Quick Chicken Cutlets made out of Christmas leftovers!!

 Christmas lunch as usual was heavy and I had some leftover roast chicken so decided to try this quick and easy recipe.. it turned out to be crunchy and delicious! 

Ingredients :

1 1/2 cup Leftover shredded roast chicken 
3-4 fresh curry leaves chopped finely 
1 onion chopped finely
1 green chilli finely chopped
1tbsp ginger garlic paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp Garam masala

1/2 tsp pepper powder

1 tbsp lime juice

Freshly chopped coriander

Salt for seasoning 

1 slice of bread, made into small pieces

3 potatoes boiled and mashed

1 egg beaten

Breadcrumbs for coating 

Method:

1. In a pan, heat little oil, add the curry leaves, once it starts to give an aroma, add the chopped onions. Cook until lightly golden. 

2. Add in the ginger/garlic paste, chilli, turmeric, garam masala, fennel seeds, pepper powder, salt and mix. Stir in the chicken and mix until well coated with the masala. Sprinkle in the lime juice. Turn off the heat and mix in the chopped coriander. Check for seasoning.

3. Put the chicken mix into a bowl, add the bread and mashed potato and mix well. It should all come together as a ball. 

4. Oil the palm of your hands and take a little mix, roll into a ball. Lightly flatten into the desired shape. Dip it in the beaten egg and then coat with breadcrumbs. Continue with the rest of the mix. 

5. Lightly fry the cutlets in oil until golden brown. Serve with chutney or sauce. 

Forminhas - Goan Canapé Baskets

 Forminhas are one of my favourite Goan snacks.. I enjoyed eating this as a child. It’s served at weddings, family get togethers and functions. In Goa they are easily available at every bakery.. I normally used to get my stock from Goa but since the pandemic have not been able to get it lately. So I decided to give it a try… they turned out well and was nice to gets the kids involved.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups plain flour

3 tbsp butter, room temperature 

Warm water as required to knead the dough 

Filling:

1 potato, boiled and cubed

2 small carrots, boiled and cubed

Handful of green peas boiled

1-2 tbsp Mayonnaise 

1 tsp milk

Salt & Pepper for seasoning 

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, mix the butter with the flour.

Using your fingers crumble the mixture for a few mins.

2. Add water and knead the dough.

3. Cover the dough with cling film and leave for 1/2hr.

4. Roll the dough thinly and using a circle cutter cut it into circles. Ensure the circle is slighty bigger than the mould.

5. Place each circle into the mould and then press lightly to form the shape. Stack 4 moulds and then place an empty one on the top. Tie it together with cooking string and keep aside. This ensure the shape remains intact when frying.

6. Heat oil, and deep fry the mould stack. Once the edges are golden brown remove and let it cool. Cut the thread and unmould. 

7. For the filling mix the ingredients and season with salt and pepper.

8. Fill each basket with the filling and serve.

Goan Cutlet Bread

This is one of our favourite all time family dinners… back home in Goa this is a famous street food dish which everyone loves. You can prepare it with beef, pork of chicken fillets. It’s simple easy and

Marinade

The marinade used is the traditional Goan green masala. Grind the ingredients below and store in jar. It’s a versatile marinade that can be used for other meat recipes/curries as well. 

1 1/2 cup fresh coriander

4 green chillies

8-10 garlic cloves

1/2 inch ginger 

1 cinnamon stick

6 peppercorns

4-5 cloves

1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

1 tbsp tamarind pulp 

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup vinegar for grinding. Add it little at a time as you don’t want it too watery. 

Salad

Finely sliced cabbage

1 red onion thinly sliced 

1 tomato, sliced

1 green chilli, chopped finely

Handful of chopped coriander 

1 tbsp vinegar 

1/2 tsp sugar

Salt 

Mix all the ingredients and season well. You can use lemon juice instead of vinegar of you prefer. 

