Aug 08

Spinach & cheese Pide

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A Turkish take on pizza. U can play with so many variations and trust me it’s delicious

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Ingredients

250 gm maida

11 gm sugar

4 gm salt

3 gm yeast

20 ml oil

120-130 ml luke warm water

  1. Mix the flour, yeast and sugar. Add the oil and mix.
  2. Add half the water and mix
  3. Add the rest leaving back about 10-15 ml water.
  4. Add salt and knead.
  5. Incase the dough needs water add spoon by spoon.
  6. Knead till u get a window pane
  7. Oil a bowl and put the dough in it. Cover with wet cloth/cling.
  8. When double appx 1.5 hr, punch it down weigh and divide into 4. Appx 100 gms each
  9. Make it into a tight ball each and cover and let it rise for the second time

Topping

1 chopped onion

10 minced garlic

8-10 mushrooms quartered

2 bunches of spinach sliced

1 tsp jeera

Pepper and salt

Olive oil

  1. Heat olive oil, saute the onion and garlic till pink.
  2. Add the mushroom and cover cook till it’s done
  3. On a slow flame, add the spinach (ensure u have squeezed all excess water out, wrap in a cloth) and cover and let it blanch
  4. Remove the lid and mix the spinach till the water dries
  5. Add salt pepper and jeera powder. Mix. Shut gas and leave to cool

Other toppings

50 gms feta

50-60gms mozzarella

Sumac powder

Milk wash

1-2 tsp semolina

Method

  1. Pre heat ur oven to 200° C
  2. When the balls of dough has doubled (appx 45 mins to 1 hr), dust the surface and press the ball flat
  3. Use a belan and press it to oval shape
  4. Sprinkle some semolina on the mat. Lift and put the pide on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or silicon mat.
  5. Brush olive oil and put mozzarella cheese in the center. Leave an inch border
  6. Add the spinach/mushroom topping.
  7. Apply water in the borders. Pinch the corners to make a canoe/boat shape and fold the sides as shown.
  8. Apply milk wash and put for baking for 15 mins.
  9. Once done drizzle olive oil, crumble feta and dust with sumac.
  10. hot

Jan 27

Apollo Fish

Living in Hyderabad I have discovered so many interesting dishes. After experimenting with loose prawns, I was told to try the Apollo fish. I have tasted a few versions but the best was at this small Telugu joint called Simhapuri deluxe. It was too good

These Hyderabadi special dishes are perfect bar nibbles. An amazing amalgamation between Chinese and Hyderabadi and trust me this starter is so so good. Here is my version adapted from vah chef


Marinade
1kg basa cut into 2″ rectangles
1.5 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
Salt
1/2 tsp Turmeric
2 tsp Chilli powder
1 tbsp Lime juice
1 Egg
2 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp maida

  1. Marinade the fish with the given masalas.
  2. Add the egg corn starch and maida at the end. Mix well.
  3. Deep fry on medium flame. Drain and keep aside

Masala
Oil
12-15 Minced garlic
1.5 ” Minced garlic
4-5 Slit green Chilli
Curry leaves
1 tbsp Coriander powder
Salt
2 tsp Soya sauce
1/2 cup Curd
Chopped coriander
1 tsp Lime juice
Optional – 2 tsp chilli paste

  1. Heat oil
  2. Saute garlic & ginger
  3. Add chilli and karipata
  4. Add coriander powder and salt. If adding chilli paste u can do so now. Saute it well
  5. Add soya sauce, mix
  6. Add curd and mix well on low flame
  7. Add the fried fish and top with lime juice and coriander. Mix well. Serve hot

Nov 23

Chicken Changezi

The restaurant style chicken gravies have always intrigued me. When I saw a friend making Chicken Changezi, I knew I had to try it.


After searching for a good recipe, decided to make Sanjyot Kheers recipe as I have always had success with his recipes
This recipe is a bit long but the rich and spicy gravy is worth the effort.


