Firecracker Chicken

Tags

Baked Foods, Chicken Recipes, Chinese

Firecracker Chicken is crispy chicken tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce. The dish is done in two steps, first browned until the chicken is crisp in a pan stove top and next the cooked chicken is tossed in a sweet and spicy sauce and baked to perfection.

This dish an be served as an appetizer or as a side dish with plain rice or fried rice. I like using chicken thighs for the dish because of the texture but chicken breast works fine.

Preparation Time : 10 minutes

Cook Time : 15 minutes

Bake Time : 20 minutes

Serves : 4

Ingredients:

Skinless boneless chicken : 500 grams (cut into chunks)

Salt and pepper to taste

Corn flour/starch : 2 1/2 tablespoons

Eggs : 2 beaten

Scallions : To garnish

For the sauce:

Hot sauce : 1/3 cup

Red chilli flakes : 1 tablespoon

Rice Vinegar : 1 tablespoon

Brown Sugar : 2 tablespoons

Instructions:

Take the chicken chunks in a bowl, add salt, pepper, corn flour/starch and mix well to coat.

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13×9 tray  or cookie sheet with aluminium foil and keep aside.

In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients listed under for the sauce and keep aside.

On High flame, heat oil in a wide pan. Dip the chicken pieces in the egg and put them in the pan in a single layer. It will take 2 batches to cook all the chicken. Cook the chicken pieces 3-4 minutes per side until the chicken is light brown and crisp.

Once the chicken is done, add the chicken pieces to the baking pan, pour the sauce and coat well. Make sure the chicken is in single layer.

Bake the chicken for 20 minutes. Turn off the oven, garnish the chicken with scallions and serve hot with plain rice or fried rice.

Cajun Rice

Tags

Rice Recipes

Cajun cooking is originally from French Cuisine but has become very famous in Louisiana, USA. The flavours are very rustic yet delicious. Serve this delicious with some shrimp or chicken.

Preparation Time : 10 minutes

Cook Time : 20 minutes

Serves : 4 – 6

Ingredients:

Rice : 2 cups

Olive oil : 1 tablespoon

Bell pepper : 1 seeded and diced

Onion : 1 medium diced

Garlic : 2 cloves minced

Cajun Seasoning – Simple Recipe : 1/4 cup

Tomato paste : 2 tablespoons

Fresh lime juice : 2 teaspoons

Butter : 4 tablespoons

Salt to taste

Instructions:

Heat oil in a saucepan, add onions, peppers, garlic and saute for 3 minutes until the onions are soft.

Add tomato paste, cajun seasoning, lime juice, butter, salt, stir well and cook for 2 minutes until the butter is melted.

Add rice, stir in and cook for 1 minute. Add 4 cups of water, stir well and close lid.

Cook for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is completely cooked.

Serve hot with some shrimp or chicken.

Creamy Scalloped Potatoes

Tags

Baked Foods, side dishes

These Creamy Scalloped Potatoes are super creamy and baked to perfection. It goes well with an meal as a side dish.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time : 10 minutes

Bake Time : 45 minutes

Serves : 2-3

Ingredients:

Potatoes : 4 large peeled and sliced into 3mm thick slices

Butter : 1 tablespoon

Garlic : 2 cloves minced

All purpose flour : 1 cup

Ground pepper: 1 teaspoon

Salt : 1 teaspoon

Grated parmesan cheese : 2 tablespoons

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/ 180 degrees C

In a oven safe dish, fan the sliced potatoes.

In a small sauce pan, melt butter and cook garlic until it starts to brown. Add the flour, salt, pepper and stir well to combine.

Slowly add the milk while stirring so no lumps are formed. Stir until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Bring it to a boil and turn off the stove.

Add the sauce on top of potatoes, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake for 45 minutes.

Let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot as a side dish.

 

 

Breadsticks

Tags

Baked Foods, breads

Kids love Olive garden breadsticks as they are soft, fluffy and chewy with buttery topping. Making these breadsticks at home is really easy. They are so delicious, they are gone in no time.

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Resting Time : 2 1/2 hours

Bake Time : 12 minutes

Makes : 12

Ingredients:

Active dry yeast : 1 1/4 teaspoon

Warm water : 1 cup + 2 tablespoons

Sugar : 2 tablespoons

All purpose flour : 3 1/2 cups

Salt : 1 1/2 teaspoons

Oil : 3 tablespoons

Topping:

Butter : 2 tablespoons

Salt : 1/4 teaspoon

Garlic powder : 1/4 teaspoon

Instructions:

In a bowl, add yeast, sugar and 1/2 cup warm water. Stir and cover. Let it rest for 10 minutes to activate.

In a large bowl, add all purpose flour, salt, yeast mixture, rest of the water, oil and knead well for 7-9 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Transfer the dough to a greased bowl, cover with wet cloth or cling wrap and let it rest for 1 1/2 hours or until the dough is double it’s size.

Gently punch the dough down, divide into 12 equals portions. Make each portion into a 9 inch rope on a lightly floored surface and place them on a greased and dusted cookie sheet.

Cover with wet cloth or cling wrap and let it rest for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F during the last 15 minutes of second proofing.

Place the cookie sheets into the oven and bake for 12 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

In the meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix all the ingredients listed under topping.

Take the breadsticks out, gently brush the topping and let them rest for 5 minutes before serving.

I served the breadsticks with olive oil dip made with extra virgin olive, fresh ground pepper and salt. They taste delicious with Marinara sauce.