Other Ingredients 

500gms boneless chicken thigh fillets (beef or pork as alternative) 

Fine Semolina for coating 

Bread rolls

Method:

1. Place the chicken on clingfilm, so it’s covered on both top and bottom. Use a meat tenderiser and pound it until flat.

2. Use 2/3 tbsp of the marinade and marinate the meat. Keep aside for atleast 2/3 hours.

3. Heat oil in a shallow pan. Coat each fillet with semolina and fry for few minutes until cooked.

4. Cut the bread, add the golden crisp fillet, top with salad and enjoy! You can add ketchup if you prefer. 

Mushroom Pepper Fry

I wanted to try something new to entice the kids to eat mushrooms, so tried this recipe.., perfect and quick for a midweek dinner. It went down a treat with the family.

 

Ingredients;

250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced in quarters 

2 small red onions, finely chopped

2 garlic flakes chopped finely

1 green chilli, sliced thinly

4-6 curry leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp red chilli paste

1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce

1 tsp white pepper. 

1 tbsp sesame oil

For the batter

4-6 tbsp flour

2 tbsp cornflour 

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp coarse pepper

Salt for seasoning

Method:

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1. Mix the batter ingredients with little water into a paste, ensure it’s not runny, it should be a smooth consistency that will coat the mushrooms. Mix the mushrooms and leave for 10-15 mins.

2. Heat oil and deep fry the mushrooms until crisp and golden. Keep aside.

3. In a wok, heat the sesame oil. Fry the garlic, curry leaves and chilli until it releases a nice aroma. Mix in the chopped onions and cook until translucent.

4. Add the soy sauce, chilli paste and sweet chilli sauce. Taste if it needs salt. Add a little water if sauce is too thick. 

5. Mix in the mushrooms , stir and then add the white pepper. Serve hot. 

Sorpotel.. traditional Goan pork dish

This is a traditional Goan dish that is always on the table for every special occasion. Traditionally it involves using internal organs of the pig like heart, liver and blood. As a child I used to detest the taste as it had the offal , but I have learnt now to enjoy it and prepare it without any organs and just use pork belly. My kids love this and even eat it for breakfast with a sunny side egg.

Ingredients:

1.5 kgs pork belly 

30 red Kashmiri chillies

1 cup Goan vinegar/apple cider vinegar

2 onions, chopped finely 

1.5 inch ginger

8 garlic cloves

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp whole cumin

8 peppercorns

8 cloves

2-3 inch cinnamon stick 

Pea sized tamarind ball, soaked in water

2-3 small black jaggery cubes

1-2 green chillies slit 

1 tsp sugar

Salt for seasoning 

Method:

1. Always choose a nice cut of meat so there is a good balance of fat and meat. Cut the meat into chunks. In a pot add water and salt, cook the meat until tender. Remember to remove the sludge that floats on the top, discard this as we will use the liquid later. 
   
   
   
2. Once meat is cooked, remove and let it cool.
3. Cut the meat into small pieces. I always prefer the pieces to be small and even as that is how it is done traditionally. 
4. Heat a pan, fry the meat in batches. Do this on a low flame as it will pop. Once the meat has got a nice colour keep aside and fry the next batch. Do not over fry as we don’t want it to get hard.
5. Whilst the meat is cooling, grind the masala. In the mixer add red chillies, garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, peppercorns, cloves , cinnamon and vinegar, grind into a smooth paste. If it’s too thick add a little of the pork stock we had kept aside.
6. In a deep pot, sauté the onions in a little dash of oil. Once it turns golden, add the masala. Cool for a bit until it bubbles. 
7. Add the meat and stir. Mix in the tamarind pulp and check for seasoning. 
8. Depending on how thick it is add stock to get a nice gravy. Season , add sugar and jaggery. Let it boil.
9. If it needs more vinegar you can add according to taste. Add the slit green chilli and simmer on a low flame. 
10. Once the gravy has reached a nice consistency and meat is cooked remove it from the heat. 
11. Sorpotel is best eaten after a few days as it needs to mature and the flavour intensifies.
12. I keep it at room temperature and heat it every morning on low flame until it boils. I normally do this for 2 days. I check for seasoning as well if needed.
13. Once it’s matured for 2-3 days I make portions and freeze.
14. When I need to serve, I reheat it in a pot, add a slit green chilli as it adds an extra kick.
15. Sorpotel is enjoyed with sannas, bread or boiled rice.

