Ingredients

Thai Jasmine rice/ Jeera Samba rice – 2 cups

Water – 3 cups

Boneless chicken – 200 gm

Water – 1 1/2 cups

Garlic – 1 big finely minced

Onions – 2 medium chopped

Carrots – 2 medium chopped

Beans – 100 gm chopped

Capsicum – 1 chopped

Leeks – 1 chopped

Spring onions – 1 cup chopped

Eggs – 3

Soya sauce – 3 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Aginomotto/ MSG – 1/4 tsp (optional)

Sugar – 1/4 tsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – 3 tbsp

Method

Pour 3 cups of water into a rice cooker and add washed rice and salt.  Cook till done.  Allow the rice to cool.  Cook the chicken pieces in 1 1/2 cups of water, adding a little bit of salt.  Take them out of the broth and allow to cool.  Chop them into 2″ pieces.  Keep aside the broth.  In a large non-stick pan, heat oil and add finely minced garlic.  Fry till the aroma comes out.  Add the onions and fry till light brown.  Now add carrots, beans, capsicum and leeks.  Fry for a minute and add 1/2 cup of chicken broth.  Cook on a high flame till the vegetables absorb the broth.  Add the chicken pieces, pepper powder and salt.  Fry for a minute.  Make a well in the middle and add beaten eggs.  Stir fry the eggs and then fry it along with the vegetables and chicken.  Now add the rice, soya sauce, sugar and aginomotto.  Fry on a high flame for about 2 minutes and switch off the flame.  Enjoy!!!

I served this delicious ‘Chicken Fried Rice’ with Chilly Chicken. 

Today I am celebrating the Third Blog Anniversary of ‘Salt and Spice’.  I thank all my blog friends and readers for your love and support all through these years!  My special thanks to all those young ladies who try my recipes, get back to me and thank me!  This is also my 125th post!

‘Christmas Pudding/ Plum Pudding’ is a traditional British steamed pudding served on Christmas Day.  This yummy pudding can also be served as a dessert on other occasions or as a refreshment on a hot Summer’s day!

Ingredients

Plum cake – 250 gm powdered

Milk – as required

Butter – 1 tsp

Pineapple – 1/2 cup chopped

Sugar – 2 tsp

Water – 1/4 cup

Orange – 1/4 cup skin and seeds removed

Glace cherries – 7

For the Custard

Vanilla custard powder – 2 tbsp

Milk – 250 ml

Sugar – 3 tbsp

Method

Cook the pineapple with sugar and water till soft.  Allow it to cool and add the orange pieces.  Refrigerate for about 2 hours.  Make a custard with milk, sugar and custard powder. Let it to cool.  Keep it in the fridge for  about 4 hours.  Sprinkle milk over the powdered cake and mix without giving force.  The mixture should be like bread crumbs.  Smear butter on a pudding bowl and transfer the cake mixture into it.  Press firmly with hands.  Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and steam cook for 10 minutes.  Remove the foil and allow it to cool a bit.  Place a serving plate on the pudding bowl and invert the pudding on to the plate.  Pour the cold custard, chilled fruits and fruit juice over the pudding.  Garnish it with glace cherries.  Enjoy with your loved ones!!!

Please follow my Christmas Fruit Cake recipe to make the Plum Cake.  Usually the leftover cake is used to make this pudding.

You can microwave the pudding for 4 minutes instead of steaming.

The pudding can also be served with chilled cream or vanilla ice cream.

‘Christmas Pudding/ Plum Pudding’ is off to Srivalli for the event “Thanda Mela”

I am also sending ‘Christmas Pudding’ to Indrani for the event “Spotlight: Summer Foods & Drinks”

Wish You All A Very Happy Easter!

Ingredients

Chicken Breast – 850 gm cut into small pieces

Onions – 2 diced

Green Capsicum – 1 diced

Ginger – 2 tbsp finely chopped

Garlic – 2 tbsp finely chopped

Green chillies – 5 cut slantwise

Celery – 2 tbsp chopped

Water – 1 cup

Corn flour – 3 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

Orange red color – 1/4 tsp

Soya sauce – 3 tbsp

Tomato sauce – 3 tbsp

Vinegar – 2 tbsp

Sugar – 1 tsp

Salt – to taste

Aginomotto/ MSG – 1/4 tsp

Spring onions – 2 tbsp chopped

Oil – 2 tbsp

Oil – for frying

For the Marinade

Egg – 1

Soya sauce – 1 tsp

Pepper powder – 1/2 tsp

All purpose flour/ Maida – 3 tbsp

Corn flour – 2 tbsp

Salt – to taste

Method

Marinate the chicken pieces with egg, soya sauce, pepper powder, all purpose flour, corn flour and salt for 15 minutes.  Heat oil in a skillet and fry the chicken pieces till they turn golden brown.  Keep aside.  Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add ginger and garlic.  Fry till they are light brown.  Add onions, capsicum, green chillies and celery.  Saute till the onions turn pink.  Lower the heat and add pepper powder, soya sauce, tomato sauce, vinegar, sugar and salt.  (Be careful while adding the salt since the sauces and aginomotto have salt in them).  Mix the corn flour and orange red color with water and pour into the pan.  When it boils, add the fried chicken pieces and mix well.  Stir -fry for a minute so that the chicken pieces are well coated with the mixture.  Garnish with spring onions.  Serve yummy ‘Chilly Chicken’ with fried rice, noodles, steamed rice or rotis.  Enjoy with your loved ones!

