Chicken in Yoghurt Gravy

Ingredients

600gms chicken(with bones)

Lemon juice (1)

2 larger onions sliced

1 inch  ginger

5 medium sized garlic cloves

3 green chillies

2 cups yoghurt 

2 tsp Garam Masala

2 tsp Tandoori Masala

2 tsp Coriander Powder

2 tsp Red Chilli Powder

2  tsp Kasoori Methi ( Fenugreek Leaves)

4 Green Cardamom

1 large Bay Leaf

50 gms Butter

Salt to taste

Freshly chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Method

Wash the chicken and pat dry.

Marinate in lemon juice, 1 tsp chilli powder and a pinch of salt for half an hour.

Grind ginger, garlic and green chillies to a paste

Add 2 tsp tandoori masala , half of ginger garlic and chilli paste 1 tbl sp oil and marinate for 2 hrs.

Heat 1 tbl spn oil and add butter

Crackle green cardamom and bay leaf and add 1 tsp garam masala

Add the sliced onions and allow to sweat.

Add the remaining ginger garlic chilli paste , garam masala, coriander powder, chilli powder and kasoori methi

Allow the onions to turn golden brown

Add the marinated chicken and allow to cook on medium heat until tender 

Add salt and cook on high flame to a slightly thick consistency

Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves

Serve with Steamed Rice or Naan Bread.

Coffee Walnut Cake

Ingredients

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon instant coffee

175g butter or margarine

175g light brown sugar

175g self raising flour

3 medium eggs

50g chopped walnuts

drop of vanilla essence

Icing:

100g butter or margarine

150g icing sugar

1 teaspoon instant coffee

200ml double cream

Method:

Cream butter and sugar, vanilla essence and baking powder in a bowl. Beat the eggs and gently add to the mixture one by one. 

Add the flour (must be sifted in). 

Dissolve tablespoon of coffee in approx 10ml hot water add it to mixture with roasted walnuts.

Spoon into a lightly greased and then floured cake tin. Bake for 30 minutes gas mark 4, 180 deg Celsius or 350 deg Fahrenheit  until firm to touch.

For icing: Cream icing sugar and butter in a bowl. Dissolve the teaspoon of coffee into two teaspoons of hot water and add to the buttercream. Slice the cake into two halves and sandwich the filling. Pipe in the rest on the top and decorate with walnuts.

Serve with Tea/Coffee

Mediterranean style Spiced Meatballs Wrap

Ingredients

Meatballs
250 gms chicken/ lamb mince
2 tbl spoons finely chopped mint
1 medium red onion finely chopped
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp garam masala
Salt and pepper to taste

For Spicy base
1 cup passatta tomatoes
1 can chickpeas
1 red chilli
4-5 spring onions
2 cloves garlic
2 tbl spoon fresh coriander stems

For Salad
Lettuce
Spring onion
Red onion sliced
Cucumber
Red Radish
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon juice

Wraps
Low fat yoghurt
1 tbl spoon Harissa

Method
For meatballs mix all the ingredients together and shape 8 round balls and shallow fry on a non stick pan.
For sauce heat oil in a pan and add chopped red chillies, spring onion, fresh coriander stems and crushed garlic. Sauté for a minute and add passatta sauce, add chickpeas and allow to simmer to a semi thick consistency .
Meanwhile mix yoghurt and Harissa and chop the star salad and season with salt and pepper and dress with extra virgin olive oil and juice of a lemon.
Warm the wraps in a microwave for 40 seconds , spread the saucy base, add the meatballs and salad and smother with Harissa yoghurt.
Serve immediately.

Tip: Alternatively you can also add southern fried chicken strips.