Marinade
1 kilo chicken curry cut
Salt
1 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
1 tsp dhania powder
1 tsp jeeta powder
3 tbsp ginger garlic chilli paste
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/2 lime juice

1. Mix all ingredients under marinade and keep chicken for 1 hr minimum or overnight

2. Heat oil in a pan and fry chicken on high both sides for 2-3 mins3. Cover and cook for 10-12 mins. Cooked 80%

8-10 medium tomatoes
2 medium onions – chopped
Oil
4 tbsp ginger garlic chilli paste
1/4 tsp haldi
1 tsp red Kashmiri chilli powder + 1 tsp chilli powder
1.5 tbsp dhania powder
1 tsp jeera powder
1/2 TSP garam masala + 1tsp garam masala
Hot water
Salt
1/2 cup dahi
4-5 tbsp cream
2-3 slit green chillies
Pinch kasuri methi
Pinch chaat masala
Chopped coriander

1. Cook tomatoes in water till skin cracks. Then peel skin and coarse grind the tomatoes. Keep aside

2. Add oil in a pan, add the onions and fry till golden brown

3. Add the GGC paste and fry till raw smell goes

4. Add the haldi, chilli powder, dhania powder, jeera powder, garam masala. Mix well and add little hot water and mix. Fry for 4-5 mins.

5. Add the tomato puree and little salt. Sautee for 25 mins. Cover and cook, stirring at intervals

6. Take a flat pan, add lots of oil. Once it’s hot add the changezi gravy and spread it

7. Add 1/2 cup dahi and 4-5 tbsp cream, garam masala, red chilli powder and salt

8. Cook on high flame for 20-25 mins

9. Add the chicken, slit green chillies, kasuri methi, chaat masala and mix well

10. Cook on slow flame for 10 mins. Adjust consistency and salt

Recipe courtesy – your food lab

Nov 23

Chicken Enchiladas

I have a food group called Foodies Central and we keep having some activity or the other.


Recently we started a challenge group on WhatsApp where one person mentors a recipe and the others have to follow it.


The Enchilada recipe featured here was mentored by me and received fabulous feedback. It’s an amalgamation of quite a few recipes I already make.

MEXICAN SAUCE
1 big red capsicum
4 tomatoes
4 dry Kashmiri red chilies (Adjust as per spice preference)
10-15 garlic
salt
Olive oil

1. Chop tomatoes, capsicum, garlic. Big pieces are fine

2. Sauté tomatoes, capsicum, garlic and red chillies together in olive oil in high flame. Keep the flame high and keep mixing.

3. The mix needs to char a bit but be careful not to burn it.

4. Blend it in a mixer with minimum water

ENCHILADA SAUCE
1 bay leaf
1 large onion chopped
15 garlic cloves chopped
10 tomatoes
1/2 readymade tomato purée pkt
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp jeera powder
1/4 TSP cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp red chilli flakes (adjust as per ur spice level)
1tsp smoked paprika (or kashmiri chilli powder)
1/2 TSP sugar
salt
Olive oil
1 tbsp maida

1. Blanch tomatoesin boiling water till the skin splits.

2. Puree the blanch tomatoes.

3. In a pan, heat olive oil and add the bay leaf, onions and garlic. Sautée to pink

4. Add the tomato, pkt purée, dried herbs, sugar, spices and salt.

5. Cook till tomatoes are soft. Add some maida to thicken the sauce. Adjust seasoning. Let it cool.

INGREDIENTS
Enchilada sauce
4 Tortillas ( Tex Mex Salsalito)
1 cup grated Mozzarella cheese (Britannia cheeza)
1/2 cup Boiled rajma
1/4 cup Boiled corn
1/4 cup sauteed bell peppers
500gm boneless chicken / 350gm paneer
Mexican sauce
Mexican seasoning

METHOD
1. Brush a thin layer of enchiladas sauce on the baking tin/glass bowl

2. Toast the tortillas slightly

3. Lay out the tortilla on a plate, on one side, add the chicken/veggie mix in a line, top with cheese, sprinkle Mexican seasoning. Roll the tortilla. Lay it flat on the tin/bowl with folded side underneath

4. Top with enchilada sauce (should be room temp) and add cheese on top.

5. Bake at 180 for 15 mins till cheese melts 6. If u do not have an oven then place the time on a pan and cover with foil. Place gas on sim and let the cheese melt. Or u can also melt the cheese in a micro (use a micro safe dish)

Apr 09

Gochujang Grilled Chicken with spicy garlic noodles

Finally laid my hands on the Korea chilli paste Gochujang and the first dish I made was this sweet spicy sticky chicken

1kg chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

3 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp gochujang
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
3 garlic cloves, finely grated grated
½ cup finely chopped spring onions(white)
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp black sesame seeds
½ tsp chilli flakes
¼ tsp sea salt

1. Preheat oven grill to medium-high. Line a baking tray with foil.

2. Place chicken in a large mixing bowl. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, gochujang, honey, ginger, garlic and spring onions. Mix well. Marinate chicken for 2 hrs

3. Spread chicken out onto lined baking tray. Place under hot oven grill at 200 and cook for 25 minutes, turning half way, or until cooked through. If chicken starts to char or brown too quickly, turn oven grill down.

