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Apricot & root veg cake with honey yoghurt icing

Ingredients

• 70 ml cold-pressed rapeseed oil , plus extra for greasing
• 2 medium carrots , (100g)
• 1 beetroot , (100g)
• 2 parsnips , (100g)
• 1 orange
• 120 g quality maple syrup
• 2 large free-range eggs
• 150 g wholegrain spelt flour
• 1 pinch of mixed spice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 60 g dried apricots , preferably unsulphured
• 40 g pumpkin seeds , plus extra to decorate
• edible flowers , to decorate (optional)
• YOGHURT & HONEY ICING
• 150 g cream cheese
• 150 g Greek-style natural yoghurt
• 25 g clear runny honey
• ½ teaspoon quality vanilla extract
• 1 lemon
• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Grease the base and sides of an 18cm loose-bottomed cake tin with a little rapeseed oil, and line the base with baking paper.
• Peel and grate the carrots, beetroot and parsnip into a large bowl. Finely grate the zest of the orange and add two-thirds to the veg (reserving the rest for the frosting) along with the maple syrup, eggs and rapeseed oil. Fold in the flour, spice, baking powder and a pinch of salt.
• Finely dice the apricots, then add to the bowl along with the seeds. Mix everything until well combined.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the tin after 20 minutes, until the top is light pinky-golden and bounces back when pressed lightly, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin.
• Meanwhile, to make the icing, whisk together all the ingredients except the lemon, and most of the reserved orange zest, until completely smooth. Squeeze in a tiny bit of lemon juice and whisk in. Cover and pop in the fridge until needed.
• When the cake is completely cool, transfer to a plate or stand, then finish with the icing, smoothing it all over the top of the cake with the back of a spoon.
• Decorate the cake with the remaining orange zest, extra pumpkin seeds and edible flowers, if you like, then serve.
• This cake will keep for up to five days in a sealed container in the fridge.

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Paneer Paratha

Paneer Paratha is another variety of stuffed parathas, which is a favorite among kids. The Indian variety of cottage cheese called paneer is stuffed within roti. Traditionally the paneer is made fresh at home but you can also use store bought one. The Paneer paratha is flavored with some salt, chaat masala and cumin powder. You can also make a sweet version of the parathas by mixing the crumbled cheese with some sugar and cardamom powder.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• Whole-wheat flour (Atta) – 1 cup
• All purpose flour (Maida) – ¼ cup
• Paneer – 1 cup (crumbled)
• Coriander Leaves (Cilantro) – 2 tbsp (finely chopped)
• Green Chilli – 2 (finely chopped)
• Chaat Masala – 1 tsp
• Roasted Cumin Powder – ½ tsp
• Salt – to taste
• Ghee/Oil – to roast the parathas

Method

1. Take the atta, maida, some salt and mix it together. Add water little by little and keep kneading to form soft, pliable dough. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes while you get the other things ready.
2. Crumble the paneer with your hands. Mix in the salt, chaat masala and roasted cumin powder. Also mix in the finely chopped green chillies and coriander leaves.
3. Make lemon sized balls with the dough as well as with the paneer mixture. The above measurement makes about 5-6 balls.
   
4. Roll out one dough to a small circle about 3” in diameter. Add a ball of the paneer mixture in the middle.
   
5. Gather the edges of the rolled out dough and bring it to the center to cover the stuffing. Seal it and pinch out the excess dough if any.
   
6. Flatten it with your hands. Flour the surface and roll it out into 5” diameter parathas. While rolling, roll towards the edges of the paratha to prevent the stuffing from coming out. Repeat with all the balls.
   
7. Heat a griddle and place the paratha carefully. Cook on one side till small bubbles appear.
   
8. Drizzle few drops of oil or ghee. Flip the paratha and cook the other side too.
   

Serving Suggestion

• Serve with spiced curd and some pickle.

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CHICKEN POPCORN, CHICKEN POPS FILED UNDER CHICKEN, NON-VEGETARIAN, QUICK & EASY

Ingredients

• Boneless, skinless chicken - 250 Gms, cut into bite sized pieces
• Egg Yolk - 1 Nos
• Bread crumbs - ¾ cup
• Coarsely powdered oats/corn flakes - ¼ cup
• Vegetable Oil for deep frying

For Marination:

Ginger-garlic paste - ½ Teaspoon

• Black Pepper powder - ¼ Teaspoon
• Garam Masala - ¼ Teaspoon
• Turmeric Powder - ¼ Teaspoon
• Red Chilli Powder - ½ Teaspoon
• Corn flour - 2 Tablespoon
• Egg white - 1 Nos
• Lemon Juice- ¼ Teaspoon
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Wash and drain the chicken pieces. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels or other kitchen paper.
2. In a pan add chicken pieces and the ingredients listed in 'marination'; Mix well.
3. Then add bread crumbs, coarsely powdered oats and mix gently, without any lumps. Make sure that all chicken pieces are coated well.
4. Set aside for about 10-15 minutes. Then add the egg yolk and mix well.
5. Heat oil in a deep pan on high flame. Then reduce the heat to low/medium.
6. Add chicken pieces one by one and fry till golden in color. Flip chicken pieces occasionally for even frying.
7. Drain chicken pieces on a kitchen tissue and serve hot with tomato ketchup.
8. 
   