My family loves Thai food!  ‘Thai Red Chicken Curry’ with steamed rice is a favourite among them.  It is a delicious and nutritious curry…you will simply love it!

I am sending ‘Thai Red Chicken Curry’ to Shama for “Family’s Favourite Food Event”

Ingredients

Chicken – 1/2 kg cut into pieces

Thai red curry paste – 3 tbsp

Coconut milk – 1/4 cup

Garlic – 1 tbsp chopped

Potato – 1 diced

Onion – 1 diced

Carrot – 1 diced

Red capsicum – 1/2 diced

Yellow capsicum – 1/2 died

Mushrooms – 6 quartered

Lemon grass – 1 stem chopped

Kaffir lime leaves – 3 cut into strips

Coconut milk – 1 cup

Palm sugar – 2 tsp

Fish sauce – 2 tbsp

Salt – to taste

Bird’s eye chillies – 4 slit

Basil leaves – 10

Method

Heat a non-stick pan and add garlic and red curry paste.  Saute for a few seconds and add 1/4 cup of coconut milk.  Boil till oil separates from the paste and becomes a thick paste.  Now add 1 cup of coconut milk, chicken pieces, potatoes, onions, carrots, lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves and salt.  Mix well and cook till 3/4th done.  Open the lid and add mushrooms, red and yellow capsicum, palm sugar and fish sauce.  Cook covered till done.  Add the basil leaves and mix well.  Garnish with Bird’s eye chillies.  Serve delicious ‘Thai Red Chicken Curry’ with hot rice and enjoy with your loved ones!!!

Wish You All A Very Happy New Year!

Hope you all had an enjoyable time during Christmas and throughout the Holiday Season…!  ‘Peanut Butterscotch Cake’ is a delicious cake which you can make for the New Year celebrations.  I am sure all your friends and family will like it!

Ingredients

Butter – 45 + 120g

Brown Sugar – 1/3 + 1 cups

Roasted Peanut halves – 1/2 cup

All purpose flour – 1 1/2 cups

Baking powder – 1 1/2 tsp

Vanilla essence – 1 tsp

Milk – 3/4 cup

Salt – 1/4 tsp

Eggs – 2

Method

Preheat the oven to 180 degree C/ 350 degree F.  Grease an 8 inch round cake tin and line the base and side with baking paper.  Soften 45 g of the butter and add 1/3 cup of brown sugar to it.  Mix until smooth and creamy.  Spread it over the base of the tin.  Arrange the peanut halves, flat sides up over this mixture.  Mix flour with baking powder and salt.  Combine the remaining butter and sugar in a bowl.  Add eggs one at a time and beat with an electric beater. Add vanilla essence.  Fold in the flour, alternating with milk.  Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top with a spatula.  Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the center of the cake.  Set aside for 15 minutes and then turn onto a serving plate.  Yummy ‘Peanut Butterscotch Cake’ can be served warm or cold.

I am sending ‘Peanut Butterscotch Cake’ to Sara for the event “Cakes n Cookies” and to Divya for the event “Show Me Your Cake”

In Kerala, Homemade Grape Wine is a must in every Christian family during Christmas season.  It is usually served with Christmas Fruit Cake.  Here I am posting the recipe for a very simple and delicious Grape Wine made with store bought Grape juice.  The wine will taste better and better as it matures.  So dear friends, start making your wine at the earliest so that delicious Grape Wine will be ready for Christmas…!

Ingredients

Grape juice – 1 litre  with no sugar added

Sugar – 500 gm

Water – 500 ml boiled and cooled

Dry yeast – 1 1/2 tsp

Method

Mix yeast in 1/4 cup of warm water with a tea spoon of sugar.  Close it with a lid and keep aside for 15 minutes.  Take a  jug and pour the grape juice into it.  Add sugar and water.  Mix well till the sugar is dissolved.  Add the yeast mixture and mix well.  Pour the grape juice mixture into a ‘Bharani’ or Ceramic jar.  Close the lid and cover it with a cloth and put a rubber band around it.  Place the jar in a cupboard or any dark place.  For the first 3 days, stir it once a day.  Keep the wine for another 7 days undisturbed.  On the 10th day, pour the grape wine into a jug without disturbing the sediments in the bottom.  Discard the sediments and clean the jar.  Pour the grape wine back into the jar and keep for another 7 days more.  Without disturbing the sediments, pour the wine into bottles and store in a cool dark place.  Serve homemade grape wine with Christmas fruit cake and enjoy with friends and family!

Barbecue Chicken is something my kids love for dinner…!  It is a simple and delicious chicken dish which is also healthy because of the use of very little oil in the preparation!  Here I am posting my recipe for Barbecue Chicken.