4. Just before serving toss the chicken on a pan with all the gravy left on the pan, let the sauce get sticky and coat the pieces.

5. In the meantime, mix together lemon zest, sesame seeds and salt.

6. Place chicken on a serving plate and sprinkle with lemon zest mixture. Serve hot.

Recipe courtesy Marion Grasby

Apr 09

Irani style Green Chicken Kheema

When you are always looking for some twist in a regular recipe, it’s time to sit in front of the internet and start your research.


I chanced upon this recipe of green masala Irani style kheema by Sanjyot Keer. His recipes are really good so I had to give it a try. It’s completely different from the regular kheema and brings a good twist to the tale. I paired it with homemade Bombay Paav and it was a perfect match made in Heaven


Method
500 gms chicken kheema

Green masala paste
1 cup. Dhania
10 pudina leaves
3-4 palak patta
3-4 green chilli
1 tbsp coriander seeds
4-5 peppercorn
1 tsp jeera
2 green cardamom
1 black cardamom seeds
1 Ice cube
Little water

Grind it well to a thick paste

Other Ingredients
1/3 cup oil
5 medium chopped onion
3-4 tbsp gg paste
1/2 cup peas
1/3 cup curd
2 tbsp dhania powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp jeera powder
1/4 cup dill leaves
Hot water appx 300 ml
Pinch of garam masala
Salt
Chopped dhania
Butter plus kasturi methi


1 Fry onions till golden brown
2 Then add GG paste fry fro 3-4 mins
3 Add kheema and matar and fry for few mins on high heat
4 Add the green masala paste and mix well
5 In a bowl add curd, dhania, jeera and chilli and mix well
6 Add the masala dahi to the pan , mix well
7 Cook for 5-6 mins till it leaves oil
8 Add dill leaves mix and add hot water, add salt. Cook for 10-15 mins
9 Adjust seasoning and add garam masala and dhania
10 Heat butter add kasturi methi and give tadka

Jan 21

Loose Prawns

I woke up this morning and realised my blog Vishualfoodie completes 8 years. Started with a gusto only to have dwindled posting over the last few years. But with a guarantee that the recipes on the blog have been loved and made repeatedly not only by me but my many who follow it. Some of the recipes have been a star attraction not only amongst followers families but also some of their business best sellers.

I honestly didn’t have time to cook anything elaborate and suddenly remembered this dish that aroused my curiosity after moving to Hyderabad.

Loose prawns are featured on many local Hyderabad restaurant menus under the Chinese section. It’s one of those Hyderabadi-Chinese inventions like the Apollo fish and the chicken 65. One day I finally decided to order it even though was highly amused by the name Loose Prawns. What a bang on dish. So flavourful and perfect snacky item with a few drinks.

Here is my humble attempt if not authentic attempt at Loose Prawns

Prawns 500 grams.
Green chili 3 Ginger 1″ Garlic 10
Corn starch 1 tablespoon.
All-purpose flour (Maida) 1 tablespoon.
Soy sauce 2 tablespoons.
Chili powder 2 tablespoons.
Curry leaves 2 springs.
Coriander chopped 1 bunch.
Sugar 1 pinch.
Oil to fry.
Salt to taste.

  1. Take a bowl, add prawns, salt, chilli powder, Soy sauce, mix it properly.
  1. Then add all purpose flour, corn starch and mix it. If mix is thick, then add little water.
  1. In a mixer add chopped Ginger & garlic, green chillies, curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves, sugar, salt and make a coarse paste.
  1. Heat oil and deep-fry the prawns.
  1. Heat oil in another pan, add coarse paste (earlier prepared) cook it till moisture is evaporated.
  1. After that add fried prawns, toss it.

Recipe courtesy Vah Re Vah

Jan 06

Methi Malai Chicken

In my hunt for interesting Indian recipes I chanced about this chicken methi malai recipe on a FB group. Keyword search led me to many posts of members vouching for this recipe, and I knew I had to make it.


The dish was rich and delicious with the kids giving a thumbs up to methi too, as long as it’s wrapped around the chicken

Ingredients

1 Bunch Fresh Methi
800 gms chicken
2 onion
1 tomato
2 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp ginger paste
2 green chillies
3-4 dry red chillies
100 gm yoghurt
100 gm cream
1 tbsp whole garam masala( black peppercorns, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp crushed black pepper
fresh green coriander leaves for garnish
salt to taste
100 gm butter/oil

1. Clean wash chicken and keep it in a colander to drain. Pluck leaves of methi and wash it in running water 2-3 times, so all the mud and sand is washed off. Finely slice the onion and tomato.