Batata Sukhi Bhaji — Potato Bhaji

Was fancing the bhaji that you get back in the local Goan restaurants for breakfast so tried recreating it today. Was really easy to prepare and tasted delicious. 
 

Ingredients


1 tbsp ghee (Clarified butter)
3 potatoes, cut into small cubes and par-boiled
1 green chilli, thinly sliced 
3-4 flakes of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 inch ginger, finely chopped
1-2 onions, finely chopped 
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp whole cumin

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp coriander powder 
1 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp whole coriander, crushed

Pinch of asafoetida 
6-8 curry leaves
5-6 tbsp freshly chopped coriander
Salt for seasoning




Method:


1. In a saucepan, heat the ghee. Add the mustard & cumin seeds , once it starts to splutter, add the curry leaves, chillies, garlic and ginger. After a minute add the chopped onions, saute until translucent.


2. Add the crushed coriander,asafoetida , turmeric, coriander and cumin powder, stir and mix well. Add in a little water and bring to a boil. 


3. Add the potatoes and stir until well coated with the masala. Season with salt. Add water (depending on how thick you want the gravy). Cook until potatoes are very tender and the gravy is thickened.

4. Check for seasoning and garnish with chopped coriander. Serve with rice or chapattis.


Tips:


You can also add 1 tsp of kasoori methi , it give a nice flavour.

Goan Mackerel curry

Growing up fish curry was a staple every afternoon for lunch.. I was never a fan of eating the curry fish but loved the fried version. However growing up has changed my tastebuds and it’s now something I really enjoy. I was pleasantly surprised that my two daughters enjoy this very much and regularly ask me to cook this. The elder one enjoys eating rice curry with hand , just how we eat back home in Goa. 

Ingredients:

4 Mackerels , cut into 3 pieces  

8-10 dried Kashmiri red chillies

1 onions, thinly sliced

1/2 inch ginger

6-8 cloves of garlic

1 small coconut grated 

1 tbsp coriander seeds

4-6 peppercorns

1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

3-4 Kokum rinds

6-8 curry leaves 

Tamarind (small ball sized soaked in water) 

1-2 green chilli, slit

Salt for seasoning

Method:

1.Season the mackerel with salt and keep aside.

2. In a blender, grind the rest of the ingredients (except the curry leaves & kokum), add little water if required. Grind until a smooth but thick consistency.

3. Pour this ground masala into a saucepan add curry leaves, sliced onion and kokum, simmer on slow fire. Bring it to a boil and then the fish and green chilli. Cook until fish is tender. Don’t over cook as fish will tend to fall apart. Season as required.

4. Serve with boiled rice,vegetables and papad. 

Tips:

You can use raw mango slices instead of tamarind pulp/ kokum. 

Also instead of fresh coconut you can use tinned coconut milk. 

Pasta Alla Norma (Aubergine Pasta)

I was looking for a meat free pasta recipe and came across this Sicilian Recipe which combines aubergine and tomatoes to create a lovely pasta dish.

 As this was a midweek meal and I wanted to use what I had in my food cupboard I improvised a bit.. it turned out really delicious and the kids even asked for seconds. So this is another great meat free dish to get them eating their vegetables.  To keep it exciting for the kids I used different shaped pasta. 

