Spinach N Walnut Stuffed Mushrooms

I had been planning to make these stuffed mushrooms for a long time. I always prefer the ones in Costco. They are big, fresh and perfect enough to make stuffed mushrooms.They are very cheap too. I wanted to start with an vegetarian version .I was thinking of some easy and healthy and just saw the big bag of spinach in my fridge..decided go with it along with some walnuts.

It was really good and I used very little oil which is a added advantage. It will be good treat for all mushroom lovers. A different party appetizer too. Planning to experiment with different stuffing's !!!

Sending this Monthly Mingle - Party Treats event hosted by Sara originally started by Meeta of What's for Lunch Honey

Ingredients

Big Mushroom - 8 - 10 nos
Spinach - 3 cups
Walnut - 1/2 cup
Grated Cheese - 2 tsp
White Onion - 1 no
Tomato - 1 no
Basil Leaves - 1 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
Nutmeg Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt for Taste
Olive Oil - 1 tsp

Preparation

• Wash the mushrooms and remove the stems carefully.
• Wash and chop the spinach.
• Finely chop onion and tomatoes.
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray very little oil.

Method

• Preheat oven at 375F.
• Heat oil in a non stick pan and add the onion in medium flame and add the spinach, salt, pepper, nutmeg and saute well.
• Add the walnuts followed by the tomato then add the dried basil leaves and mix well.
• Mound the stuffing into the mushroom caps and top each cap with little grated cheese.
• Place the caps on the prepared sheet leaving enough space between each of them.
• Bake for about 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and water oozes out of the mushroom caps.
• Serve warm with soup of your choice.

My Notes

Had some stuffing left behind. Added some salt to pan and placed the caps on it and cooked for additional 3 - 4 minutes to ensure the mushroom had enough salt. Make sure it is does not get blackened.

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Baked Chicken with Sauteed Vegetables

This is healthy chicken recipe. I loved this a lot..Sometimes we get bored of our normal routine and want to try something new and of course it should be filling..can't get up in the middle of the night. I had bought chicken breast to try out a different dish which I'm planning for ages. I tried this recipe dinner with some mild soup and it was too good. Very less oil and inclusion of favorite veggies made it a instant hit.

I'm not a big fan of adding veggies to non veg dishes. Would normally oppose when MK suggests adding potato into fry items. But will do it only when it is a big crowd. But Bell peppers and Mushrooms are good choices ans made a good combo with the Chicken.

Ingredients

For Marinade

Chicken Breast - 2 no
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
Curd - 2 tsps
Lemon juice - 1 tsp
Salt for taste

For Saute

Bell Pepper - 1 no
Mushrooms - 8 - 10 no
White Onion - 1 no
Tomato - 1 no
Basil Leaves - 1 tsp
Crushed Pepper - 1 tsp
Salt for taste
Olive Oil - 1 tsp

Preparation

• Wash and cut chicken into medium size pieces.
• Add chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, garam masala, ginger garlic paste, curd, lemon juice salt to the chicken pieces and marinate for 1 hour.
• Cut the Bell pepper, Onion, Tomato as julienne strips.
• Remove stems from the mushrooms and cut into halves.

Method

• Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a baking dish with aluminum foil spray very little oil.
• Place the marinated chicken on the dish leaving space between each piece.
• Bake for about 10 min. Flip the chicken into the other side and cook for another 10 min.
• Meanwhile in a nonstick pan, heat oil, add onion,salt, bell pepper, mushrooms, tomato one after other after sauteing each for about 1 min.
• Once the vegetables are 3/4th cooked add the dried basil leaves, crushed pepper and keep it closed state in low flame.
• Carefully remove the chicken from the baking dish and add it to the vegetables.
• Mix well and leave it closed state for about 5 - 7 min. Mix the contents for every 2 min.Serve Hot with Soup of your choice.

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Apple Banana Halwa

After a "not so interesting week" I was just bored in the evening not knowing what to do..Wanted to do something interesting..one thing I had never tried doing is to cook entirely in a microwave. Always wanted to try it..but never got a chance to do it !! Inspired by Srividhya's 5 in 1 halwa thought of doing something similar and prepared the Apple Banana Halwa.

It was so easy and Shweets loved it a lot. She did not even wait for me to take a picture was trying to put a finger into the halwa.She was going on asking what was this and badly wanted to taste it..So I just settled down with what I clicked and served it to her.As I'm not a great sweet lover I just had a spoon and it was too good. Hunting for more microwave recipes...

