Cucumber Hummus Starter

Few foods are as cool as cucumber and these have immense hydrating properties making it an ideal summer vegetable. Pairing these with hummus was a great combination and this is such a super quick starter to make. Top it with some raisins and sliced almonds for an exotic look and taste and you are  ready to please everyone with this :)

Ingredients:

• Cucumber-sliced into 1 inch thick slices
• Hummus - 1/2 cup
• Raisins - 1/4 cup approx
• Sliced almonds- 1/4 cup approx
• Paprika- for sprinkling on top

Method:

• Spread a spoonful of hummus on each slice of cucumber.
• Top with a sliced raisin and sliced almond.
• Sprinkle paprika on top for some color and you are ready to serve!

Watermelon Skewers

Watermelon is one of my top favorite fruits and they are perfect to have anytime during summers. These skewers are great for kids and adults both and can be eaten as a starter or as a side dish to any meal. Watermelon pairs well with feta cheese and you can add more fruits of your choice if you desire. My daughter loves blackberries so I made the skewers with them. Quick to make and super fresh in taste - am sure your guests will love this!

Ingredients:

• Small watermelon - cut into cubes
• 1 box of blackberries
• Basil leaves
• 1 block feta - cut into cubes

Method:

• On a skewer, add watermelon, feta, blackberries and basil so that they are layered.
• Place finished skewers in a platter and you are done.

Garlic and Dijon Salmon Kebabs

I love salmon in every kind of recipe and this one turned out yum ! It was eaten very quickly and can be made very quickly too..the combination of lemon and dijon goes very well with any kind of meat. Dijon mustard originated in a city called Dijon in eastern France. The traditional Dijon mustard recipe includes white wine and ground brown mustard seeds along with salt and other spices.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 pounds salmon fillets
• 2-3 large lemons thinly sliced
• Bamboo or stainless steel skewers

For the marinade:

• 3-4 tablespoons parsley freshly chopped
• 3-4 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt (adjust as per taste)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3-4 tablespoon olive oil
• 3-4 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Method:

• If using bamboo skewers then make sure to soak them in water for an hour to avoid them from burning.
• Mix all the ingredients of the marinade with the salmon fillets.
• Skewer the salmon fillets with the thin lemon slices in an alternate fashion.
• Grill the kebabs 3-4 minutes per side until the salmon is cooked though and opaque.
• Serve hot and enjoy - happy summers !

Avocado Mango Salsa

Come Summer and our family loves MANGO :) I've been wanting to try this super simple and super quick recipe and it turned out to be exactly what I was craving for. I had these with Fish Tacos and they tasted great - have them as a dip with your favorite chips and you are sure to please your taste buds. So this is how easy it can get....

Ingredients:

• 1 Ripe Mango 
• 1 Ripe Avocado
• 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice ( add more if you prefer)
• 2 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Peel and cut mango and avacado into cubes.
• Mix all the ingredients with a masher and enjoy

Grilled Turkey Ranch Burgers

I am always looking for ways to enjoy a quick meal and burgers is my favorite in that list. These burgers are ready in about 20 minutes and I had these with lots of pre cut chopped veggies which I got from Trader's Joe. A perfect mix of protein and healthy vitamins ! The ranch dip mix with seasoned salt gives it the easy taste which everyone will surely enjoy ! Grill them in your barbecue and you are sure to please all:) If you want to fry these in the pan with some oil then that works too. I love Mayo so I had my burger with lots of it- I got a low fat mayonnaise so all was good..

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground fat free turkey
• 2 tablespoons of garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons of seasoned salt
• 3-4 tablespoons of ranch dip mix 
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Finely chopped veggies of your choice ( I used a pre cut store bought veggie mix which had bell pepper, carrot, purple cabbage, broccoli, celery and radish.)
• Burger buns
• Butter for the buns
• Cheddar cheese slices
• Low fat mayonnaise
• Oil for basting

Method:

• Mix the turkey meat with the spices - garlic powder, seasoned salt, ranch powder mix, dried oregano, salt and pepper . Add 2-3 tablespoons of oil to the meat.
• Make thin patties and cook in the grill. If you want you can cook them in a pan too with some oil.
• Make burgers by layering the turkey patties, cheese slices and chopped veggies.
• Serve with your favorite chips and beer and enjoy !

