Kaddu Halwa (Gourd Sweet)

Kaddu/Gourd is one of the major vegetable which is used in India. This vegetable can be prepared in a lot of different ways; one of the way is by making Halwa. It is very simple recipe and easy to prepare and this takes about 30-40 minutes in total. Do not forget to read the benefits.

Ingredients:

Ghee - 1/4 cup

Kaddu/Gourd (Grated) - 500 g

Milk - 250 ml

Sugar - 150 g

Khoya - 200 g

Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp

Chopped Dry Fruits (Almond, Cashew and Pistachio) -  10-12 pcs.

Pinch of Salt.

Method:

Step 1:

Heat Ghee in a heavy bottom pan.

Step 2:

Now add the grated Kaddu (Gourd) followed by all the other ingredients (except Cardamom Powder) all together and Cook on a medium flame until the Kaddu becomes light brown in color (Make sure all the ingredients are absorbed by Kaddu).

Step 3:

Finally add Cardamom powder when the Kaddu starts showing light brown color; Make sure to stir at regular intervals.

Step: 4

Serve hot with chopped dry fruits as toppings.

Benefits of Kaddu/Gourd:

Promotes weight loss

Helps digestion and treats constipation

Provides cooling effect

Treats urinary problems

Treats sleeping disorders

Replenishes loss of water content

Keeps the heart healthy

Reduces inflammation of liver.

Do share your experience how it tasted. Your valuable comments are appreciated.

Chef Hussain.

Bhindi Fry

Bhindi is considered as one of the healthiest food around the world. There are numerous benefits of Bhindi, but only some of them are mentioned below. The taste and health benefits go hand in hand unlike other healthy food which tastes odd with healthy functions. Do read the benefits and give it a try to this scrumptious recipe.

Ingredients:

Bhindi – 500gm

Onion – 1 medium sized (chopped)

Tomato – 1 medium sized (chopped)

Green Chilli – 1 medium sized (chopped)
Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tbsp.
Turmeric – ½ tsp

Garam Masala powder – ½ tsp

Red chilli powder – 1 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Lemon juice – 1 tbsp.

Chilli flakes – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Fresh coriander leaves

Method:

Step 1:

Soak the Bhindi in water for around 5-10 minutes and then cut them as per your choice.

Step 2:

Take a pan and add 2 tbsp oil along with Bhindi and fry it for 5 minutes on medium flame, keep it aside when done for further use.

Step 3:

Now add 2 tbsp of oil into the pan along with Onion (chopped); fry the onion until sauté then add tomato and cook it for around 3 minutes on medium flame.

Step 4:

Finally, add the remaining ingredients along with salt into the pan and cook it for around 5 minutes and then add Bhindi and further cook it for 10 minutes on low flame.

Step 5:

Serve the Bhindi Fry with some coriander leaves and chilli flakes.

Benefits of Bhindi:

Alleviates Asthma

Lowers Cholesterol

Manages Diabetes

Boosts Immune System

Prevents Kidney Disease

Promotes Healthy Pregnancy.

Do share your experience how it tasted. Your valuable comments are appreciated.

Chef Hussain.

Banana Chikoo Smoothie

Tired of daily routine work and need a drink to restore the energy levels of body, here it is Banana Chikoo Smoothie. Make sure to read the benefits.

Ingredients:

Banana – 1 (Chopped)

Chiku – 1 (Chopped)

Milk – 250ml

Vanilla essence – ¼ tsp.

Honey – 1 tbsp.

Almonds - 3 to 4

Ice cubes – 4 to 5

Method:

Step 1:

Take a blender and mix all the ingredients together (add water if needed) until the mixture becomes smooth.

Step 2:

Serve the Smoothie with some chopped Banana and Chikoo as topping.

Benefits:

1. Rich in Vitamin A and C
2. Source of Antioxidants
3. Good for the Bones
4. Controls Blood Pressure
5. Anti-Inflammatory
6. Controls Weight
7. Helps in Digestion
8. Benefits During Pregnancy
9. Source Of Energy
10. Prevention Of Certain Cancers
11. Acts as a Detoxifying Agent.

Do share your experience how it tasted. Your valuable comments are appreciated.

Chef Hussain.

Chicken Kabsa

Based on the demand of you people, here I come with another recipe which is one of the famous Arab dish; Chicken Kabsa. This recipe takes a lot of time and effort in the preparation but the end result will satisfy your taste buds. Enjoy with your family and friends and also make them closer to you by portraying your cooking skills.