Sending this quick and easy to make halwa to Nivedita's Celebrate Sweets - Halwa and to Microwave Easy Cooking Event hosted By PJ at Seduce Your Tastebuds originally started by Srivalli

Ingredients

Apple - 1 no
Banana - 1 no
Wheat Flour - 1/2 cup
Oats - 1/2 cup
Sugar - 3/4 cup
Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp
Milk - 1 cup
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Cashew - 10 no

Preparation

• Wash, peel and dice the apple into medium size chunks.
• Cut banana into medium size pieces.

Method

• Add the apple, banana, wheat flour, oats, cardamom powder and milk to a blender and grind it to smooth paste.
• In a microwave safe bowl, add ghee and place in the microwave for about 20 secs.
• Add the ground paste to it and microwave at high for 5 min. Stir the contents after 2 min.
• Add sugar and mix well.Microwave for 5 min. Keep stirring every 2 min.
• Add the cashews and microwave for additional 5 min.
• Serve warm.

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Shredded Cauli Masala | Gobi Ka Kheema Masala

Sometimes you get bored with the normal stuff and want to try something new not knowing what is going to be the output.This is one such try out. Shweets is not a big fan of Cauliflower and I need to prepare an alternative veggie when I prepare any curry using it. Recently I read recipe in Pazham Papaddam Payasam about finely chopping broccoli. Thought of making the same with Cauliflower. This was a good and different recipe.

I overdid the chopping part and end up naming it as Shredded Cauli Masala. I was watching (starring??) shweets playing in the yard and left the pulse on for a longer time. Anyways it turned out good. It can be used as a side dish for rice or chappati.


Preparation Time - 10 minutes

Cooking Time - 15 minutes

Serves - 4

Ingredients

Cauliflower - 1/2 floret
White Onion - 1 no
Tomato - 1 no
Garlic - 4 pods
Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 pinch
Crushed Pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon - 1 no
Curry leaves
Coriander Leaves
Salt for taste
Oil - 2 tsps

Preparation

• Wash, separate and dry the cauliflower florets.
• Using the chopping blade in a food processor, finely chop the florets.
• Finely chop the onion, tomatoes.
• Slice the garlic to thin pieces.

Method

• Heat oil, add cinnamon followed by onion, garlic, curry leaves and saute until it turns translucent.
• Add tomatoes and saute well until it is just cooked.
• Add chilly powder, garam masala, salt and cook until oil separates in medium flame.
• Add the chopped cauliflower and mix well.
• Sprinkle little water and cook until vegetable is cooked.
• Add crushed pepper when veggie is 3/4th cooked.
• Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve warm with rice or chapati.

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Chicken Chukka

This is a spicy dish from our kitchen.Yet another Sunday afternoon special. I planned to make chicken gravy,but MK wanted something different along with the gravy. We used the chicken out of the gravy and made this spicy chicken side dish. It really tasted great. Must Try !!!!

After removing some pieces from the gravy for the chukka, we  just added coconut milk, coriander leaves and prepared the gravy..two in one..Had a wonderful lunch followed by a boring movie...absolutely no logic :-(

Ingredients

Chicken - 1 1/2 lb
Red Onion - 2 1/2 no
White Onion - 1 no
Tomato - 3 no
Ginger Garlic paste - 2 tsp
Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Pepper Corns - 10 - 15 no
Cinnamon - 2 no
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaves
Coriander Leaves
Salt for Taste
Oil - 4 tsp

Preparation

• Wash and cut chicken into medium size pieces.
• Finely chop red onion,2 tomatoes and curry leaves. Cut white onion and 1 tomato lengthwise.
• Dry roast pepper corns and grind it to a coarse powder after cooling for sometime.

Method

• Heat 3 tsp oil, add cinnamon and fennel seeds in medium flame.
• Add red onion, curry leaves and saute until onions are translucent.
• Add ginger garlic paste in low flame and saute until raw smell is gone.
• Add tomatoes and cook until they turn mushy.
• Add chilly powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt and mix well and cook until oil separates.
• Add chicken and mix well until masala is well coated on it. Add little water and cook in closed state.
• Meanwhile heat 1 tsp oil in a non stick pan, add the white onion and saute well, add tomatoes, little salt and saute for few mins. Make sure they don't get mushy.
• Once the chicken in gravy is almost cooked, remove some pieces suitable for chukka along with some gravy and add it to the non stick pan.
• Add the ground pepper powder freshly chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves and saute well.
• Dry it in the pan in medium flame. Serve Hot.