Lemon Rosemary Chicken Skewers

Barbecue food is always so easy and quick to make and we love testing new recipes all the time!  

Fresh rosemary and lemon chicken is a recipe which both adults and kids will enjoy. Made with minimal ingredients, the taste of rosemary is super fresh and flavorful.  I love our stainless steel barbecue skewers as their is no soaking in water like wooden skewers and these are super easy to clean in the dishwasher.  Enjoy these chicken skewers with some warm pita bread and hummus!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 medium sized garlic finely minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary finely minced/chopped
• Zest of one lemon finely grated
  
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Juice from one large lemon
• 2 pounds of chicken breast cut into 3/4 inch cubes 

Method:

• Combine all the ingredients and marinate the chicken for 2-3 hours.
• Thread chicken into stainless steel skewers.
• Preheat barbecue grill to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Grill the chicken for 15-20 minutes turning it between every few minutes
• Baste with olive oil after 7-8 minutes lightly.
• Serve hot and garnish with freshly chopped rosemary.
• Enjoy with pita bread and hummus!

Greek Chicken Kebabs with Tzatziki Sauce

Spring is here and we got our barbecue all cleaned up - my patio which has our awesome looking barbecue is brimming with new flowers and greens and I could not wait to get the grilling started. We all love Mediterranean food and so this was the first thing we grilled this spring. This recipe is as close as it gets to restaurant style food and the Tzatziki sauce turned out better than expected- my picky seven year old ate most of it so I know it turned out fine.  Happy Grilling Everyone ! 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless chicken breast diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 large red bell pepper diced into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 small zucchini cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
• 1 red onion diced into 1/2 inch cubes

• For Tzatziki :
• 
  

• 1 medium cucumber peeled, chopped into chunks
• 1 cup plan Greek Yoghurt
• 2 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh dill
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

• Place all the marinade ingredients (olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, dried oregano, basil, thyme, coriander powder, salt and pepper) and chicken in a glass bowl and allow to marinate for at least an hour but not more than two hours as the marinade has acidic ingredients.
• Drizzle 2 tablespoon oil and some salt over the rep peppers, zucchini and onion.
• Thread the vegetables and chicken in the skewer.
• Pre heat grill to medium heat and place skewers on top. Brush the skewers with some olive oil and grill for about 7-9 minutes until done.

For Tzatziki:

• Place diced cucumber in a bowl and sprinkle some salt on it. Let it stand for 15 minutes.
• Wash the cucumber and drain excess water using strainer and paper towel.
• Pulse the cucumber into fine past. Again using strainer drain the excess water.
• Mix the other ingredients for Tzatziki well with the cucumber.
• Season with salt and pepper and enjoy with the chicken skewers!

Happy Spring :)

Halloween Goofy EyeBalls Chocolate Cupcakes

Halloween is all about weird things and so it goes for food as well. This was made by my talented 7 year old daughter and she choose the scary blood eyeballs for decoration- we also made witch hat cupcakes with her favorite Oreo cookies and candy cone candies. These are super easy to make and am sure your kids would love baking this.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vinegar

Method:

• Mix all of the dry ingredients well with a mixer or wooden spoon first then add in all your liquid ingredients. It should be brown and smooth, free of lumps.
• Bake at 350 F for 15-17 minutes if you are baking cupcakes for a cake I'd say 17-25 minutes.
• Decorate with kids as desired and enjoy! 

Crunchy Ladyfingers (Kurkuri Bhindi)

Deep fried, crunchy and crispy- a great way to serve ladyfingers. So here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

• 350-400 grams ladyfinger/okra
• 2 tablespoons gram flour (besan)
• 2 tablespoons rice flour
• 1/2 tablespoon carom seeds (ajwain)
• 1/2 tablespoon turmeric (haldi)
• 1/2 tablespoon dry mango powder (amchur)
• 1/2 tablespoon cumin powder (jeera powder)
• Oil to deep fry
• salt to taste

Method:

• Wash and dry the ladyfingers well to remove any excess water.
• Trim the ladyfingers and cut them into half vertically and remove the seeds. Then further slice it vertically into thin strips. 
• Put the ladyfinger strips in a bowl and mix all the dry ingredients listed above except salt.
• Add salt just before frying.
• Heat oil in a thick bottom pan. Once the oil is hot, add the lady fingers in small batches. 
• Fry on high heat for 2-3 minutes and then reduce heat to medium high. Fry till it turns light golden brown.
• Remove the fried ladyfingers on a paper towel to remove excess oil.
• Serve hot and enjoy.