Ingredients: 

250 - 300g mixed pasta, boiled al dente

2 garlic pods chopped finely

1 shallot, chopped finely 

1 large aubergine, cut into thick strips or cubes

6-8 button mushrooms chopped

1 large vine tomato chopped

1 tbsp tomato purée 

Olive oil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1 tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp garlic powder

Freshly crushed pepper & salt 

Method:

1. Mix the oregano, basil, chilli flakes and garlic powder with drizzle of olive oil and marinate the aubergine. Leave for 10 mins.
2. Heat a pan, drizzle little olive oil and fry the aubergine until lightly golden. Ensure it’s cooked and lightly caramelised. Season well. Keep aside.
3. Add some more olive oil to the pan, add chopped garlic and shallots. Fry until lightly golden. Mix in the mushrooms and cook until softened.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook on low flame, once softened stir in the purée , season well. If it’s too thick add little water.
5. Mix in the fried aubergine. Give it a good stir and season. 
6. When ready to serve, mix the pasta and sauce. Garnish with freshly chopped basil and sprinkle some mozzarella or Parmesan depending on preference. 

Spinach, Mushroom & Ricotta Bake

My cousin Jeslyn, sent me a video clip of a similar Turkish recipe , I added a bit of Italian twist to it by adding herbs,  spices and ricotta to give it an edge... turned out really delicious and was kid friendly. My kids are normally not mushroom fans but love spinach so it was no surprise they wiped their plates clean and asked for more... do try this dish it’s one to add if your looking for comfy food that’s soul satisfying.

Ingredients:

For the filling: 

500g spinach

8-10 chestnut mushrooms sliced

4-5 potatoes

1 tbsp butter

1/4 cup milk (for mash) 

Olive oil

1-2 garlic pods chopped finely 

1 large onion, chopped finely

250g ricotta cheese

Red chilli flakes

Dried mixed herbs

Salt & Pepper for seasoning 

For the sauce:

1/2 cup plain flour

1 cup milk 

1 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp nutmeg 

For the topping

Grated mozzarella and grated cheddar

Method:

1. Boil potatoes, mash adding butter and 1/4 cup milk into a creamy thick mix. This will form the base of the dish. 
2. In a pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil, add the garlic, once it starts to give an aroma add onions and cook until lightly golden.
3. Mix in the mushrooms, season with salt, pepper and dash of chilli flakes.
4. Once the mushrooms have softened add the spinach leaves and cook until wilted.
5. Stir in the ricotta and season. Take of the gas and cool.
6. In a saucepan, add 1 cup milk and butter . Sift in the flour and stir well so that it’s well combined and no lumps. If it’s too lumpy add a little milk. Add the nutmeg and freshly crushed pepper. Season with salt. Once it’s nicely thickened keep aside.
7. In a Pyrex dish, line it with little butter and then add the mash potato. Ensure it’s evenly spread and no lumps.
8. Too this with the filling and then sprinkle the grated cheeses. 
9. Pre heat oven and then cook this dish for 20 mins (200deg) or until cheese is nice and golden and you can hear the sizzle.
10. Sprinkle some dried parsley on top and serve hot with some garlic bread.. Enjoy! 

Tips:

You can substitute the ricotta with any soft cheese if you like.. something like Philadelphia cheese should work well too.

Dahi Bhendi (Okra)

Okra/Bhendi/Lady Fingers are my hubby’s favourite so I tried this recipe as wanted something light with bit of a tangy flavour. It turned out really good and even the kids loved the flavour. It’s a good accompaniment to eat with rice or roti. 

Ingredients:

300- 400g Baby okra 

1 tbsp ghee

2 onions, sliced finely

3 red chillies

1/2 tsp whole jeera

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

2-3 garlic pods finely chopped

1/2 inch ginger, finely chopped

6-8 curry leaves

6-8 tbsp yoghurt, beaten 

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp Garam masala

1 green chilli, slit

Salt for seasoning

Method:

1. In a pot heat ghee, fry the okra until lightly brown. Keep aside.
2. In the same pot add a little oil. Add the whole cumin, mustard seeds and curry leaves toss until it starts to splutter.
3. Add the chopped ginger, garlic, red chillies mix and then add the onions. Fry until golden.
4. Give it a stir pour in little water if it is too thick. Add cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric and garam masala. Season as required. 
5. Pour in the yoghurt and stir well. Check for seasoning. Give it a boil and then add the okra.
6. Serve hot, enjoy with rice or roti.

