Broccoli with Garlic Butter and Cashews

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces (I used one broccoli)
1/3 cup butter (I used Olive oil)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (I didn't use this)
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped salted cashews (I used unsalted ones)

Method:

Place the broccoli into a large pot with about 1 inch of water in the bottom. Bring to a boil, and cook for 7 minutes, or until tender but still crisp. Drain, and arrange broccoli on a serving platter.

While the broccoli is cooking, melt the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Mix in the brown sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, pepper and garlic. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat.

Mix in the cashews, and pour the sauce over the broccoli.

Serve immediately.

Alisha's Chicken in Black bean Sauce

Ingredients:

250 gm boneless chicken,  cut into bite sized pieces

50 gm red & yellow peppers,  cubed (I used 1 red but you can use half of each too)

10 gm sugar (I used 1tsp)

salt to taste

Water,  1 cup

10 gm black bean sauce (I added 2 tbsp)

10 gm chili paste (I added 1 tbsp)

For the above 2 ingredients,  Adjust this as per taste and look.. The chicken needs to be coated with sauce)

5 ml soya sauce

10 gm garlic (I used 4 pods coz I love garlic)

5 gm red chili - chopped (1 used 1 fresh chilli slit)

1 Tbsp oil

10 gm corn flour (dissolved in water to remove lumps)

Method:

Add oil in wok and mix garlic, chili and bell peppers.

Add the chicken and saute.

Add black bean sauce and chilli paste and toss away. Add water. Add soya sauce and cook for a while.

Add the sugar and mix well.

Add corn flour.  Let the curry thicken and take off the fire when the chicken is cooked through.

Serve Hot with garlic bread!

Alisha's Koyla Chicken

Ingredients:

One Chicken, cut into medium pieces;
1 tbsp of garam masala;
1 tbsp red chilli powder;
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste;
Salt to taste;
Butter;
1 carton of tomato puree;
1 cup of water;
2 green chillies, slit;
1 tbsp vinegar;
1 tbsp lime juice;
Quarter cup of tomato ketchup;
Handful of cashewnuts;
Milk cream(optional);
Coriander, finely chopped

Marination:

Take the pieces of the chicken in a bowl and mix garam masala, chilli powder, ginger garlic paste and salt. Keep the bowl covered in a refrigerator for 30 mins.

Method: Heat some butter in a pan. Put the marinated chicken into the pan. Once the butter starts to sizzle, pour in the tomato puree and ketchup and mix well. Add one cup of water and 2 slit green chillies. Cover and let the gravy boil.

Take the lid off after sometime and add the vinegar and lime juice. Crush the cashewnuts and sprinkle on top to give a rich taste. Add some milk cream and let the chicken cook well.

Smoking:

Take a piece of coal and heat on open flame. Place a saucer on the chicken pieces in the vessel and keep the heated coal piece on it. Add a little oil or ghee on the coal and immediately cover the vessel for 3 to 5 minutes.

Garnish with chopped coriander!!

Koyla chicken is ready to serve!!

Alisha's Shanghai Prawns

Ingredients:

6-8 large prawns;
3 tbsp of oil;
1tsp of green chillies, chopped;
1 tbsp of minced garlic;
2tbsp of tomato sauce;
2tbsp of vinegar;
3tbsp of soya sauce;
2tsp of cornflour starch(cornflour mixed with water-make sure all the lumps are removed)
Half cup of chopped spring onions;
Half cup of chopped spring onion bulbs;
1 cup of bean sprouts;
1tsp sesame oil;
1tsp of roasted sesame seeds, for garnishing

Method:

Heat oil in a wok. Saute green chillies and garlic.

Stir in the chopped spring onion bulbs and greens.

Add prawns and continue stirring till they start to change colour.

Add in the tomato sauce, white vinegar and soya sauce.. Mix in the cornflour starch. This will start to thicken around the prawns.

Toss in the greens of the spring onions and bean sprouts.

Drizzle oil, stirring all the while. Cook for 30 seconds..

Garnish with roasted sesame seeds..

Serve hot!!

Alisha's Virgin Mojito

Serves: 2; 

Prep: 5min; 

Ready in: 5min 

Ingredients:

20 to 30 fresh mint leaves
2 lemons
2 tbsp sugar
400ml sprite(if using soda, double the amount of sugar)

Method:

Pluck out the mint leaves from the stem and chop them roughly ( I personally like tearing the leaves myself as they bruise better and release loads of flavour and aroma)

Slice the limes in shape of wedges (4-6 of each lime) and remove the seeds.

Put the mint leaves,  lime wedges and sugar into a bowl and bash all the ingredients until the sugar is dissolved.

Take half of the mixture in a tall serving glass and top it up with sprite or soda. Add ice cubes in it (optional) and enjoy.

Garnish with a slice of lime on the rim of the glass!

This is the perfect drink in the summer season!

Alisha's Healthy Veg Soup

Ingredients:

For boiled veggies and stock:

1 small cauliflower (washed and florets seperated)
4 French beans (washed and cut into medium pieces)
1/4 cabbage (cleaned and juliened)
1 tomato (chopped)
1 potato (cubed)
1 carrot (cubed or sliced)
3-4 stalks of spring onion (greens and onions)
1 medium onion (sliced)
1 small piece of pumpkin (cubed).. I used bottle gourd or laukee

For spinach base:

2 bunches of spinach ( cleaned and chopped)
5 pods of garlic (cleaned and chopped)
1 table spoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 cup of milk
Water ( depending on thickness)
Salt to taste

Method:

Put all the vegetables in a pressure cooker for about 2 whistles..

Store the stock (You can use this to make a clear soup later)

Method:

Take all the boiled vegetables in a grinder and allow them to cool..

Heat 1 tablespoon oil (would recommend olive oil) in a pan

Add the jeera and allow the seeds to splutter( ensure they don't burn by keeping the flame on low)

Add the garlic and fry till lightly golden browned

Add the chopped spinach and saute for around 5 mins.. Saute until the colour starts to change a little (Add a little water if required)

Add the sauteed spinach to the mixer.. Add water and allow to cool for a few minutes..
(Don't grind hot.. The contents will spill out of the mixer)

When cooled, grind all the veggies for around 4-5 minutes until a thick gravy is left behind..

Pour the mixture in a pan and heat. Add the milk and salt to taste and cook on a medium flame for 5-7 minutes.

Your healthy soup if ready to serve!