Baked Cheesy Zucchini Chips

I love chips and always end up feeling guilty about the amount of fat that's in it. So here is the healthy alternative to the potato chips and these are super easy to make. Panko bread crumbs do the trick and you will get the best crispy taste only when you use them- enjoy !

Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini sliced into thin rounds
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 5-6 tablespoons grated cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• cooking oil spray
• crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit / 220 degrees celsius.
• Pour the milk in one small bowl and bread crumbs, cheese, red pepper, salt and pepper in another bowl.
• Dip the zucchini rounds in the milk, then the crumbs mixture, pressing down to adhere the crumbs to the zucchini. 
• Place on a wire rack and spray cooking spray on top.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes and serve hot.

Saffron Malai Chicken Tikka

The key ingredient Saffron is an expensive spice, but because of its strong, pungent flavor, a little goes a long way. Combining warm milk with saffron allows the herb's exotic flavor to blossom.

It is important to serve these tikkas right out of the oven to get the best flavor. This recipe will serve 4-6 people.

Ingredients:

• 500 gms boneless chicken-cut into 1-2" inch pieces.

For the Marinade:

• 1/2 teaspoon green cardamom powder (seeds of cardamom crushed)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 2 teaspoons cornflour
• 1 tablespoon melted butter
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon fresh garlic paste
• Juice of 1 lemon -squeezed into the tikkas
• Pinch of saffron soaked in 4-5 tablespoons warm milk
• 5 tablespoon fresh cream
• Salt to taste
• Oil for basting in the oven

Method:

• Marinade the chicken pieces with the above marinade in a zip lock bag preferably overnight.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (approx 205 degrees Celsius).
• Divide chicken evenly onto each of the skewers. Place skewers on grill rack .
• Bake for 10 minutes.
• Baste with oil and grill for another 15 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.
• Serve hot.

Pineapple Melon Titbits

Okay this appetizer is something I put together in a rush - super easy and you may variate it by adding any cheese of your choice. My pantry had cheddar and spicy buffalo wings cheese and they both tasted great !

Ingredients:

• Fresh Pineapple - cut into 1" cubes
• Fresh Watermelon - cut into 1" cubes
• Cheddar/Buffalo Wings Cheese - cut into 1" cubes

Method:

Just arrange the fruits and cheese in toothpicks and serve. You may add more fruits of your choice or olives to make more variations.

Grilled Barbeque Chicken

Super Yummy with very few ingredients - serve it hot right out of the oven for best results. If you have a grill - this is perfect for summer barbeques with some salad on the side.

Ingredients:

• 500 grams chicken
• 1/2 cup barbeque sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Juice of one lemon freshly squeezed

Method:

• Wash the chicken well and make few slits in the pieces. Coat with olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper and let it marinate for an hour.
• Pre heat the oven to 400 degrees Farenhite ( approx 205 degrees celcius).
• Grill the pieces for 10 minutes and then baste them generously with your favorite barbeque sauce and olive oil. Then turn the pieces to ensure even cooking.
• Grill for another 10 minutes and baste again. Cook for another 5 minutes and chicken should be cooked by now.
• Paint with more barbeque sauce and serve hot right out of the oven with some barbeque sauce on the side.