Mini Quiche with Spinach, Corn and Feta Cheese

Ingredients

500 gms spinach leaves roughly chopped
1 bowl american corn kernels
2 medium Red Onions thinly sliced
100 gms feta cheese
Butter
freshly crushed pepper
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup full milk
Parmesan Cheese shavings
12 Large White Bread Loaves

Method

Pre heat the oven at 200°Celsius. Grease a muffin tin and keep aside. Using a cookie cutter, cut the bread loaves into circles and flatten each with a rolling pin and then line the muffin tray. Heat butter in pan and saute the onion and corn kernels for 2-3 minutes and add the spinach and allow to sweat for 4-5 minutes, Add salt and freshly crushed pepper. Now fill the lined muffin tray with spinach and corn filling, add feta cheese. Mix egg whites with milk and fill the lined quiches, top with Parmesan cheese and bake for 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Dessert Trio

Baileys and chocolate cheesecake, Chocolate Mousse and Strawberry with Whipped cream served together.

Baileys and chocolate cheesecake

Ingredients
100g butter
250g digestive biscuits, crushed
600g Philadelphia cream cheese
25ml Baileys
100g Icing sugar
300ml double cream, whipped
100g grated chocolate
cocoa powder, to dust

Method
Melt the butter in a pan and add the crushed digestive biscuits. Mix well until the biscuits have absorbed all the butter.Remove from the heat and press into the bottom of a lined 18cm/7in springform tin. Place in the refrigerator and allow to set for one hour.Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Lightly whip the cream cheese then beat in the Bailey's and icing sugar. Fold in the whipped cream and grated chocolate. When smooth, spoon evenly onto the biscuits.Refrigerate and allow to set for a further two hours. Once set, remove and decorate with chocolate shavings and cocoa powder dusted over the top. Serve.

Chocolate Mousse

Ingredients
100ml Double cream
50 gms Dark Belgian Chocolate

Method
Warm the cream in a pan and add the chocolate. Allow the chocolate to melt and bring it near to boil. Pour into Shot glasses or a large ramekin. Chill for 2-3 hours. Serve chilled with icing sugar dusted on the top.

Spicy Potato Wedges

Ingredients

4 medium sized potatoes(washed and sliced into wedges)
2 garlic cloves (crushed and chopped)
freshly cracked pepper and sea salt
1 tbl spoon Red Chilli flakes
2tbl spoon Olive Oil
freshly picked Rosemary leaves


Method

Pre heat the oven at 200°C. Take a baking tin and line it with the grease paper. Spread the potato wedges on the baking tin , sprinkle the salt, pepper, red chilli flakes, crushed and chopped garlic and rosemary leaves. Drizzle the olive oil.Cook in the oven for 45 minutes. Sprinkle some more salt and serve hot with sweet chilli dip.

Cheesy Koftas

Ingredients

For Koftas
4 Medium sized potatoes(boiled)
1 large onion (finely chopped)
1 cup mixed bell peppers (finely chopped)
2 green chillies (finely chopped)
2tbl spoon Cornflour
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
Freshly cracked salt and black pepper

For the Gravy
2 Medium sized Onions (quartered)
4 garlic cloves
1 inch ginger
2-3 green chillies
4-5 tomatoes (blanched n puréed)black pepper corns
2-3 Bay Leaves
4 green cardamoms
5-6 black peppercorns
1tsp red chilli powder
1tsp sugar
1tsp garam masala
2tsp kasoori methi crushed (dried fenugreek leaves)
1 cup fresh cream
freshly chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste
2 tbl spoon butter


Method

Step 1(Koftas)
Sauté the green chillies, chopped onions and mixed peppers and mix with boiled and mashed potatoes and cornflour, season wih crushed black pepper and salt. Make 8-10 balls and stuff with the grated cheese. Roll and deep fry golden brown.Keep aside.

Step 2 (Gravy)
Boil the quartered onions and grind to a fine paste. Grind the ginger garlic and green chillies to a fine paste. Heat butter in a wok and crackle the bay leaves, cardamoms and black peppercorns. tip in the onion paste and sauté till it leaves fat on the sides. Add the ginger garlic and green chilli paste and sauté for a minute. Add the tomato purée a bring to boil. Add the sugar, garam masala, red chilli powder and the kasoori methi. Add water and bring to boil. Now add the fresh cream and freshly chopped coriander leaves.

Arrange the fried koftas in a serving dish and pour te gravy into the dish.


Serve hot with steamed rice or naan bread.