This dish makes it's way to Umm Mymoonah's Iftar Moments Hijri 1431 event. 

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Mixed Lentil Adai | Indian Breakfast/Dinner recipe

I really have a tough time when I don't prepare the dosa batter during weekends. I need to hunt for dinner recipes which is really a challenging task. This recipe falls into such a category. Mixed Lentil Adai is a fusion of Pesarattu and Adai.We liked this a lot and I even prepared this batter for this week along with the usual dosa batter.

It needs some soaking time.I just soaked after I came back from work and ground it during dinner time. Should be around 4 hrs.Moong dal requires more soaking time.But it got ground well. It will be better to soak Moong Dal overnight.There is no need to ferment this batter. I topped it with sauteed onions and served with Spicy Tomato Chutney and Tangy Mango Thokku.Surely a keeper !!!!

Preparation Time - 10 minutes

Cooking Time - 15 minutes

Serves - 4

Ingredients

Toor Dal - 1/2 cup
Channa Dal - 1/2 cup
Moong Dal - 1/2 cup
Yellow Moong Dal - 1/2 cup
Urad Dal - 1/2 cup
Red Chilly - 6 - 8 no
Salt for Taste
Oil for Adai
Onion - 1 no (optional)

Method

• Wash and soak the dals for about 4 hrs. Moong Dal requires more soaking time(I soaked it only for 4 hrs).
• Grind the soaked dals into a coarse batter along with salt and red chillies.
• Add little water and mix well until it reaches adai consistency (slightly liquid-ish).
• Heat tawa, pour a little of the batter and spread it to a thick circle.
• Saute finely chopped onions in 1/2 tsp oil and sprinkle a little of it in all of it.
• Pour little oil on the sides of the adai and cook in medium flame.
• Once it is cooked flip the adai and cook the other side.
• Serve Hot with your favorite chutney.

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Mutton and Bellpepper Stir Fry

After a special weekend lunch, I had a little mutton left and wanted prepare something spicy out of it.I normally make mutton chukka by adding potatoes to increase the quantity.I was in no mood to do it and wanted to prepare something different and thought of other vegetable options and ended up with Bell Pepper.It is definitely a good combo and a good party recipe.This goes well with rice and roti.

Ingredients

Mutton - 1/2 lb
Bell Pepper - 1 no
White Onion - 1 no
Tomato - 1 no
Garlic Cloves - 5 no
Ginger - 1" piece
Green Chilly - 2 no
Cinnamon - 1 piece
Fennel Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Chilly Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Garam Masala - a pinch
Curry Leaves
Coriander Leaves
Salt for taste
Olive Oil - 2 tsp

Method

• Wash and cut the mutton to medium size pieces.
• Cut onion and tomato lengthwise. Crush the garlic and ginger.
• Pressure cook mutton for 2 whistles with a little onion, tomato and 2 garlic cloves, turmeric powder, slitted green chilly, curry leaves and little salt.
• Heat oil, add cinnamon, fennel seeds in medium flame.
• Add crushed ginger, garlic and saute until raw smell is gone in low flame.
• Drain the mutton and add it to the pan and saute for 5-7 minutes.
• Remove the mutton from the pan and keep aside.
• Add the remaining onion and saute for 2 min, add tomato followed by chilly powder, garam masala, salt (remember the salt added for cooking mutton).
• Add the bell pepper and saute well, add the mutton broth and allow the vegetable to cook.
• Add the mutton back and saute well and cook for additional 5-7 minutes.
• Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and Serve hot.

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More Kuzhambu 2

More Kuzhambu comes in handy when you don't have the time for preparing any gravy for rice. This is MK 's version..My version is totally different check here for the same. I never had this until we came here. At first I was doubtful about it but when he prepared it, I liked it so much. As this version is easier and requires no grinding, we go for this when we are lazy to cook. Shweets loves this too !!!

You can also saute okra and add it to the kuzhambu. It adds more taste. Pappad or More Mizhagai would go very well with this and it will turn to be a good lunch in no time...

Ingredients

Curd/Buttermilk - 2 cups
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Chilly Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Salt for taste
Oil - 1 tsp

Method

• Add water to the curd and stir it until uniform consistency or use buttermilk and skip this step. Add salt and mix well.
• Heat oil, add mustard and allow it to splutter.
• Add cumin seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, turmeric powder, chilly powder, coriander powder in medium flame and saute until raw smell is gone. Make sure the powders does not get burnt.
• Add the buttermilk and cook for 2 min in low flame. Do not overcook.
• Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves. Serve with rice.

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