Baked macaroni in tomato sauce

                                                                             

I loved this recipe the first time I had it!  And, as usual when I like a dish, I want  to have the recipe and try it. My cousin Bulbul, who had prepared this delicious dish, generously shared the recipe and since then this dish has featured in dinners and parties at my place. It appeals to all regardless of their age or food choices. Young kids like it and so do fussy elders who normally keep away from continental or Italian dishes.

Ingredients

2 cups boiled macaroni
2 onions
1 capsicum
3-4 tomatoes
2-3 tsps sugar
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
4 tbsps tomato ketchup
2 tbsp butter or oil
1/2 cup fresh cream
3-4 tbsp grated cooking cheese
1tbsp butter

Method: Chop the onions into small pieces.  Cut the capsicum into rings.  Cut the tomatoes into big pieces, add 1 cup of water and cook.  When cooked, blend in mixer and strain.

Heat the oil or butter and fry the onions and capsicum lightly.  Take out few capsicum rings and keep aside.  Now add the tomato puree, sugar, red chilli powder and salt. Boil for a few minutes.  Add the tomato ketchup, macaroni and cream.  Cover and cook on low flame for another two minutes.

Grease a baking dish and pour the tomato and macaroni mixture in it.  Spread the capsicum rings and the grated cheese on top and dot with butter. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees C for 10- 15 minutes or until the cheese melts and gets a nice colour.  Serve hot.

Note: This dish can also be served without baking. Serve hot garnished with cheese

Chicken Mughlai

                                                                           

This recipe was taught me by my mother and it has never failed me. It's fairly simple and yet good enough to be served to guests. What I like about this recipe is that it has very few ingredients which are generally available at home. The process is also easy and fool proof.

While chicken is far easier to cook than mutton one must remember that it is also a bit bland. Many scoff at chicken even being labelled "non vegetarian"!!  So to enhance flavour, it is generally better to marinate chicken before cooking. Another point to remember is to pick fresh chicken. If buying frozen then also one can check the date and pick accordingly. In cooking vegetatarian or non vegetarian dishes, half the battle is won if the main ingredient is fresh. The other point is to cook with patience and care. If your heart is not in cooking then it will reflect in your food.

Ingredients:

1 medium sized chicken( cut in large pieces)
3 cups curd ( yoghurt)
3 tbsps ginger garlic paste
3 large onions
3 or 4 tbsps oil
1tsp chilli powder
salt to taste
Whole garam masala: 4 cloves, 3 big cardamom, one inch stick of cinnamon
 Pinch of saffron (optional)
2 boiled eggs ....to garnish

Method: Chop the onions into small pieces.  Apply the ginger garlic paste over the chicken pieces and sprinkle salt. (Can add the saffron mixed in milk to the chicken to add colour). Pour curd over the chicken and keep aside for 2 to 3 hours. While marinating always keep the chicken in the fridge, preferably covered with a lid or cling film.  Do not leave outside.

In a heavy bottom pan add oil. When it is heated add the whole garam masala and then chopped onions.  Fry till onions turn golden brown.  Put in the chicken with the marinade.Also add the red chilli powder.  Stir over medium flame till the oil separates.  If the chicken is not yet tender, transfer to a pressure cooker and add some warm water and cook for 10 mins.  Adding warm water helps release oil and gives a good look to the dish. Remember not to add too much water but just enough to cook  the chicken.

Serve in a flat shallow dish garnished with boiled eggs, cut length wise.

I presume one whole chicken to be around 800 gms to one kg. If using less chicken, reduce the ingredient amounts.  For those who do not keep whole spices, just add one table spoon of garam masala powder.

Upma

                                                                           

This is a perennial favourite in our family.  It used to go into the lunch boxes of my kids, it is a regular breakfast item, it even serves as a light dinner at times.  Upma is a complete meal by itself. It is light and yet filling. It tastes great while hot but not bad when cold either. While I make it with vegetables one can make it with just onions too. And its main ingredient, semolina (sooji), can be stored in an airtight container for a long time without spoiling. If living in a hot and humid place, store semolina in freezer. Alternately, one can dry roast the entire semolina one has bought and then cool and store it. That later cuts down on cooking time and helps to protect it from infestation by worms too.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Semolina (sooji)
1 onion
1/2 cup mixed vegetables ie. carrot, cauliflower, peas
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad and chana dal (optional)
1 green chilli
1tbsp oil to fry semolina
2 tbsp oil to cook
salt to taste
Few curry leaves
Coriander leaves to garnish (optional)
1 1/2 cups of water

Method:  Chop onions into small pieces. Chop the carrot and cauliflower into small bits. Chop green chilli, after discarding seeds.

In a heavy bottom pan add 1 tbsp oil and fry the semolina on medium heat till lightly roasted. Do not brown it.  Take out and keep aside.  Now put the remaining 2 tbsps oil in the pan and add mustard seeds, urad and chana dal (optional).  When mustard seeds start spluttering, add the curry leaves, green chilli, onions and vegetables.  Fry for two minutes.  Add the water and salt.  When water starts boiling add the roasted semolina and gently stir till all the water dries up.  Cover and leave aside till its time to serve.  Garnish with chopped coriander leaves (optional) when serving.

This quantity can serve two persons.

Vanilla Custard

                                                                             

This seemingly simple dessert is universally liked and it also happens to be one of the first things I learnt to make which is why I chose it to be the first recipe in my food blog.  It is so easy to make that just about anybody can make it and yet so versatile. You can add cocoa powder or drinking chocolate to the custard and turn it into chocolate pudding.  If you like fruits go ahead and add your choice of fruit to the custard....banana, mango, grapes, apple...they all go well with custard. If you have some pieces of cake lying around the house just add it to the custard and garnish with nuts, raisins and see how nice it tastes. Another good option is to serve vanilla custard with jelly. A favourite with kids.  If you are in the mood to go a step further create a Trifle with layers of cake,fruits, jelly, custard and topped with cream and nuts.

When shopping for custard powder be sure to pick a good brand as it makes a lot of difference. A cheaper brand will make custard look and smell starchy which is not at all pleasing.  You can make a custard runny or thick depending on the amount of powder you use and how long you cook it. A custard is not something you can store or cook a day ahead as it loses its texture so its best to cook it the same day and chill it for few hours.

For me vanilla custard has been a favourite comfort food. It is specially satisfying after a rich, spicy meal as it is essentially light and soothing to the palate.

Okay, now for the actual recipe.

Ingredients:
2 cups milk
2 tbsps custard powder
2 tbsps sugar

Method: Measure out the custard powder in a little bowl and add some cold milk to dissolve it. Now heat the remaining milk and the sugar in a heavy bottom pan. Add the dissolved custard when milk starts to boil.  Stir briskly till thick and right consistency is reached.  Switch off the flame and let it cool.  Invert into a serving dish and place in the fridge to chill.

If you like your desserts less sweet reduce the sugar. By mistake if  you have added extra custard powder and custard has become too thick, add some milk and cook a little. On the other hand if custard is too thin, add some more custard dissolved in cold milk and cook.

This is one dessert you can't go wrong with so make sure you try it.  Apart from vanilla, custard powders are available in many different flavours like strawberry, banana etc. However vanilla custard is the one that is most commonly made and preferred.