo credit: imgdive

This one was different from the crepe I normally was used to. This one was salty and filled with all stuff you love. And this one also had a special name that is Galette

Galette was my first brush with French cuisine as Paris was our landing port.Jessica and Sebastian our friends Palaiseau (a quaint suburb 40 minutes away from Paris)made for me and Q mouth watering Galettes!

Galette is the original term for Crepes except for the fact that Galette is the salty version while Crepe is sweet. From the look of it I thought I will be able to take in atleast two of the galettes till I had one! Its quite filling and a full meal in itself. Check it out!

All Purpose Flour – 2 cups

Buckwheat flour / wheat flour – 2 cups

Eggs – 4 nos

1. Mix all the above and make a soft dough
2. Start adding milk (1-2 cups) and continuously whisk the dough avoiding lumps. The idea is to get a running batter stage
3. While whisking the batter add melted butter (1-2 cups) and keep whisking till you get a smooth running batter (almost like Indian dosa batter) devoid of any lumps
4. Heat a pan and add a dash of butter. Pour out a ladle of batter on the pan. Lift the pan and tilt it sideways to make a batter run and make a neat circle
5. After 2 minutes flip and cook the other side.
6. Add fillings of your choice and close to make it look like a semi circle
7. Serve hot!

Options for filling: Beaten egg with herbs and / or cooked vegetable and/ or cooked meat

Till next time…happy cooking!

Meet Jessica and Sebastian…. currently pursuing PhD studies! All the best for your future guys!

This Europe trip of mine has made me a hard core carnivore From selective non vegetarian I have started to eat just about anything.Having said that i will still save snakes and frogs perhaps for my next birth! For now I will stick to experimenting with sea food!

During my recent trip to Greece, I got invited over dinner by a lovely lady -Alice to her tastefully done home atop a small hill village in Thessaloniki. There for the first time in my life I had Octopus. I had no option but to eat – it looked so delectable! During the course of the evening Alice promised me to share her recipe for my blog. So here goes!

Octopus – 1 Kg (about)
Olive oil – 5 tbsp
Onions – 500 gr (sliced)
Garlic – 3 cloves
Salt & Pepper for seasoning
Cloves – 3 nos
Tomatoes – 2 nos (grated)
Dry red or white wine – 1 cup
Vinegar – 1/2 cup
Cinnamon – 1 stick

1. Clean the octopus and place it whole in the casserole without water. Cover and boil on medium heat for about 10 minutes.
2. Drain and cut into small pieces.
3. Saute the onions, garlic and octopus for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato, the wine, the vinegar, cloves, cinnamon and season.
4. Simmer until all the liquid evaporates except the olive oil.
5. Serve hot with rice.

Till next time…happy cooking!

Meet Alice Eppinga …..Alice is an retired English teacher with an undying love for travel and books and a very interesting person.

For recipe click here

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