2. Heat a wok and add Butter/ oil, let it come to temperature. Add whole garam masala, cumin seeds. Saute until oil is aromatic approximately 2 minutes.

3. Add sliced onion and dry red chillies. Fry for 3-5 minutes until onion turn light golden. Add ginger and garlic paste and cook the rawness evaporates.

4. In fried onion add chicken pieces and fry for 5-7 minutes or until chicken is well seared and the chicken is all dried up. Add sliced tomato and it cooks.

5. Add all dry spices, red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, crushed black pepper, garam masala powder

6. Cook for 2-3 minutes and then add salt and yoghurt. Cook over high flames until the moisture of yoghurt dries.

7. Add half cup of water, bring it to boil. Reduce the heat cover the wok with the lid and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes until chicken is almost 80% cooked.

8. Add chopped methi (fenugreek leaves) to chicken and stir well. Keep the at medium heat and cook it uncovered until both chicken and methi is cooked.

9. Whipped up the cream with a fork to make it smooth. Pour the cream in methi murgh and gently stir to combine, leave 2 tbsp of cream for later to garnish.

10. Reduce the flame to simmer, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the oil floats on top

11. Transfer in a bowl, garnish with cream and green coriander leaves.

12. Serve hot with paratha, rotis or rice

Recipe courtesy – Afroz Shaikh

Oct 11

Hyderabadi Shaadiwala Red Chicken

Since my move to Hyderabad, I have been reading about the various specialities that this city has to offer.

I haven’t tasted this dish outside but the name kept attracting me and after much research zeroed in on this recipe. Adapting it to our tastes. My kids say this now is their top Indian gravy and absolutely loved it. Don’t be scared by the colour, it’s finger licking good.

Ingredients

1.5 kg chicken


Marination
250 GM’s curd
5 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 big tomato puree
3 TSP coriander powder
4tbsp tomato ketchup
3 tbsp red chilli sauce
2 tbsp green chilli sauce
2 tbsp garam masala powder
1 tsp Shahi jeera
1 tsp jeera powder
3 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
2 big fried onion – crushed
5 tbsp oil
Finely Powdered – 20 badam with skin, 3 tbsp chironji, 3 cardamom pods
2 tbsp vinegar
Salt
Chopped coriander

1. Mix the chicken with all items mentioned in marinade. Massage the marinade in well

2. Leave for minimum 2 hrs or overnight in fridge.

3. Cook the chicken on high flame for 2-3 minutes.

4. Lower flame to medium and leave lid ajar. Cook for 5 minutes checking in between to ensure the chicken doesn’t get stuck to the bottom.

5. Lower flame and continue to cook till chicken is tender.

6. Add chopped coriander and little fresh cream. Mix well, cook for a couple of minutes and serve hot

Recipe courtesy – cook with Fem

Oct 11

Mushroom Garlic Cream Pasta

Everyone likes a delicious pasta. Here in India, a very small percentage of the varieties of pasta that are made abroad are reproduced. Am a fan of MasterChef and to see Also cook up such a variety is fascinating.

It’s my dream to make my own pasta from scratch and to also attempt some of Aldos delicious rustic pastas. Until then I dare to try variations in the sauce, mostly the ones that we are exposed to in India.


The varieties of pastas I have attempted are pesto, arrabiata, Alfredo, aglio olio, charred bell pepper, lasagna, stuffed pasta and now this the Mushroom garlic cream sauce.

Ingredients

300 gms boneless chicken
Salt
Chilli powder/pepper
Butter
Olive oil
2 chopped onions
10-12 flakes chopped garlic
1 pkt sliced mushrooms
1 small pack of amul fresh cream
Half box of amul cheese spread
Veggies of your choice – I used broccoli, baby corn
Herbs – oregano, basil, parsley, chilli flakes
Spaghetti – 250 GM’s

1. Marinate chicken with salt and chilli flakes for about 2 hrs

2. Boil pasta to al dente. Reserve some pasta liquid before straining.

3. Sautee the veggies in olive oil and add the herbs and seasonig. Keep aside

4. Cook the chicken in oil till tender. Keep aside

5. In the same pan add butter, add chopped garlic, onion, saute till translucent

6. Add mushrooms and salt

7. When cooked add cream, chilli flakes, herbs, cheese spread, mix Vell.

8. Simmer, add pasta veggies Chicken and mix well. Adjust seasoning