Ingredients:

Chicken – 1.5kg (whole)

Rice – 500gm (Soak 30 minutes)

Turmeric powder – 1tsp

Chilli Powder – 2tsp

Fennel powder – 1tsp

Garam Masala powder – ½ tsp

Coriander powder – 1tsp

Potatoes – 1

Onions – 1 small

Tomatoes – 2 medium sized

Green Chilli – 2 medium sized

Salt to taste

Ginger Garlic Paste – 2tbsp

Yoghurt – 2tbsp

Vinegar – 1tsp

Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp.

Dried Black lemon – 2

Fresh mint leaves

Almonds for garnish – 10-12 pcs

*Optional Egg (Boiled) – 2

Method:

1.     For Marination:

Step 1:

Take a pan and add all the spices (Turmeric powder, Chilli Powder, Fennel powder, Garam Masala powder and Coriander powder) into the pan and roast it for about 3-5 minutes on a low flame.

Step 2:

Take a large bowl and add the roasted spices into the bowl along with Yoghurt, Ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, Salt and Vinegar and mix it well until a thick creamy mixture is formed.

Step 3:

Finally, apply the mixture thoroughly on the chicken (marinate at least 1 hr.) and reserve the remaining mixture for use in rice.

2.   For Chicken:

Put the marinated chicken into the oven for about 40 minutes (20 minutes on each side) at 280°C.
*Preheat the oven to 280°C.

3.   For Rice:

Step 1:

Take a large vessel and add sufficient water needed for 500gms of rice along with fresh mint leaves, dried black lemon and salt to taste and allow the water to boil.

Step 2:

Now Add the pre-soaked rice into the boiling water with the remaining mixture of chicken masala.

Step 3:

The kabsa rice will be cooked in 15-20 minutes and will be ready to serve.

4.   For Tomato sauce:

Step 1:

Take a blender and add the tomatoes, onion, green chillies and a pinch of salt and mix it well.

Step 2:

Remove the prepared tomato sauce from the blender and transfer it to a serving bowl directly.

*Garnish the kabsa with roasted almonds, fried onions and potatoes.

Do share your experience how it tasted. Your valuable comments are appreciated.

Chef Hussain.

Caramel Bread Pudding

Why to use bread just for making sandwiches when you can enjoy more tastier and healthy dish which is Caramel Bread Pudding. Let us see how it is made and how simple it is to prepare.

Ingredients:

Bread – 10 pcs

Milk – 500ml

Eggs – 5

Salt – pinch

Sugar – 200gm

Vanilla essence – ¼ tsp.

Saffron (Zafran) – pinch

Cardamom powder – ¼ tsp.

Method:

Step 1:

Remove the sides of the Bread (10pcs) and grind the remaining portion of bread in a grinder.

Step 2:

Now add Eggs (5), Milk (500ml), Sugar(200gm), Vanilla essence (¼ tsp.), Salt (pinch) and cardamom powder (¼ tsp.) in a mixer and blend them altogether till smooth batter is formed.

Step 3:

Transfer the batter from mixer to a large bowl and add grinded bread along with saffron (pinch) into it and mix it well.

Step 4:

Finally, transfer the prepared pudding batter into a steel container and cook it on a steam for around 15-20 minutes on high flame.

Step 5:

Last but not least, after the bread pudding is cooked on a steam refrigerate the bread pudding and serve cold.

Note:

For Saffron, take a pinch and put in a bowl and add 1 tbsp. of hot water and close with a lid for at least 5-10 minutes.

Caramelize the sugar before pouring the pudding batter into a steel container.

Do share your experience how it tasted. Your valuable comments are appreciated.

Chef Hussain.

Chicken Biryani

Biryani is loved by most of the Indians all around the world. Usually, Biryani takes a long time in preparation but this recipe here can be prepared in less than an hour and it will be tasty as well as healthy.

Ingredients:

Chicken pieces – 1kg

Basmati Rice – 500gm

Onions – 2 (medium sized)

Ginger Garlic Paste – 2tbsp

Biryani Masala – 1 Pkt.

Bay leaf – 2

Yoghurt (Dahi) – 2tbsp.

Fresh Green Chillies – 3 (medium sized)

Fresh mint leaves

Fresh coriander leaves

Oil

Salt to taste

Lemon Juice - 1

Saffron Color – ½ tsp.

Method:

For Chicken:

Step 1:

Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly and strain the water out through the help of sieve.

Step 2:

Now to marinate the chicken for the biryani, combine the oil, ginger garlic paste, biryani masala, yoghurt, green chillies and salt in a large bowl and stir together. Add the chicken pieces and toss together making sure the chicken is thoroughly coated in the marinade. Allow the chicken to marinate for 5 minutes with closed lid.

