Chicken Green Curry.

Having lived in houses where gardening was always possible, I always had herbs like mint, coriander, fenugreek growing round the clock. My favourite has always been the mint. Whether it be in the form of chutneys, a gravy,a cooling summer drink, or a piping hot tea , its refreshing, pungent and burning taste always soothes the senses.  My favourite dish with the mint has been the green gravy which goes with lamb or chicken.

Having moved to Germany during winter, I had yet to master the art of growing plants inside the home. Wanting to prepare the curry, and having no mint at home, I pretty soon realised, that, the mint was very hard to find in stores. To my utter dismay, I had to forego the dish for 3 months.

  Last week during our weekly shopping, my son quickly spotted the plant for me, which to my surprise was now available. Having got a potted plant, I could not wait to make the dish i had missed the most!!!

Ingredients :-

1 kg chicken -- cut into pieces.
1 onion
3 tbsps ghee or oil

Grind all together :-

• 2 big onions
• 1" ginger
• 4 cloves
• 4 small cinnamon sticks
• 3 green chillies
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• 3 flakes garlic
• 5 stems of mint leaves
• a pinch of turmeric
• 1 tsp pepper corns
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 cardamom
• marble sized tamarind(optional)

Method :-

Heat ghee/oil in a vessel. Fry onion till it changes colour. Add the ground masala and fry for about 10 minutes. Add the chicken and fry till colour changes. Now add a cup of water, a tbsp of vinegar(if tamarind is not used while grinding), salt and cook till done. Serve hot with rice or rice pancakes.

Strawberries in Chocolate Sauce!!!

I know Valentines day is over, but I couldn't resist myself from buying these succulent strawberries at the market. Having read a lot about the health benefits of chocolate, it being considered a food of love and having seen umpteen pictures of strawberries dipped in chocolate sauce, I decided to get into action and surprise not only my loved one but also the little ones!!!!

                To make the sauce, take 200 gm cream and 100 gm sugar in a vessel and gently bring it to boil, stirring continuously. In a separate steel pan, take 500gm of bitter sweet chocolate broken into pieces. Pour the boiling cream onto the chocolate and keep stirring continuously till a thick sauce is formed. I also added a tsp of liquor(Grand Marnier) which otherwise is optional. The above sauce can be kept for 2 weeks in a refrigerator. Reheat over simmering water before serving. Enjoy and a BELATED VALENTINES DAY!!!!!

Herb Chicken with Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients :-

1. 2 garlic cloves
2. 25g pack each fresh basil and mint
3. 8 thyme sprigs
4. 4 tbsp olive oil
5. 4 chicken legs (drumsticks and thighs)
6. 1 small aubergine, chopped
7. 200g tomatoes, sliced
8. 2 red peppers, deseeded and chopped
9. 1 zucchini, sliced
10. Juice of 1 lemon

• Whiz the garlic, two-thirds of the basil, mint and four thyme sprigs in a food processor, adding half the oil gradually until the mixture forms a thick paste.
• Rub the paste over the chicken legs, put it into a bowl, cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200C(fan). Put the aubergine, tomatoes, peppers and zucchini into a large roasting tray with the rest of the oil and season. Toss to coat. Add the chicken and roast for 30-40min until the vegetables are tender and the chicken cooked through.
• Squeeze over the lemon juice and stir in the remaining herbs. 
• Serve immediately with a crisp green salad.

Brinjal/Peas Rice

Ingredients :

1. 2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
2. 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
3. 1 chilli chopped
4. 1 cup chopped brinjal
5. 1 cup diced potatoes
6. 1/2 cup green peas
7. 1 cup basmati rice, washed and kept aside for 20 mts
8. 2 cups warm water
9. 2 tsp garam masala powder
10. 1/2 tsp haldi
11. salt to taste

Method : Heat ghee/oil in a pressure cooker. Add mustard seeds, and when they splutter, mix in chilli. Stir in brinjal and potatoes; saute for 5 minutes. Add green peas, rice, water, garam masala and haldi. Pressure cook till whistle is about to blow, then lower heat and cook 5 minutes. Set aside till steam dissipates. Serve alone, or with chutney.

Minced Meat Cutlets

This international Indian favorite appetizer is prepared by boiling and mashing potatoes,chopping up onions, finely dicing green peppers (green chilies), and cilantro (optional) combining in Indian spices such as pepper and salt.
After you combine all the components, crack one egg and use breadcrumbs for the coating. First, you dip both sides of the cutlet in eggwash. Next, you dunk the eggwashed cutlet in breadcrumbs. Lastly, you lightly fry the cutlet in hot oil. After that, enjoy warm with tomato ketchup or plain.

Ingredients :-

1. 500 gms minced meat
2. 750 gms potatoes
3. 2 large onions
4. 2 inch piece ginger
5. 6 garlic cloves
6. 1 green chilly(optional)
7. 1 tsp bafath powder(optional)
8. 2 tsp pepper powder
9. Salt to taste
10. 1 egg

Method :- Boil and mash the potatoes. Cook the minced meat with salt, drain well of all water & knead it along with the mashed potatoes. Finely chop onions, ginger, garlic, green chilly and add it to the meat potato mixture. Combine bafath & pepper powders to the above. Heat oil in a pan. Beat an egg. Shape the mixture into flat patties, dip it in the egg & shallow fry until done. Serve hot with tomato sauce.

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients :-

1. 4 eggs
2. 250 gms brown sugar
3. 250 gms butter
4. 350 gms maida
5. 50 gms cocoa powder
6. 11/2 tsp baking powder
7. Sliced almonds for decoration.

Method :-

Beat the egg whites first till fluffy, then add yolks also and beat.Mix together butter & sugar in a bowl and keep. Sieve maida and baking powder together.Add beaten eggs to the butter and sugar bowl and mix. Add seived maida and baking powder, little by little to this mixture and keep mixing well till done. Now grease a baking tray with a little butter, sprinkle a little maida and keep.  Preheat the oven at 150 degrees. Pour the cake batter in this tray and bake for an hour. Check by inserting a tooth pick, if it comes out clean, the cake is done. On cooling the cake, decorate with sliced almonds and serve.