Simple Fried Rice - Shrimp & Paneer

Here is an easy to make mild fried rice recipe that wouldn't make kids run for a mouthful of sugar :)

Total preparation time: 45-60 minutes

Ingredients:

1) Shrimp- 2 cups (or 1 cup cubed paneer and 1 cup shrimp)
2)
a. cinnamon powder: 1/2 teaspoon
b. cloves powder: 1/2 teaspoon
c. cardomom powder (elaichi powder): 1/2 teaspoon
d. ginger paste: 1 teaspoon
e. garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
f. green chilli paste: 1 teaspoon
g. finely chopped big onion: 1/4th
h. turmeric powder: 1/2 teaspoon
i. thick coconut milk: 2 cups (1 can)
j. salt: to taste (I use 1 teaspoon, we go low on sodium)
3)
a. coconut oil: 1/2 cup
b. big onion: 1 full, finely sliced lengthwise
c. 1/2 teaspoon sugar
d. cashewnuts: 10 no.s
e. raisins: 20 no.s
4)
a. basmati rice: 2 cups rinsed well and drained
b. water: 2 cups
c. squeezed juice of one medium lemon/lime
5)
a. garam masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon (or 1-2 drops of essence)
b. coriander leaves, chopped; 1/2 cup

Preparation:

1. Cook shrimp with ingredients in (2) for 15 minutes on medium heat with lid closed.
2. Warm coconut oil in a pan.
3. At medium heat, fry cashew and rasins till medium brown in color, drain and keep aside
4. In the same pan, add the sugar, and fry thinly sliced onion till it turns medium brown (sugar makes onion very crispy when fried). Drain and keep aside.
5. (optional for those adding paneer cubes) Fry paneer in the same oil, drain and keep aside
6. Slightly fry the rice (cleaned and drained) in the remaining oil in the pan, stirring to make sure oil is coated uniformly on rice
7.  Add the fried rice to cooked shrimp mixture in step (1). Cook rice by adding 2 cups of water, and 1 full lemon juice, stir lightly every couple of minutes. Do not cover with lid, leave it open.
8. As the rice get 80% cooked, add in garam masala powder (or 1-2 drop of garam masala essence). Keep cooking on low-medium heat.
9. After the water evaporates completely, turn off the heat and add in fried paneer, cashews, raisins, chopped coriander leaves, and onion.
Serve steaming hot :) Enjoy!

Hulk Dosa aka Green Dosa (Ada dosa)

Serves a very hungry family of two adults and two kids. Lasts enough for 3 meal times :) 

special thx to my best friend Namrita for reminding me how healthy and tasty it is for kids, and how easy it is to make.

Prep time: 8 hours to soak/rinse, 20 minutes to grind the batter, a couple of minutes to make each dosa.

Note: if u don't  wish to make as much batter for 3 days, just use half the quantity of ingredients in group 1 and 2  .

Ingredients:

Group 1) 1/2 cup each of:

Urad dal

Idli rice

Group 2) 1/4 cups each of dry pulses:

Toor dal

Split geen peas

Whole moong (green gram)

Brown dal/brown gram

Quinoa (optional)

Group 3)

1/2 of a large onion chopped medium

1/2 of a medium tomato

1 cup spinach and kale mix (This is what makes it green! i used the frozen variety from costco)

2 green chillies or 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

8-10 curry leaves

1/4 inch chopped ginger

Salt to taste

2 tablespoon flaxseed (optional)

Preparation:

1. Soak items in groups 1 & 2 for 8 hours/overnight in a large mixing bowl filled with water. The pulses double in size when soaked for so long, so make sure u add plenty of water.

2. After 8 hours , rinse the above soaked mix 3-5 times until water runs clear. 

3. Grind the above mix, and items in group 3 using a blender (or wet mixer or grinder) with 2-4 cups of water, adding a cup of water for about 2 cups of the mix.  The mix shouldn't be too watery, or too thick. 

4. Start making dosas rightaway, no need to let ferment. 

5. Store the remaining dough in refrigerator. Enjoy as breakfast or snack with coconut chutney, or sambar, or tomato chutney!

Simple humble choco cake

Super easy and delicious chocolate cake.. takes less than an hour for prep & baking. Thx to my lil' sister Chinnu for sharing this awesome cake recipe!

1.5 cups all purpose flour or equivalent GF baking flour.
2 eggs
100 grams butter (or 3 tablespoons of coconut oil)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoon vanilla essence

Mix it up with a whisk, bake at 365 degree F for 35 minutes on a 9x5 inch pan greased with butter or covonut oil. If you are using greased muffin tray for baking, it should take only 20 minutes.

Enjooooy!

Banana Bread

Ingredients:

1 and 3/4 cup all purpose baking flour

OR 1 and 1/4 cup all purpose flour + 1/2 cup skinless almond meal/almond powder

2 medium sized riped bananas

2 whole eggs

1/4 cup brown sugar (i used thd soft brown jaggery from indian store)

2 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoon salted butter - melted at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

Preparation:

In your dry mixer, add banana pieces and  mix it well in the lowest speed. Add each ingredient (except for the baking flour/almond meal) one at a time and pulse until it looks well mixed. Close the lid super tight.. I had it flying all over the kitchen 😉

Preheat ur oven to 350 degree Farenheit. 

Now move the contents of mixer into a mixing bowl. Using a whisk blend in the flour little at a time.. May be 1/2 cup at a time, whisking along...adding some more.. Whisking along...until it looks really soft and smooth.

Coat a 9x5 inch pan (i used a bread pan), or muffin pan with a thin layer of melted butter or coconut oil. Pour contents of ur mixing bowl.

Bake in middle rack for 60 minutes if using the bread pan. Might take 35-45 minutes for the muffin pan (check in the middle of the cake if cooked by inserting a thin wooden skewer. It should come out clean/dry, not wet/sticky).

Hope u liked ur banana bread!