Yummy Barbecue Chicken is off to Radhika for the “Food for 7 Stages of Life – Kids Special Event” which is co-hosted by Sudheshna

Ingredients

Chicken thighs and legs – 1 kg

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp

Pepper powder – 1 tsp

Barbecue sauce  – 5 tbsp

Honey – 1 tbsp

Vinegar – 2 tbsp

Salt – to taste

Olive oil – 1 tbsp

Method

Clean the chicken pieces and squeeze them to remove excess water.  Make deep cuts on the chicken pieces.  Add ginger garlic paste, pepper powder, barbecue sauce, honey, vinegar, olive oil and salt to the chicken pieces and mix well.  Marinate the chicken pieces overnight or alt least for 4 hrs.  Preheat the grill for 10 minutes.  Smear a tsp of oil on to a flat non- stick baking tray and arrange the chicken pieces on it.  Grill the chicken for 20 minutes on one side.  Take out the tray and pour the juices from the tray on to the pieces.  Turn the chicken pieces and grill for another 20 minutes.  Take out the tray and pour the juices from the sides of the tray on to the chicken pieces.  Grill for another 5 to 10 minutes.  Arrange the chicken pieces on a bed of cabbage leaves and pour the left over gravy on top of the pieces.  Serve hot with any bread of your choice and steamed vegetables.  Enjoy with your kids!

Ingredients

Minced Beef – 1 kg

Potatoes – 4

Onions – 3 big chopped

Ginger – 2′” piece minced

Green chillies – 4 minced

Pepper powder – 3/4 tsp

Garam masala – 2 tsp

Salt – to taste

Oil – 1 tbsp

Eggs – 2 beaten

Bread crumbs – as required

Oil – for frying

Method

Boil the potatoes and mash them well.  Cook the minced beef with enough water and salt.  Evapourate excess water and allow it to cool.  Heat oil in a non-stick pan and saute onions, ginger and green chillies till the onions are light brown.  Add pepper powder and garam masala and fry for a minute.  Take the cooked mince in a vessel and break the lumps, if any.  Add the mashed potatoes and mix well.  Now add the sauted onion mixture and mix well.  Add more salt if needed.  Shape it into oval shaped cutlets.  Take a cutlet, dip it in beaten egg and coat with bread crumbs.  Repeat the process with the rest of the cutlets.  You can freeze the beef cutlets at this stage.  Deep fry the cutlets on a medium flame and serve hot with tomato sauce.  Enjoy yummy beef cutlets with your kids!

‘Orange Cake’ is a perfect tea time snack you can serve to your guests.  I am sure they will love it…   Here is my recipe for the yummy ‘Orange Cake’ which is a hit in my family!

This is my entry for the event “Monthly Mingle: High Tea Treats” hosted by Aparna which was started by Meeta

I am also sending this yummy Orange Cake to my dear old friend Mansi for her event “A Sweet Celebration”

Ingredients

All purpose flour/ Maida – 2 cups

Baking powder – 2 tsp

Salt – 1/4 tsp

Sugar – 1 1/4 cup

Butter – 1/2 cup

Eggs – 2

Milk – 1/3 cup

Orange juice – 1/4 cup

Orange rind – 1/2 tsp

Orange essence – 1 tsp

Orange red colour – a pinch

Method

Mix maida with baking powder and salt.  Keep aside.  Cream butter and sugar in a bowl.  Add eggs one at a time and blend well.  Add orange juice, orange rind and the essence.  Dissolve orange red colour in milk and add it to the mixture, alternating with the flour and fold in.  Pour into a prepared cake mould.  Bake in a preheated oven on 350 degree F or 175 degree C for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Leave it in the oven for 10 minutes.  Take out and allow it to cool completely before serving.  Enjoy with your loved ones!

‘Chocolate Cake’ is my son’s favorite cake.  The dark color and the softness of the cake is irresistible!  It is so yum that you will ask for more…!  I avoid icing on my cakes for health reasons, but you can decorate the cake with any icing of your choice.

This ‘Chocolate Cake’ is off to Hema’s event “CFK: Chocolate” which was started by Sharmi

I am also sending the cake for the event “Kid’s Delight ” hosted by Srivalli

Ingredients

All purpose flour/ Maida – 2 3/4 cups

Baking powder – 1/2 tsp

Baking soda – 2 tsp

Salt – 1/2 tsp

Cocoa powder – 1 cup

Boiling water – 2 cups

Vanilla Essence – 1 1/2 tsp

Butter – 1 cup

Sugar – 2 1/4 cup

Eggs – 4

Method

Pour boiling water over cocoa and whisk until smooth.  Let it cool.  Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Keep aside.  Cream butter and sugar in a bowl.  Add each egg and blend well.  Add the vanilla and mix well.  Add flour mixture alternately with cocoa mixture and fold in.  Pour into prepared cake moulds.  Bake in a preheated oven on 350 degree F or 175 degree C for 25 to 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Leave it in the oven for 10 minutes.  Take out and allow it to cool completely before serving.  Enjoy with your kids!