Recipe> Homemade Chicken Nuggets

Text by: Tanya Munshi

When you host parties at home frequently, you are compelled to think of new things to serve your guests every now and then. Especially, if the guest list includes more of non-vegetarians, you have to keep their taste buds in mind. As usual, I started looking through several of my cook books to come up with something new and so I managed to create this starter which I can safely call Homemade Chicken Nuggets. It hardly takes any time. So here goes...

Image: Chicken nuggets frying in a wok

Image by: Tanya Munshi

Ingredients

• Boneless Chicken pieces - 500 gms
• Salt - to taste
• Vinegar - 1-2 capful
• Crushed dry red chillies - 5-6 nos.
• Ground Black Pepper - 1 tsp.
• Beaten Eggs - 2 nos.
• Bread Crumbs - 1 cup
• Refined Oil 

Method

1. Marinate the chicken pieces with salt, vinegar, crushed dry red chillies and black pepper powder for minimum 30 mins.
2. Dip each chicken piece in the egg first and coat with the bread crumbs.
3. Now deep fry them in a wok and keep on kitchen paper.
4. Serve hot with a dip or sauce.

Recipe> Red Prawn Curry

Image: An ideal meal - prawn curry with steam rice

Text by: Tanya Munshi

My love for sea food knows no bounds. Just yesterday I prepared large prawns in a simple way, which was light (my favourite type) and soothing. I dislike sea food made with loads of masalas, as it tends to rid the actual taste of the meat. So here goes my simple red prawn curry.

Ingredients

• 250 gms - large prawns, de-veined and cleaned
• Red chili powder - 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 1 tsp
• Water - 1-2 cups
• Salt to taste
• Coconut Milk - 1/2 cup
• Clarified butter (ghee) - 1 and 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 5-8 nos.
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds (methi) - 1/2 tsp
• Mustard oil (preferably), or any other cooking oil of your choice
• Coriander leaves - a handful, finely chopped

Method:

1. Shallow fry the prawns till they are slightly cooked and keep aside.

2. In the same oil, add a mixture of chili powder, turmeric and coriander powder in the oil. Stir for a few seconds and add 1 cup of water. (You can add the second cup, a few minutes later).

3. Once the mixture has blended well, you can add the rest of the water. This forms your gravy.

4. Once it comes to a boil, gently drop the prawns and cook well. Add salt and mix. Boil it to bring it to a consistency you want. If you want a thick gravy, then boil it longer.

5. Before taking off the flame, add the coconut milk and stir.

6. Give it a boil and shut off the gas.

7. Before serving, heat ghee in a tempering dish, add curry leaves, methi and mustard seeds and once they start to splatter, pour it over the prawn curry.

8. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.

Recipe> Sausage Omlette

Image: Happy Omlette

Text by: Tanya Munshi

How to make a simple breakfast yummy? Its simple; just use your imagination as if the kitchen were your art studio and the food is your paint and colour and the cooking range your palate. I like the way I draw an analogy with food and painting, both are very relaxing for me.

Today I tried something different with egg and sausages, here goes the simple recipe. It's so simple, that you may wonder, 'Why didn't I think of this before?'! Happy cooking!

Ingredients:

• Eggs - 2nos.
• Sausage - 1 no.
• Chilli flakes - a pinch
• Salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Garlic flakes - 2 nos. grated

Method:

1. Beat the eggs, with salt, black pepper, chili flakes, grated garlic.

2. Chop the sausage finely and add it to the beaten egg.

3. Heat oil and pour the mixture and cook till done on both sides.

4. Serve hot with toast and tea.

Recipe> Indian Style Hot Dog

Image: Mutton Roll

Text by: Tanya Munshi

For a snack like this, naming it was slightly difficult for me. I didn't exactly wanted to call it 'hot dog', but then let the name remain till I think of something really good. This snack is filling and I sometimes serve it for breakfast as thats the most important meal of the day. In fact, this snack comes very handy for picnics or when you're on a long drive and don't have time to eat if you start early morning.

You can get Al Kabeer's Mutton Hot dogs (skinless), its quite delicious, I like the mutton texture that it has. This snack strongly resembles the famous chicken and egg rolls from Calcutta. Since this is one of my favourite snacks, I tried my own variation, yet again. So here goes -

Ingredients:

• Parathas/ Chapattis/ Rotis - 1 - 2 nos.
• Mutton Hot Dogs - 1-2 nos
• Mayonnaise - 1 tbsp
• Egg - 1 - 2 nos.
• Garlic - 1 flake
• Ginger - Less than half an inch
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Beat the eggs in a bowl, add ground pepper, salt and grate the ginger and garlic.

2. Make an omlette with it, and keep aside.

3. Heat the parantha/ chapatti/ roti on a non-stick pan with a little oil on both sides and keep aside.

4. Cut the hot dogs from the middle in two halves and saute them in the non-stick pan till brown.

5. Now smear the Mayonnaise well on the chapattis and place the omlette on top. Place the hot dogs on that and roll it up.

6. Wrap it in an absorbent paper and serve hot with tomato ketchup.