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Cashew chicken

Tender pieces of chicken breast are stir-fried with crunchy, sweet cashew nuts in this classic Chinese dish

Method

1. Put the chicken in a bowl with the egg white, sesame oil, cornflour and 1 tsp salt, and mix well. Chill for 20 mins.
2. If you are using oil for velveting the chicken, heat a wok until very hot and then add the oil. When it is very hot, remove the wok from the heat and immediately add the chicken, stirring vigorously to prevent it sticking. After about 2 mins, when the chicken turns white, quickly drain it and all of the oil into a stainless steel colander set over a bowl. Discard the oil. If you are using water instead of oil, do exactly the same but bring the water to the boil in a saucepan before adding the chicken. It will take about 4 mins for the chicken to turn white in the water.
3. If you have used a wok, wipe it clean. Heat it until it is very hot, then add the 2 tsp of groundnut oil. Add the cashew nuts and stir-fry for 1 min. Add the rice wine or dry Sherry and soy sauce. Return the chicken to the wok and stir-fry for 2 mins. Scatter over the spring onions and serve immediately

Prep:10 minsCook:10 mins

Ingredients                        

• 450g boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 300ml groundnut oil or water, plus 2 tsp groundnut oil
• 100g cashew nuts
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine or dry Sherry
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 shredded spring onion, to garnish

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Crab curry (naadan njandu curry | നല്ല നാടണ്ണ്‍ ഞണ്ട് കറി)

You need,
1. whole crabs/ njandu - 6 nums cleaned and washed
2. onion - 1/2 portion of a medium sized chopped
3. ginger chopped - 1 tbsp
4. garlic - 4 cloves chopped finely
5. green chili - 2 slit
6. tomato - 2 medium seeded and chopped
7. curry leaves of 2 springs
8. chili powder - 2 tsp
9. turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
10. coriander powder - 1 tsp
11. salt as required
12. coconut oil - 2 tbsp
13. coriander leaves chopped - 3 tbsp
14. tamarind pulp of 1 lemon sized ball soaked in 1 cup of water squeezed and drained
15. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
16. Fenugreek seeds - 10 nos

You need,
1. Heat oil in a clay pan
2. Add fenugreek seeds followed by mustard seeds
3. Allow to pop up. Add curry leaves and saute
4. Add onions, green chillies and saute till onions turn transulcent 
5. Add ginger garlic. saute for another till the raw smell disappears
6. Add chilli powder, corriander powder and turmeric.saute for 10 sec
7. Add 1/2 cup of water
8. allow it to boil nicely and the oil starts seperating.
7. Now add the tomatos. and tamarind juice.
8. once it boils add salt. stir. 
9. Now add the crabs cover and cook till the white shell's color turns orange. (This is when the crab is cooked)
10. Add the chopped corriander leave stir. remove from fire 
11. Serve this with ghee rice. That is the best combination 

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CHICKEN KOTHU PAROTTA

Ingredients

• Parotta / Flaky Parathas - 2 Nos
• Chicken curry - 1 plate
• Egg - 2 Nos
• Chopped Onion - 1 Nos ( big )
• Chopped Tomato - 1 Nos ( big )
• Sliced Green Chilly - 3-4 Nos
• Mustard seeds - 1 Teaspoon
• Pepper powder - 1 or 2 Teaspoon
• Coconut oil - 1 Tablespoon
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Salt as required

Directions

1. Cut the parottas in to small pieces and keep it aside.
2. Take the chicken pieces off the curry, and tear it into small pieces and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seeds, when it starts pops up, add the chopped onion and green chilly.
4. Saute well and cook till it becomes soft.
5. Then add the chopped tomato and stir till it becomes soft.
6. Add the eggs, pepper powder, salt and mix it to scramble well.
7. 7. Once it turns nicely fried and blended with the mix, add the shredded parotta pieces and mix well.
8. Then add the chicken gravy into it and stir until the gravy is well blended with the parotta pieces.
9. Add the shredded chicken pieces, cook till kothu parotta becomes dry.
10. Serve hot :)

Original by:http://www.kothamally.com/recipes/chicken-kothu-parotta/

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