STEAMED FISH WITH MASHED POTATOES!!!

 ZERO-OIL  cooking food without the usage of oil, the cooking method may be steaming, baking, etc.The whole idea behind ZERO-OIL is just to restrict the intake of Oil / Butter / Ghee to the prescribed limit per day and not to avoid it completely as minimum of 10% of calories should come from fats and oils.Fats / Oils are good source of energy, aid in the absorption of Fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E and K, help in digestion.
Zero-Oil food is good for weight-watchers, maintaining cholesterol and for maintaining over-all health.The idea is to include regular dishes with ZERO_OIL dishes and creatE a perfect balance of your meals to regulate your fat intake.
In this recipe I used the steaming method

RECIPE CARD: 

Cooking time: 15mins 

Preparation time: 10mins

Serves: 2
Ingredients for fish:

• Fish steaks / Boneless pieces-6
• Black pepper powder-1tsp
• Lemon juice-2tsp
• Mustard paste-1tsp
• Salt to taste

Ingredients for mashed potatoes:

• Potatoes (- 1no (large size)
• Black pepper powder-1/2tsp
  
• Coconut milk-3tbsp
• Garlic paste-1/4tsp
• Butter- 1/2tsp
  
• Salt to taste

Ingredients for serving:

• Lettuce leaves-5-6
• Tomatoes (chopped) -1 no

Cooking method: 

• Clean the fish pieces.
• Mix all the ingredients of fish and keep aside for 10-15mins
• Arrange the fish pieces in a steamer and steam it for 10mins.
• Meanwhile boil the potato.Cool and mash finely.
• Mix all the ingredients of potato till a smooth texture and keep aside.
• For serving: Tear the lettuce leaves and mix with the tomato and arrange the steamed fish pieces on top and serve with mashed potatoes.

DUM KA MURGH-SLOW COOKED CHICKEN IN ALMONDS,PISTACHIOS AND CASHEWS!!!

 

DUM-This is a method of cooking in which the food is slow cooked in a clay pot sealed with a dough  ,the food is cooked in its own steam and moisture let out by the vegetables,meat,fat content of the food.First the food is heated to a high temperature and then simmered for hours.This method of cooking was widely used in the kitchens of the mughals and popular in the norther part of India.

This method of cooking gives the dish amazing flavour and aroma apart from great taste and preserving the nutritional element also at the same time.The very famous 'Dum biryani','Dum aloo','Dum ke kabab','Dum ka muragh(chicken)', are all examples of this style of cooking and all a major part of the festivities of the city of Hyderabad,India.

RECIPE CARD:
Cooking time:40-45mins
Preparation time:20mins
Serves:4-5persons


Ingredients:

• Chicken pieces-1kg
• Yogurt/Dahi-1cup
• Almonds/Badam- 10no
• Pistachios/Pista-15no
• Cashewnuts/Kaju- 10no
• Black pepper powder-1tsp
• Green chillies-5
• Red chilli powder/lal mirch powder- 1tsp
• Ginger and garlic paste-2tsp
• Onions/Piyaz- 1no(medium size)
• Tomato ketchup- 2tbsp
• Red hot sauce-2tbsp
• White vinegar-4tbsp
• Garam masala powder- 1tsp
• Strawberry red food color-1/4tsp
• Cooking Oil-1/2 cup
• Corriander leaves/Dhanya(chopped)-1/2cup
• Stiff dough for sealing the pan or you can put a heavy object on the lid.
• Salt to taste

Cooking method:

• Clean the chicken trimming all the excess fat,wash thoroughly.Put it in a sieve draining all the excess water.
• Dry grind almonds,pistachios and cashewnuts to a fine powder.keep aside.
• Wet grind onion and green chillies to a fine paste.keep aside.
• Take a bowl whisk yogurt and then add red chilli powder,black pepper powder,ginger and garlic paste,garam masala powder,tomato ketchup,red hot sauce and white vinegar and the dry ground almonds,pistachios,cashewnuts powder..Mix well.keep aside.
• Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan add onion and green chilli paste and saute for 5mins till the raw smell of onion goes.
• Now add the yogurt mixture and the chicken pieces,mix well.Add food color dissolved in 1/4cup water.mix well,Cook on high flame for 5 mins .
• Now cover it with a lid and seal it with the dough or keep a heavy object on the lid and simmer it on the lowest flame for about 30-40mins.