Italian Baked Chicken

This recipe is an instant and delicious one- perfect for a busy weeknight. I used Panko bread crumbs for this to make it more crunchy - you may use regular bread crumbs instead if Panko is unavailable. Panko is a variety of flaky bread crumb used in Japanese cuisine as a crunchy coating for fried food.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 2-3 tablespoon mixed Italian seasoning
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 chicken breast cleaned and cut in even sized cubes
• 1/4 cup Italian dressing
• 1/4 cup cheddar cheese grated ( you can use parmesan cheese as well)
• 4-5 tablespoons olive oil for basting 
• Any Italian fresh herb for garnish

Method:

• Wash chicken thoroughly. Prick chicken pieces with fork and marinate it in Italian dressing for an hour in the fridge.
• Combine Panko bread crumbs, cheese, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper in a plastic zip lock bag and shake to mix.  
• Place one piece of marinated chicken in bag, and shake to coat. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken.  
• Place in a lightly greased oven proof pan.
• Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (approx 205 degrees Celsius) for 15 minutes.
• Brush chicken with olive oil and bake for another 5-10 minutes or until done.
• Garnish with herb and serve hot right out of the oven -enjoy !

Poha

This is a traditional Indian recipe from the state of Maharashtra. I add a lot of vegetables to it and it gives a great start to your day as a breakfast. This recipe will serve 2-4 people.


Ingredients:

• 2 cups thick poha ( beaten rice flakes)
• 1/2 teaspoon rai ( mustard seeds)
• 1/2 teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds)
• Pinch of hing ( asafoetida)
• 10-12 curry leaves
• 1 green chilly
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
• 1/4 cup finely chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup peas
• 1/4 cup finely chopped beans
• 1/4 cup roasted peanuts
• 1 lemon freshly squeezed
• 2-4 tablespoons fresh chopped coriander for garnish
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• 2-4 tablespoon oil for cooking

Method:

• Place the poha in a sieve and hold it under running water for a few seconds. Toss well to drain out all excess water and keep aside.  
• Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add asafoetida, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. 
• When seeds crackle, add curry leaves, green chilly and onions. Saute till onions turn light brown.
• Next add carrots, beans, peas and turmeric powder - cover and cook the vegetables for 5-7 minutes till they are soft and cooked. Add few tablespoons of water to the vegetables while cooking if they look too dry.
• Now add peanuts, poha and salt to taste. Saute and mix gently to ensure the poha does not break and become mushy.
• Add 2-3 tablespoons water to the poha and cover and cook for another 3-4 minutes on low flame.
• Then add juice of one lemon and mix well. Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.

Tomato Basil Bruschetta

My love for Italian Bruschetta has doubled since our trip to Italy- there are so many vegeterian and non- vegeterian kinds to explore and taste. I like this recipe as it is quick and makes a great quick starter. Fresh Basil goes very well with this recipe - I ran out of it so ended up using dried basil leaves.

Ingredients:

• 5-6 firm ripe tomatoes
• 3 cloves of garlic finely minced or grated
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar ( regular white vinegar will work too)
• 6-8 fresh basil leaves or 2-3 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup grated cheese ( I used cheddar)
• 1 baguette French or Italian

Method:

• Cut tomatoes in half and deseed. Then chop them finely.
• Mix tomatoes, garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil and basil leaves in a bowl and mix.
• Turn oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit ( 232 degrees Celsius).
• Slice baguette into half inch thick slices. Place the baguette slices in a cooking sheet and drizzle olive oil generously and evenly on the top of all the slices.
• Sprinkle salt and pepper on top of the slices and place the cooking sheet on the top rack of your oven.
• Toast the slices for about 4-5 minutes till they just begin to turn golden brown. Keep an eye on the oven to avoid the slices from getting over toasted.
• Take the baguette slices out of the oven when done and immediately top with chopped tomato mixture and grated cheese. Top with finely sliced fresh basil if available and serve immediately. These taste best when served right out of the oven. If kept for long then the bread can become soggy. Alternately you can serve the baguette slices and tomato topping separately in a platter.

Chicken Kalonji Seekh Kebabs

This is a very interesting recipe with unique flavors of nigella, fenugreek and sesame seeds. A hint of pomegranate seeds adds a great flavor. Serve them hot with any sauce of your choice - my all time favorite sauce is sweet chilly sauce- they tasted great with them. This recipe will make around 15-18 kebabs.