Sausage Egg Boats

An easy breakfast idea perfect for the family... my kids loved these! Simple to make and it’s delicious!!

Ingredients

Frankfurters (1 per person)

Eggs (1 per person)

Maple cured bacon (4-6 strips)

For garnish 

Grated cheese

Chopped sweet peppers

Dried parsley

Pepper & Salt 

Method

1. Preheat the oven and cook the bacon until crisp on 200deg. 
2. Chop on strip of bacon and keep aside for garnish.
3. Make slits in the sausages lengthwise but leave the top and bottom.
4. In a pan fry the sausages for a bit, using chopsticks spread the slit and crack an egg into it. Sprinkle salt, pepper & cheese. 
   
   
   
5. Cover the pan for a minute, then flip it. Don’t over cook as the egg needs to be runny inside. 
6. On the serving plate place a stripe of bacon and then place the sausage egg boat. 
7. Garnish with parsley and chopped sweet peppers. Serve hot. 

Steak Cake

This year for my husband’s birthday I made him a special cake... this is perfect cake for any foodie .. he was blown away and it was a win win!!! Give this a try if your looking to impress that special someone..

Have a look at the video which gives you a peak preview 

Ingredients

The meat 

250-300gms rump steak

250-300gms sirloin steak

250-300gms rib eye steak x 2

The marinade

2-3 tbsp olive oil

Fresh Rosemary & Thyme ( you can opt for other herbs if preferred) 

1-2 tsp garlic powder

Salt & freshly crushed pepper 

Mash

6-8 large potatoes boiled

4-6 tbsp milk

2-3 tbsp butter

Garlic powder

Salt & pepper for seasoning 

Bacon Roses 

6-8 rashes of streaky bacon 

Parmesan shavings 

Red wine Mushroom sauce

1/2 cup red wine

1-2 shallots, finely chopped

1-2 garlic cloves, grated

6-8 mushrooms chopped finely

1-2 tbsp butter

Handful of dried herbs

1-2 tbsp Philadelphia cheese ( optional) 

Method:

1. Marinate the meat and keep for atleast half an hour. When choosing the cut of meat ensure it’s a bit rounded in shape as this will aid in stacking the cake more efficiently. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. In a separate pot boil the potatoes. Mash when they are perfectly boiled and soft. Add the milk, butter , garlic powder,  salt and pepper and mash until nice and smooth. Ensure it’s not lumpy or dry else it will cause cracks on the cake.
3. Roll each bacon strip to form a rose and secure the ends with a toothpick as shown in the picture. Sprinkle with Parmesan shavings. 
   
   
   
4. Preheat oven to 200deg. Cook the bacon in the over at 180deg for 15-20 mins until nice and crisp. Remove the toothpicks once cooled.
5. To make the sauce, add butter and dash of olive oil to a pan. Add the garlic and shallots and cook until softened. Mix in the mushrooms and herbs. Pour in the wine. Cook for 1-2 mins and then stir in the herbs and philly cheese. Cook until thickened. If the sauce is runny add a tbsp of flour which will help thicken it.
   
   
   
6. Heat a griddle pan and cook to the steaks for 1-2 minutes on either side for a nice medium finish , if you need it cooked well keep it for longer. My recommendation would be stick to medium-rare if you want to enjoy the flavours. 
7. Place a layer of mash on the cake plate, top it with a piece of steak. Add a bit of sauce and then add another layer of mash. Continue till you achieve three tiers.
8. Place the bacon roses and decorate with mint leaves.