Step 3:

Now take a pot and add 3 tbsp of oil to it and then add the marinated chicken into it and cook it for about 5-7 minutes on high flame. Keep the prepared chicken aside for further use.

For Rice:

Step 1:

Soak the rice for half an hour before cooking.

Step 2:

Take a large vessel with add water (1.25 ltr) along with lemon juice, fresh mint leaves, bay leaves, salt and 2 tbsp of oil and let it the water to come at a boiling stage.

Step 3:

Now add rice into the boiling water and boil the rice until it’s cooked up to 90%.

Step 4:

Strain the water from the cooked rice and keep it aside for further use.

For Biryani:

Step 1:

Take a large pot and add some rice to the bottom.

Step 2:

Now add the prepared chicken into it along with fresh coriander leaves, fresh mint leaves and the caramelized onions.

Step 3:

Now add remaining rice at the top of the chicken along with saffron color and give rice a slight stir only from the top.

Step 4:

Close the lid and let the Biryani cook for about 10 minutes.

Step 5:

Serve the Biryani with Yogurt salad.

Note:

Yoghurt salad consists of a combination of cucumber, black pepper powder, salt, green chillies and yoghurt.

Do share your experience how it tasted. Your valuable comments are appreciated.

Chef Hussain.

No Masala Dal Fry

Here is the recipe of one of those Dal which do not need any spices and is equally healthy and tasty.

Ingredients:

Urad Dal – 75gm

Ginger Garlic Paste – 1tbsp

Tomato (diced) – 1 medium

Onion (Sliced) – 1 medium

Green Chili (Chopped) – 1 medium

Curry Leaves – 6 to 7

Oil – 4tbsp

Salt to taste.

Method:

Step 1:

Boil Dal in a vessel with 1tbsp of Ginger Garlic Paste and salt for about 15-20 minutes or until it's cooked completely.

Step 2:

Take a fry pan and add oil 4tbsp; allow the oil to heat and then add medium sized onion (sliced). Allow the onions to fry until they become golden brown and then remove from the pan.

Step 3:

Add the remaining ingredients (tomato, curry leaves and green chili) in the frying pan with remaining oil and allow it to cook for about 5 minutes on a medium flame.

Step 4:

Add the fried onions and the other ingredients on top of the dal and give it a stir.

Your No Masala Dal Fry is ready to serve.

Do share your experience how it tasted. Your valuable comments are appreciated.

Chef Hussain.

Halwa

Special occasions require sweets in order to enhance the bond and to make it memorable. Guests are going to arrive at your home and you have nothing special for them this Halwa recipe can be prepared quickly and easily which the guests will love to eat and will surely cherish too.

Ingredients:

Wheat flour – 180gm
Sugar – 180gm
Semolina (Soji) – 1tbsp
Ghee – 120ml
Salt to taste
Saffron (Zafran) – Pinch
Almonds and Pistachio (Sliced) – 50gm
Boiled water – 160ml

Method:

Step 1:

Take a deep vessel and pour ghee into it along with Wheat flour and roast it for about Five minutes on a medium heat.

Step 2:

Now add Sugar and Semolina (Soji) and then roast a little until the color becomes slight golden.

Step 3:

Finally add the remaining ingredients altogether with boiled water and cook the mixture until it becomes thick and smooth.

Step 4:

Garnish the Halwa with Dry fruits in a plate.

Do share your experience how it tasted. Your valuable comments are appreciated.

Chef Hussain.

Cookies

Cookies are a major source of snack and easy preparing allows it to be the most favorite among many people. This kind of recipe is prepared in less than 30 minutes and is considered to be healthy and refreshing snack.

Ingredients:

Plain Flour – 500gm

Ghee/Butter (Melted) – 270ml

Baking Powder – 1 ½ tsp.

Milk Powder – 180gm

Sugar (powdered) – 180gm

Vanilla essence – ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Egg whites (whisked) – 1

Method:

Step 1:

Mix all the ingredients together and make a smooth dough except Egg Whites.

Step 2:

Now make round shape of cookies and arrange them on a tray.

*You can add almonds according to your preference.

Step 3:

Finally, brush the cookies with Egg Whites (whisked).

Step 4:

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Put the cookies tray into the oven for ten minutes.

Step 5:

Remove the tray from the oven and let it cool for around 10 minutes.

Cookies are now ready to serve.

Do share your experience how it tasted. Your valuable comments are appreciated.

Chef Hussain.