Manjit

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Zaikabharat brings you the authentic taste of India with mouthwatering, simple, and easy recipes. Cooking relieves stress for me, provides with an opportunity to be creative, boost my mood, and brings back wonderful memories of my mom's kitchen. I have been a culinary part-time instructor for several years in addition to my professional careers as a cancer research scientist, an educator, a healthcare administrator, and a community leader. I have done several cooking demos, TV shows, and I still continue to do so. I would like to share my cooking adventure through this blog and hope you enjoy these recipes.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Chicken - 65

             
             Chicken-65: Spicy South Indian Chicken Recipe

It is a deep fried chicken recipe seasoned with spices. It is a delicious chicken dish and can also be used as a snack.

Step 1. Ingredients for Marination:

1 pound boneless chicken (breast) cut into 1-2 inch cubes
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons corn flour
1 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon cilantro powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
1 egg optional
Orange color (1-2 drops liquid or pinch of powder)
1/2 teaspoon garam masala (curry powder)
3-4 twigs of chopped cilantro leaves
Salt to taste

Step 2. Deep Frying

Canola oil or any oil of your choice

Step 3. Ingredients for Seasoning

1 tablespoon oil
I teaspoon cumin seeds
3-4 dried whole red chillies
8-10 curry leaves chopped
1/2 teaspoon chopped ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon yogurt
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
Orange food color (optional)
Salt to taste
Half fresh lemon

Preparation:

Step 1.

Take a big bowl.
Add chicken and other ingredients as in Step 1.
Mix well and leave marinated chicken for half hour.

Step 2.

Heat oil in a thick bottom pan.
Add chicken pieces in small batches and deep fry as in Step 2.
Keep Aside.

Step 3.

In a different pan add 1 tablespoon oil.
Heat the oil on medium flame.
Add cumin seeds and whole red chillies.
Stir for few minutes until light brown.
Add chopped ginger, garlic paste, curry leaves
Cook well for 2 -3 minutes until the paste starts leaving oil.
Now add yogurt, cumin powder, chilli powder and garam masala.
Mix well and add salt to taste if required.
Add fried chicken with continue stirring for 5 minutes on slow flame.
Squeeze fresh lemon juice.
Serve hot and enjoy.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

Turmeric Milk_Home Remedy for Cold-Cough


Turmeric Milk can treat cough, cold and flu like symptoms very effectively. This recipe is very simple and can be easily tried at home.

Ingredients (Recommended: Organic/Non GMO)

2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger root
2 tablespoons honey
2 pinch cardamom powder
2 pinch cloves powder
2 pinch black pepper powder
2-3 fresh mint leaves

Preparation:
Mix turmeric powder and chopped ginger in milk.
Boil milk along with turmeric powder and ginger for 2-3 minutes.
Add honey and mix well.
Boil for another 1-2 minutes with thorough mixing.
Filter the above mixture 
Add cloves powder, cardamom powder, pepper powder, and fresh mint leaves
Take warm 1-2 tablespoons of turmeric milk at least twice a day for about a week.  
Store in refrigerator.

Turmeric: The King of Spices

Turmeric contains curcumin, the polyphenol identified as its primary active component and which exhibits over 150 potentially therapeutic activities, which include antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties

Ancient Herb Can Help you Spice up Your Life and your health

•      Supports your antioxidant protection against free radicals
•      Helps promote your healthy skin
•      Supports your overall eye health
•      Provides you immune system support
•      Aids your skeletal system and joint health
•      Encourages your healthy liver function
•      Helps you maintain healthy cells with support against free radicals
•      Balances the health of your digestive system
•      Aids you in support of healthy blood and your circulatory system
•      Helps you maintain normal cholesterol levels to support your cardiovascular system
•      Assists your neurological system's healthy response to stress
•      Promotes a healthy female reproductive system
•      Helps you maintain blood sugar levels already within the normal range


Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Grilled-Cheese Zucchini


Great, easy to make and tasty 

Ingredients:

4 zucchini’s, cut 3 slices lengthwise per zucchini
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup grated cheese of your choice (I used Mexican style blend)
Salt to taste
Fresh parsley leaves to garnish

Preparation:

Marination: Mix butter, garlic powder, pepper powder, salt and lemon juice in a bowl and marinate zucchini slices.
Keep for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Layer grated cheese on one side of each slice.
Grill.  

Grilling:
Preheat an outdoor grill to 350 degrees F.
Lightly oil the grilling tray.
Place zucchini slices covered with cheese facing upward over the grill for about 5-8 minutes
Grill until cheese is melted completely.
Serve hot with fresh parsley.




Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Avocado Mint Smoothie


Avocados are excellent source of monounsaturated fat, good source of fiber and vitamins. Avocado enables body to efficiently absorb fat-soluble nutrients such as alpha and beta carotene and lutein in other food eaten in conjunction. Besides taste and nutrition avocados are good for liver and can help improve lipid profile.


Ingredients:

1/2 cup avocado
1/2 cup yogurt
4-6 ice cubes (optional)
2 tablespoons kefir (optional)
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger chopped
10-12 fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon kale leaves or spinach
1 cup cold milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Pure stevia/sweetener of choice, sugar, honey, or molasses

Preparation:

Combine all the above ingredients in a high speed blender.
Blend together to a completely smooth consistency.
Serve chilled.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Vegetable Wheat Noodles for kids

Simple and Easy Recipe that Kids Enjoy

Ingredients:
2 cups noodles
2 tablespoons oil or butter
2 tablespoons chopped spring onions
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ginger finely chopped
1 medium size tomato, diced
1 cup mini sweet peppers (orange, red, yellow) diced
1 cup peas and diced carrots
1 tablespoon sliced almonds
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
Salt to taste
Garnish with fresh basil or cilantro leaves, chopped

Preparation:
Step 1:
1.      Take 4-5 cups of water in a deep pan and bring it to boil.
2.      Add noodles into the boiling water.
3.      Stir them nice otherwise they will form clumps.
4.      After 3-4 minutes turn the flame off.
5.      Leave noodles in hot water for another 2-3 minutes.
6.      Rinse noodles under cold water, strain the water.
7.      Keep noodles aside for seasoning.
8.      Follow step 2.
Step 2:
Heat butter or oil in a large frying pan.
Add spring onions and cumin seeds at the same time.
Stir for 2-3 minutes until spring onions are soft.
Add ginger and cook for another 2 minutes.
Add sliced almonds and sesame seeds.
Saute all ingredients for 1 minute.
Add black pepper powder and salt. Mix well.
Add tomatoes, sweet peepers, peas, and carrots.
Continue stirring for 1- 2 minutes. Don’t overcook the vegetables.
Add noodles into the mixture and stir well gently.
Garnish with chopped basil or cilantro leaves


Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Tomato Chutney

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients:
4-5 medium finely chopped fully ripe-red tomatoes (1 cup ready-made tomato paste/puree can also be used)
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 whole red chillies broken
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
4-5 curry leaves roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
1 inch ginger grated
1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon cilantro powder
1/3 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon lime or lemon juice from fresh lime or lemon
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon cilantro leaves

Preparation:
Heat oil in a pan.
Add mustard seeds and when mustard seeds crackles, add whole red chillies, asafoetida, and cumin seeds.
Add grated ginger and 1/4 cup water if necessary. Stir continuously for 2 minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes, curry leaves, turmeric powder, cilantro powder, black pepper powder, and salt. Cook on medium flame until the tomatoes are well cooked and chutney leaves oil.
Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Serve with steamed rice. You can also use this chutney as a spread on bread sandwich.

Lentil – Celery Soup

Celery adds great flavor to Lentils and serves as a great soup.

Ingredients:
1 cup lentils whole washed with water
1 cup fresh green celery, nicely chopped/diced
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2-3 whole red chillies
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2-3 leaks spring onions, chopped
1 inch piece ginger, chopped or sliced
2 fresh tomatoes diced
4-5 curry leaves
1/2 teaspoon cilantro powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
Salt to taste
4-5 cups water
A few cilantro leaves, chopped (for garnishing)
 Preparation:
Wash lentils thoroughly in water.
Cook lentils by adding four-five cups of water, salt, black pepper powder, tomatoes, turmeric powder, and celery in a pressure cooker or in open flame. 2-3 whistles are good for lentils to cook nicely. Open the pressure cooker when cool and keep the lentils aside for seasoning. You can simmer the lentils on low heat so that they blend well.
(You can cook lentils in an open pan but will take long time to cook)
Seasoning
Heat oil/butter in a pan, add whole red chillies, and mustard seeds. Saute them till chillies are dark brown, and mustard seeds starts crackling.
Add cumin seeds, and sauté for few seconds.
Add onion leaks, and ginger. Saute till onion leaks are soft and translucent.
Add curry leaves, cilantro powder, cumin powder, and sauté for half a minute. Add cooked lentils with celery and bring it to a boil. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes on a medium heat.
Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves. Serve hot.
Note: sometimes lentils absorb water and more water may be required into the lentils.