Spinach & Mushroom Lasagna

Easy quick family dinner.. the kids really enjoyed and perfect combo to get them eating their greens.. 

Ingredients:

10-12 lasagna sheets, cooked and kept aside

1 bottle tomato passata sauce 

1 cup grated mozzarella or cheddar whichever you prefer

1 small tub of mascarpone 

1 onion chopped finely

8-10 mushrooms chopped finely

1 1/2 cup chopped spinach 

3 cloves garlic, chopped finely

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1 egg

Salt & pepper for seasoning 

Method:

1. In a saucepan heat olive oil, add the chopped garlic, chilli flakes and sauté until it leaves an aroma.
2. Add in the onion, cook until golden.
3. Mix in the herbs and season with salt & pepper.
4. Stir in the mushrooms, cook for a few minutes and then add the chopped spinach.
5. Cook until mushrooms are done. Turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone. Season. Let it cool.
6. Once cooled add the egg and mix well.
7. In an ovenproof dish, layer the lasagna sheet, add a few spoons of the spinach mix. Sprinkle a little bit of cheese.
8. Add another layer of lasagna sheets, now pour a few spoons of passata sauce. Then add a few more spoons of spinach sauce. Top with cheese. Keep alternating lasagna sheets, passata, spinach sauce and grated cheese. Ensure you have atleast 3 or 4 layers of lasagna sheets. End the top layer with passata sauce and grated cheese.
9. Pre heat oven , cook the lasagna for 20-30 mins on 200deg. Cover it with foil initially and then remove towards the end to melt the cheese on top layer and get it crispy golden.
10. Enjoy with salad or garlic bread. You can use mixed vegetables instead of spinach & mushrooms.

Ginger Garlic Pan Fried Salmon

 I love asian flavours so wanted to try mixing my favourite simple ingredients to create a delicious east recipe… the kids loved it and asked for seconds..

Ingredients

4 fillets of salmon

2 spring onions sliced

1/2 inch ginger thinly sliced

2 garlic pods thinly sliced

1 tbsp light soy sauce 

1/2 tsp white pepper 

2 tbsp Sesame oil

For the marinade

1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp red chilli flakes

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tbsp sesame oil 

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

Method:

1. Marinade the salmon and keep aside for atleast 30 mins.. the soy sauce should season the salmon but if needed add salt.

2. Heat sesame oil in a pan, once hot place the salmon skin down and fry till the skin in crisp. Turn lightly and cook salmon for 1 minute either side. Don’t overcook as salmon cooks quickly and if overcooked will start to flake. 

3. Remove the salmon. In the same pan add the chopped ginger garlic and toss. Add in the leftover marinade , stir in the white pepper and soy sauce. Taste and season if required. Turn heat off and mix in the spring onions. 

4. Pour the sauce over the salmon fillets. 

I served the salmon with egg noodles which were tossed on sesame oil and spring onions. I ask steamed pak Choi and tossed it in sesame oil, soy sauce and garlic powder.

Egg 65

 I keep seeing similar recipes on my insta feed so decided to try my version. It was tasty and definitely smelled and tasted like the non veg version.

Ingredients:

5 boiled eggs
1 tsp chopped ginger
1tsp chopped garlic 

1 green chilli chopped finely 

1/2 onion chopped finely

4-5 curry leaves chopped finely 

Handful freshly chopped coriander

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp jeera powder

1/2 tsp garam masala 

1/2 coarse pepper powder

2-3 tbsp gram flour/besan

For the sauce

1 onion chopped into thin slices

2 cloves chopped garlic 

2-3 green chillies slit

5-6 curry leaves

1/2 chilli powder

1-2 tbsp tomato ketchup 

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Method:

1. Remove the yolks from the boiled eggs and chop the white into tiny cubes. Discard the yolks as we won’t use them in this recipe. My kids enjoy eating these so no wastage :) 

2. Mix the whites in a bowl along with the main ingredients. It should turn into a nice batter consistency.

3. Heat oil in a kadai and fry the egg pakoras/fritters , you can use a spoon to dip the batter into the oil. Cook until golden brown. Keep aside.

4. In a wide wok, heat little oil and add the curry leaves onions, garlic and green chillies . Toss until it starts to give a lovely aroma. Add in the chilli powder and season well.

5. Add the egg fritters mix in tomato ketchup . Toss and sprinkle some freshly chopped coriander and  serve hot.

If you like it tangy sprinkle some lemon juice. This dish needs to be enjoyed whilst hot. 

Lemon & Garlic Chicken

This dish is full of flavour, it’s easy to prepare and perfect for midweek dinners.

Ingredients

6 chicken thighs 

Marinade

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp coarse pepper powder

1 tsp paprika powder

1 egg

1 tsp mixed dried herbs

1/2 tsp lemon zest 

2-3 tbsp flour for coating 

Sauce

2 tbsp butter

2-3 garlic cloves grated

Juice of half a lemon

1 tsp fine pepper powder 

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 tbsp dried parsley 

Lemon slices

Salt for seasoning 

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken with marinade ingredients and keep for atleast 30 mins.

2. Heat a pan , add little olive oil. Coat the chicken with the flour and fry for few mins on low flame. We just need to fry for a minute on either side to seal the juices as we will cook the chicken in the oven. 

3. Place the chicken in an oven dish.

4. In the same pan, add butter once it melts add in the garlic, pepper, mix well. Pour in the lemon juice and broth and let it thicken. Mix in the parsley and take off the heat.

5. Spoon the sauce over the chicken pieces, place lemon slices and cook in pre heated oven for 30-40mins on 180deg or until chicken is cooked. Ensure half way through the cooking process you turn the chicken and drizzle the sauce over.

6. Serve with fresh salad and enjoy hot. 

Dahi Chicken

 I wanted to try something different for dinner today so tried this recipe as an alternative to our normal chicken curry. It was quick, easy and really delicious.. please do give it a try! 

Ingredients

1/2 kg chicken (I used boneless thighs but you can use any cut you prefer)
1 onion , thinly sliced (this is for the fried garnish)
3 onions diced finely

2 tomatoes diced finely

1/2 inch cinnamon stick

3-4 peppercorns

2 cloves

1 green chilli sliced 

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ginger powder

1 tsp whole jeera

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp ghee

Freshly chopped coriander for garnish

Marinade

2-3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp jeera powder

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
Salt for seasoning 

Method:

1. Marinate the chicken with the marinade ingredients and leave for 30 mins.

2. In a shallow wok/kadai, heat the ghee. Add the whole cumin, cinnamon, peppercorns and cloves. 

3. Once it starts to leave aroma, add the green chillies and diced onions. Sauté until golden brown.

4. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook on low flame until soft and oil starts to separate.

5. It should turn into a thick paste, add in turmeric powder , ginger, garlic powder and mix in the chicken.

6. Give it a stir and let it fry for a few mins.

7. Add water depending on how much gravy you want, let it simmer on a low heat. Cook until chicken is throughly cooked and the sauce thickens.

8. In a separate pan heat oil and fry the sliced onions until caramalised and brown. Be careful not to burn it. 

9. Once the chicken is cooked garnish with the fried onions and coriander. This dish can be eaten with chapatis or rice.