 

 

Simple Mexican Rice

Tags

Mexican Dishes, One pot dishes, Rice Recipes, side dishes

This Mexican Rice is a simple side dish for any Mexican Dinner. It’s perfect for taco night too.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time : 25 minutes

Serves : 3-4

Ingredients:

Onion : 1 medium chopped

Tomato sauce : 1/2 cup

Long grain rice : 1 cup

Garlic salt : 1 teaspoon

Ground Cumin : 1 teaspoon

Salt to taste

Chicken broth : 2 cups

Oil : 3 tablespoons

Instructions:

Heat oil in a saucepan, add rice and fry till the rice is golden brown. Add salt, garlic salt, cumin. Stir to combine.

Add onions and cook till they are translucent. Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, stir and bring it to a boil.

Reduce heat, close lid and cook for another 15-20 minutes until the rice is completely cooked.

Turn off the stove and let it rest for 5 minutes. Fluff up with a fork before serving.

 

Garlic Bread

Tags

Baked Foods, Italian, side dishes

Garlic Bread is a delicious side dish that goes well with any Italian meals. When made with fresh Italian bread, it tastes even better.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Bake Time : 10 minutes

Serves : 4-6

Ingredients:

Italian Bread: 1 loaf

Butter : 1/3 cup melted

Garlic : 2 cloves minced

Dried Oregano : 1/2 teaspoon

Red chilli flakes : 1/2 teaspoon (Optional)

Salt : 1/4 teaspoon

Method:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F/175 degrees C.

Slice the bread loaf into 1/2 inch pieces.

Place them in a cookie tray.

In a small bowl, mix rest of the ingredients.

Brush the butter mixture on the bread slices and bake them for 10-12 minutes.

Serve immediately as a side dish.

 

Saggubiyyam Vadiyalu/ Sago papad

Tags

Andhra Recipes, side dishes

Saggubiyyam Vadiyalu are South Indian accompaniment that goes well with dal rice or sambar rice. Summer months are apt to make these vadiyalu as they should dry nicely in the sun to cook well when deep fried.

Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Cooking Time : 15 minutes

Drying time : 6-8 hours in hot sun

Makes: 50-60 vadiyalu

Ingredients:

Sago : 1 cup

Water : 5 cups

Dry red chillies : 3

Jeera/Cumin seeds : 1 teaspoon

Salt : 1 teaspoon

Instructions:

Wash and soak sago for 30-40 minutes. In a mortar, add red chillies, jeera and roughly smash them.

Heat water in a vessel and add soaked sago, red chilli paste, salt and bring it to a boil. Cook for 5 more minutes.

Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes before making the vadiyalu.

Take a plastic sheet or cotton fabric, take a spoonful of mixture and drop it.

Let the vadiyalu dry in the hot sun until they turn transparent.

Store in a airtight container.

When ready to serve, heat oil for deep frying and fry the vadiyalu.

 

Mango Salsa

Tags

30 minutes or less, Mexican Dishes, side dishes

Mango Salsa is a refreshing side dish that has a burst of sweet, spicy and sour flavours. It’s serves as a perfect side dish with any Mexican meal or seafood dishes.

Jalapeno is normally used in this dish but I used green chilli as I couldn’t find jalapeno’s.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Serves : 2-4

Ingredients:

Ripe Mango : 1 cut into small pieces

Cilantro/coriander leaves: 2 teaspoons chopped

Onion : 1 small chopped finely

Jalapeno : 1 chopped finely

Lemon juice : 1 teaspoon

Instructions:

In a bowl, add ingredients and mix to combine.

This salsa can be refrigerated for a day. Fresh salsa tastes the best.

Jackfruit Seeds Fry

Tags

30 minutes or less, Andhra Recipes, Veg Curries

Jackfruit is an exotic fruit grown in tropical regions and it is a native fruit in South India. It has a lot of health benefits. The raw fruit is usually used as a meat substitute, seeds are edible in the fruit and has several health benefits. The ripen fruit is eaten raw or used to make desserts, ice creams etc.,

This Fry is made with the Jackfruit seeds. I used the seeds from ripen fruit but seeds from the raw fruit can be used. Boiling or pressure cooking the seeds give them a little softer texture where the white layer can be peeled off and cut to desired shape. These seeds can be consumed directly at this point or can be made into a fry or curry.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time : 10 minutes

Serves : 2-3

Ingredients:

Jackfruit seeds : 35

Turmeric : 1/4 teaspoon

Red chilli powder : 1 teaspoon

Coriander powder : 1/2 teaspoon

Salt to taste

For Tempering:

Oil : 2 tablespoons

Chana dal : 1/2 teaspoon

Urad dal : 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds : 1/2 teaspoon

Mustard seeds : 1/2 teaspoon

Dry red chilli : 1 broken

Curry leaves : 1 sprig

Instructions:

After the seeds are separated from the fruit, let them air dry for 1 day. Peel the outer layer.

In a bowl, add some salt, seeds, 3/4 cup water and pressure cook for three whistles.

Once the pressure releases, take the seeds, peel the outer layer, cut the seeds into desired shape and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan, add all the ingredients listed under for tempering except curry leaves and fry them until they turn golden brown and seeds start to splatter. Add curry leaves, cooked seeds and sauté for 1 minute.

Add turmeric, red chilli powder, salt, coriander powder, toss well and cook for another 8-9 minutes.

Serve with rice and rasam or eat as is.

 

 

 

Cucumber Tomato Salad

Tags

30 minutes or less, side dishes

This Cucumber Tomato Salad is a simple and refreshing salad that goes perfect with any meal.

Ingredients :

Cucumber : 2 large peeled and diced

Roma Tomatoes : 2 large diced

Onion : 1 sliced thinly

Extra virgin olive oil : 1 tablespoon

Dried Oregano : 1/2 teaspoon

Seasoning salt : 1/2 teaspoon

Ground black pepper : 1/2 teaspoon

Instructions:

Add ingredients to a medium sized bowl and toss well to coat.

Serve immediately.