Note:if the flame is high the food will burn and stick to the bottom.

• By this time the water will be absorbed and the gravy will nicley coat the chicken.
• Serve hot.
  
  
  

CASHEWNUT RICE- KAJU RICE!!!

 KAJU RICE-This Rice dish is a very good accompaniment to anything from plain dal to korma to any curry.

The cashewnuts makes it rich and the Ghee/butter gives it a nice flavour.This can be served at special occasions.its a quick preparation too,Good for sudden guests.

RECIPE CARD:
Cooking time:30mins
Preparation time:10mins
Serves-4

Ingredients:

• Basmati rice-500gms
• Cashewnuts- 20no
• Corriander leaves/kotmir/cilantro(chopped)- 1/4cup
• Mint leaves/pudina(chopped)- 1/4cup
• Onions(thinly sliced)-1no
• Whole garam masala- Cinnamon stick/dalchini- 2"piece,Clove/laung- 3no,black peppercorns/kali mirch-4no,Green cardamom/hari elaichi-2no,Caraway seeds/shahjeera-1/2tsp.
• Salt to taste
• Ghee/Butter- 1/2cup
• Saffron/Zaafraan- few strands(mix in 2 tbsp milk)

Cooking method:

• Wash and soak the rice for atleast 30mins.
• In a pan heat Ghee add sliced onions and fry till golden.Remove and keep aside.
• In the same ghee fry cashewnuts till golden.Remove and keep aside.
• In a deep vessel put around 8cups of water along with salt and whole garam masala let the water boil add the rice and cook till 3/4th done.drain the excess water.
• Now add the remaining ghee,cashewnuts,chopped corriander and mint leaves, saffron strands and fried onions to the rice,Mix well.Put around 1/4th cup of water and cook the rice covered for around 10mins on avery slow flame till rice is done.
• Serve hot with your choice of dish.
  
  
  

CHICKEN PULAO - FLAVOURFUL CHICKEN PILAF !!!

 

Pilaf -  a dish of persian origin is a one pot meal,where the rice is cooked with vegetables or meat or the combinatin of both along with various other spices,when no idea strikes in deciding the menu a one pot meal comes in very handy and yet very tasty,rich and exquisite.

RECIPE CARD:
Cooking time:30-35mins
Preparation time:15mins
Serves: 5-6 persons

Ingredients:

• Chicken- 1kg(cut in to medium sized pices)
• Raw Rice- 750gms
• Yogurt- 200gms
• Onions- 2 no(thinly sliced)
• Corriander powder/dhanya -2tbsp
• Ginger paste-1tsp
• Garlic paste- 1tsp
• Green chillies-8no (chopped or ground paste)
• Whole garam masala- Cinnamon(Dalchini) stick- 2" inch piece,Green cardamom(Hari elaichi)-5 no,Peppercorns(sabut kali mirch)-5no,Bay leaf(tez patta)-2no,shahjeera(caraway seeds)- 1tsp
• Corriander leaves(kotmir or dhanya)-2tbsp(chopped)
• Mint leaves(pudina)-2tbsp(chopped)
• Salt to taste
• Oil-100gms. 

Cooking method:

• Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly and keep it in a sieve to drain out all the excess water.
• Wash and soak the rice for atleast 30 mins.
• Beat yogurt till smooth.keep aside.
• In a deep vessel heat oil and then add sliced onions,Saute them till golden brown and now add the ginger and garlic paste,saute it for another minute.Add chopped green chillies and whole garam masala,beaten curd,salt along with the chicken pieces,add 1/4th cup water,cover and cook for 10mins.Check in between  to avoid sticking at the bottom.
• Now for every  1 cup of rice add 1 cup of water and let it boil.
• Drain the water from the rice.
• Now add  rice,corriander leaves and mint leaves.Mix thoroughly.Cover and cook on medium flame for 7-8mins or till the water is absorbed by the rice and just little is left.

Note:If the rice is still little raw at this point add 1/2- 1 cup of water.

• And now on a very sim flame let it cook for another 5 mins.Turn it over and cook for another 5 mins.
• Ready to serve.
• Serve hot.