Ingredients:

• 500 gms chicken mince
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese ( I used cheddar)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander
• 4 tablespoon fresh annar ka dana ( pomegranate seeds)
• 2 teaspoon cornflour
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 2-3 teaspoon salt( adjust to taste)
• 2 bread slices ground to powder in a mixer
• 2-3 teaspoon tandoori chicken masala
• 1 teaspoon amchoor powder 

For the Paste:

• 2 tablespoon kaju ( cashewnuts)
• Pinch of red food colour
• 2 inch piece of fresh ginger
• 7-8 flakes of fresh garlic
• 2 laung (cloves)
• 1" stick dalchini (cinnamon stick)
• 1/4 teaspoon jaiphal ( nutmeg grated to powder with a fine grater)

For Tempering:

• 1 teaspoon kalonji seeds ( Nigella seeds)
• 1/4 teaspoon methi dana (Fenugreek seeds)
• 1 medium sized onion finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 4 inch piece of ginger finely grated
• 1 teaspoon dhaniya powder ( coriander seeds powder)
• 2 tablespoon oil

Method:

• Wash the chicken mince well using a strainer and press well to drain out all the water.
• Pressure cook mince with 2 1/2 cups water and give 3-4 whistles. Remove from fire, drain the water and cool the mince.
• Grind all the ingredients of the paste to a smooth paste. In the same grinder add the boiled chicken mince and churn for few seconds. Do not churn too much as we want a rough paste. Remove the chicken and paste mixture from the grinder.
• Now add all the ingredients written under mix together to the above mixture.
• For tempering, heat oil and then chopped onions. Saute till they turn light brown and then add kalonji , methi and sesame seeds. Saute for another minute and then add ginger and coriander powder. Remove from fire after a minute and add this tadka to the above chicken mixture. Mix well.
• Make even sized balls out of this mixture and make 2 inch long cylinder shaped kebabs.
• Take a pencil or skewer and push it from one end of the kebab to the other without puncturing at any point.
• Gently pull out skewer or pencil. Keep these seekh kebabs in fridge for 1/2 hour.
• At the time of serving, deep fry these kebabs in medium hot oil to a light brown colour.
• Serve hot with mint chutney of any dip of your choice.

Chinese Chicken Tikka

I love Chinese food and this tikka turned out just what I was craving for! This is a low fat grilled recipe and is a variation to yesterday's recipe - infused with great Chinese flavors these make a great starter or main dish. I am sure you'll want to make this again and again:)

Ingredients:

• 2-3 breasts of chicken or 500 gms boneless chicken cut into 1 1/2 inches pieces
• 2 capsicums cut into 1" square sized pieces
• 2 onions cut into 1" square sized pieces
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 dry red chilly crushed ( adjust chillies as per taste or omit if you want)
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dark soya sauce
• 2  tablespoons sweet chilly sauce
• Pinch of ajinomoto ( optional)
• 3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
• 2 egg whites
• 4 teaspoons maida ( white flour)
• 4 teaspoons cornflour
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon salt (adjust as per taste)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

For Tempering:

• 4 flakes of garlic finely chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon tomato ketchup
• 1/4 tablespoon salt
• 2 whole dry red chilly
• 2 tablespoon olive oil or sesame oil

Method:

• Wash the chicken pieces well and pat dry with paper towel.
• Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl- vinegar, soy sauce, chilly flakes, tomato ketchup, sweet chilly sauce, egg white, cornflour, maida, ginger garlic paste, salt, pepper and oil. Mix well with a whisk.
• Add onion,capsicum and tikka pieces. Mix well and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for an hour.
• Remove the capsicum from the marinate and keep aside.
• Heat an electric oven at 200 degrees Celsius ( approx 400 degrees Farenheit). Grease the grill or wire rack of the oven and place the well coated chicken pieces along with the onions on the grill. You can also skewer the chicken pieces with the onion and place on the grill.
• Grill the chicken for 15 minutes and then turn the pieces. Baste/ rub the chicken with olive oil.
• After the chicken is almost done place the capsicum pieces on the grill with the chicken for another 5 minutes.
• At the time of serving, heat oil in a pan, add garlic and sauté for a minute on medium heat. Then add soya sauce, vinegar, tomato ketchup, dry red chilly and salt. Mix. Add grilled chicken with onions and capsicum. Sauté on high flame stirring continuously for a minute. Serve hot immediately. Enjoy these with sweet chilly sauce or any hot sauce of your choice :)

Chicken Til Tikka ( Chicken Tikkas with Sesame Seeds)

Exotic, flavourful tikka coated with sesame seeds and green coriander paste mixture.

