All posts filed under: Main Course

Chicken Steak with Mushrooms in a Brown Sauce

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This is the kind of steak I remember eating as a kid, when there were no fancy restaurants in Bangalore and Chicken pepper steak was a special treat. You will still get this type of food in a Tiffany’s or Juke Box, but other restaurants have upgraded to more sophisticated versions. I found this recipe on a homely site – wholesome food, no pretence. It sounded very similar to the days of yore, so I gave it a shot and here’s the result. (Sorry for the pictures, I was too hungry and dint bother about appropriate lighting!) The brown sauce is great, I salted it a bit too much though. So just add your seasoning at the end. And don’t forget to go back in time to some childhood foods you can never forget! Happy Reminiscing! Chicken Steak with Mushrooms in Brown Sauce Prep time: 10 mins Cooking time: 40 mins Serves: 4 What you need:   4 X 200 gms Chicken breast pieces Marinade: 1/2 tsp crushed Black Pepper 1/2 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp …

Fusili in a Garlic Mushroom Sauce

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I’ve already extolled the virtues of mushrooms in another blog post, so it would be a waste of space to do it here. So let’s talk about the much maligned garlic. People shy away from garlic-flavored-anything cause of the strong smell. Even a big wad of gum can’t get rid of it easily. But if you knew that garlic is fantastic for a healthy heart and even ups your immunity, you would probably give it a second chance. I on the other hand, am a lover of garlic. Give me stinky garlicky nosh every day. 🙂 Actually this isn’t a stinky dish at all. It’s so earthy and comforting that it reminds you of rain on a hot summer day. Poetic huh? The fusili on the other hand adds the ‘twist’ to the tale. The End. Fusili in a Garlic Mushroom Sauce Prep time: 5 mins Cooking time: 30 mins Serves: 4 What you need: 200 gms Mushrooms (diced) 10 cloves of Garlic (chopped) 11/2 Tbsp Butter 1 Tbsp Olive Oil 2 cups Milk 2 Tbsp …

Spaghetti Chicken Bolognaise

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Bolognaise Sauce is a thick meat and tomato sauce served with pasta (usually spaghetti), originally from the city of Bologna in Northern Italy. The sauce is also known as Ragũ and traditionally contains chopped ham, beef, lean pork, chicken livers, several vegetables and white wine. The recipe I have is a special hand crafted one. (So let’s put it this way…I’ve tweaked the recipe to suit what was there at home and it turned out just fine). My star ingredient was the humble chicken (substituting the ham, beef and pork). I deserve credit for making the bolognaise sauce friendly for people who don’t eat red meat 🙂 Spaghetti Chicken Bolognaise Prep time: 15 mins Cooking time: 40 mins Serves: 4-6 What you need: 400 gms Chicken Mince 4 Tbsp Olive Oil 2 Onions (finely chopped) 2 Carrots (diced small) 8 Garlic cloves (finely chopped) 1 Celery Stem (finely chopped) 4 Tomatoes (finely chopped) 8 Tbsp Tomato Puree 2 Tbsp Ketchup 2 tsps Chili flakes 1 tsp Sugar 1 tsp Oregano 1 tsp Parsley 400 gms …

Bacon and Mushroom Quiche

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Anyone who’s not a bacon fan can sign off at the moment because this recipe extols the virtues of fat … Pork fat… interspersed between salty pork meat…which melts and crackles on a hot pan… which curls into a heavenly roll… and then when you bite into it, just melts into your mouth.. sigh! See.. Dint I say anyone who’s not a bacon fan can sign off? A quiche is an open tart with a thin pastry shell (shortcrust) filled with a rich savory egg custard. I made the shortcrust pastry of the quiche at home, so will pat myself on the back. But you can buy the dough from any supermarket. Bacon and mushrooms top this one, but you can add anything you like. They say the original quiche din’t contain cheese… but for me a quiche is not a quiche without liberal amounts of cheese! You can eat this hot or cold, I prefer my quiche cold as the flavors mould in well after some sitting time. The co-resident loved this one and …

Penne with Broccoli

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I honestly don’t know why so many people have an aversion to Broccoli. Is it because it looks too green (almost alien green) and healthy? Or is it because no one has ever thought of serving it deep fried? I really can’t fathom the reason, as the only time my palate was exposed to broccoli, was when I had already crossed the fussy food period in my life. In some ways I’m glad, because I do adore the vegetable. Whenever I include broccoli in my food I feel my health quotient going up a couple of notches! Did you know it’s a minus calorie food? – It takes more calories for our body to digest broccoli than the calories it provides. It also has a really high antioxidant and folic acid level. Come on! The little bugger is just rooting for a slimmer and more beautiful you! Need I give you any more reasons to include Broccoli in your meal plans?? Penne with Broccoli Prep time: 30 mins Serves: 4 What you need: 1 head …

Kumbh Badami Mirch/ Mushrooms in a Chilli Cashew Gravy

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Featured in GoodFood India Magazine – April 2012. (Top 3 recipe, selected under the Himalya Mushroom recipe contest for April) Mushrooms are nutritional powerhouses and a great source of antioxidants. For vegetarians, mushrooms are a wonderful alternative to meat. They are extremely versatile and I love the earthy flavor they so liberally exude. Healthy and tasty…now how many veggies can lay claim to that title? It’s no surprise that mushrooms rank among my top veggies. I mostly toss them into omelets or into a bowl of pasta, but the Indian mushroom gravies are another thing altogether! This one uses green chillies and cashews and is a rich accompaniment to Naan or rotis. Try this out if you can stomach the heat and I promise you won’t regret it! Kumbh Badami Mirch Prep and Cooking time: 30 mins Serves: 4 What you need: 200 gms Button Mushrooms (quartered) 15 Cashew nuts 4 Green Chilies 1 Onion (finely chopped) ¾ tsp Garlic paste ¼ tsp Turmeric A pinch of Garam Masala A handful of Cilantro/ Coriander leaves 5 …

Honey Chilli Chicken

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This is the first Asian style dish that I have posted online. Shall we say in honor of the Year of the Metal Tiger, which starts in the month of February. The year of the Tiger is supposed to bring in dramatic changes but a lot can be accomplished if we are resilient. But enough of the astrology advice…this recipe actually doesn’t require much resilience. It’s very accommodating …gives you enough time to watch an episode on the telly while it cooks away contentedly. I use chicken thighs which have a darker meat which is much more flavorful and suited for this recipe. Also I leave the skin on, which results in a crispy outside but moist inside meat. The co-resident’s not much of a fan of honey in savory dishes, but I love the caramelly glaze and the sweet, pungent and tangy combination.. Drool drool! Honey Chilli Chicken Cooking time: 30 mins Serves: 4 What you need: 8 Chicken thighs / 20 Chicken wings 2 tsps minced Ginger 1 tsp minced Garlic 2 tsps …