Ingredients:

• 500 grams chicken breast - cut into 1" pieces/tikkas
• 1/4 cup til (white sesame seeds)

First Marinade ( Mix Together):

• 1 cup thick whipped curd
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Seeds of 2 moti elaichi ( black cardamoms) crushed
• Seeds of 5-6 choti elaichi ( green cardamoms) crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon jaiphal (nutmeg) powder ( grate a nutmeg with a fine grater for best results)
• 1/4 teaspoon javetri ( mace) powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon grounded kali mirch ( black peppercorns)
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon tandoori chicken masala
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 teaspoon salt ( adjust to taste)

Grind to Paste:

• 1/2 cup fresh green coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 teaspoons water

Batter:

• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup maida (white flour)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pinch of tandoori food colour (optional)

Basting:

3-4 teaspoon oil mixed with 2 teaspoon sesame seeds

Method:

• Wash chicken pieces/tikkas well. Pat dry with a paper towel.
• Marinate the chicken in the first marinade and keep in the fridge for 2 hours.
• Grind green coriander with salt to a fine paste.
• Mix til with the above green coriander paste and spread it in a plate. Keep aside.
• For the batter beat egg, flour, salt and food colour with a whisk.
• Taking one chicken tikka at a time, dip it in the prepared egg and flour batter, coating it well.
• Then roll the coated tikkas in the til and green coriander paste and keep aside.
• Heat oven to 200 degrees celsius ( approx 400 degrees fahrenheit). Grease the wire or grill rack with oil.
• Place the well coated tikkas on the greased grill or skewer the chicken pieces and place on the rack.
• Roast for 10-15 minutes. Baste (pour ) with oil mixed with sesame seeds after 10 minutes or when the coating turns a little dry. Now turn the tikkas over so that it cooks evenly on all sides. Cook for another 5 minutes and baste again with the oil and sesame mixture. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.
• Serve hot garnished with few coriander leaves and lemon wedges. 

Gujarati Dhokla ( Steamed Gramflour Dumplings)

Dhoklas make a great snack as they have a right mix of sweetness and sourness in them  . The addition of fruit salt to the batter, and water to the tempering, are the two main factors responsible for the super-soft and spongy nature of this dhokla. This recipe will serve 2-4 people. You will need a steamer with a dhokla thali mould for this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup besan ( gram flour)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sooji ( semolina)
• 4 teaspoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1/2 teaspoon citric acid (nimbu ka phool) or 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons fruit salt
• 2-3 tablespoons oil for greasing the thali moulds 
• 3/4 cup water

For Tempering:

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon rai ( mustard seeds)
• 1 teaspoon til (sesame seeds)
• Pinch of hing (asafoetida)
• 1 teaspoon curry leaves
• 4-5 tablespoons water

For Garnish:

• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
• 3-4 tablespoons fresh grated coconut
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 cup water

Method:

• Sieve besan through a sieve to remove any lumps.
• Mix besan, suji, salt, ginger paste, citric acid, sugar and water in a bowl. Mix well with a whisk to get a smooth and thick batter. Let this batter rest for 15 minutes.
• Grease the thali moulds with oil and place your steamer with water on gas for steaming. The thali moulds should not be more than 6" in diameter else the dhokla will become flat.
• Add fruit salt to the besan batter and mix well. Pour the batter immediately into the greased thali and spread evenly by rotating the thali clockwise.
• Place the moulds in the steamer when the water in the steamer starts boiling.
• Steam the besan mixture for  about 10-12 minutes till the dhoklas are cooked. Keep aside.
• For tempering heat oil in a small non stick pan and add mustard seeds. When the seeds crackle add the sesame seeds and curry leaves. Saute for few seconds. Remove from flame and then add 4-5 tablespoons of water to the tempering.
• Pour this tempering over the dhoklas. Spread it evenly.
• Cool slightly and cut the dhoklas into even sized pieces.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and grated coconut.
• Dissolve 3 tablespoons of sugar in 1/2 cup water. Drizzle this sweet water over the dhoklas evenly to add sweetness. Allow the water to absorb for about 10 minutes. Your dhoklas are now ready to be served-enjoy.