PURPLE CABBAGE AND CHICKEN SALAD

How to make Purple cabbage and Chicken Salad?

Preparation time : 10min ; Cooking time : 10min

Serves : 3-4 as main course or 6-7 as side dish

Level : easy

Ingredients :

Boneless chicken : 4 oz / 170 g / a small chicken breast, cleaned and cubed

Chilly powder : 1/4 tsp

Pepper powder : 1/4 tsp

Salt : 1/4 tsp

Cumin powder / Dried herbs : 1/2 tsp(i used dried parsley and cumin powder)

Vinegar / Lemon juice : 1 1/2 tsp

Purple Cabbage : 1 1/2 Cup, finely chopped
Cherry tomatoes : 10 / half of a normal tomato , finely chopped
Cheddar cheese : 2 oz or 50 g, grated / chopped , optional
Romaine Lettuce : 1 Cup
Salad Dressing / Mayonnaise : 3 tbsp, i used my homemade mayonnaise (you can use any salad dressing)

Method :

1. Mix pepper powder, herbs / cumin powder, salt and vinegar with chicken pieces and marinate for 15min. Now add 1tsp olive oil and stir fry the chicken pieces. (You can boil / bake / cover and cook or stir fry the chicken pieces.) When it is done, drain on a paper towel and keep aside.

2. Now arrange romaine in a wide Serving plate. Add purple cabbage, cherry tomatoes and Cheddar cheese. Neatly add chicken cubes in the middle and serve with a salad dressing of your choice or my homemade mayonnaise.

KOVAKKA ULARTHIYATHU (Tindora / Ivy Gourd Sabzi) - Its a Keeper

 

Kovakka / Tindora is the only vegetable that I don't like. Sometimes I make thoran with it, as its my husband's favorite. When i tasted this dish from my friend's place, I was sure that this is something i should share in "Lemon n Spice", as it was a twist to normal Kovakka / Ivy Gourd dishes. Thanks for the recipe Sowmya Vineeth :)

How to make Kovakka Ularthiyathu / Tindora / Ivy Gourd Sabzi?
Preparation Time : 15min
Serves : 4

Ingredients :

Kovakka / Ivy Gourd : 250g, cut into thin rounds

Oil : 2tbsp

Salt : 1/4tsp

For the masala :

 

Onion : 1, medium size, finely chopped

Tomato : 1, medium size finely chopped

Cumin Powder : 1/2tsp (or 1tsp Cumin seeds)

Shredded Coconut : 1/2Cup

Turmeric Powder : 1/4tsp

Chilly powder : 1/2tsp

Salt : 1/2tsp

Combine everything in a wide bowl and mix well using your hand. Keep aside.

Method : 

1. Heat oil in a non-stick frying pan and add kovakka with salt. Stir fry for 4-6minutes or till kovakka is cooked but crunchy. (Make sure that you are not covering the pan during the entire cooking.)

2. Add the masala we kept aside and combine well with the kovakka. Stir fry again till the masala is cooked and covers on each kovakka slices.

3. Serve warm with rice / chappathi.

MARBLE CAKE / Marble Tea Loaf

Ingredients :

Unsalted Butter : 125g
All Pupose flour : 1 1/2Cups
Coco Powder : 2tbsp
Castor Sugar : 6.7 oz, 1Cup
Eggs : 2, at room temperature
Milk : 3/4 Cup
Baking Powder : 2tsp
Baking Soda : 1/2tsp
Vanilla Essence : 1tsp
Salt : 1/8tsp
Hot Water : 2tbsp
 
Method :

 1. Preheat oven at 180˚C / 350F.

2. Grease and line an 9 x 5 loaf pan and keep aside.

3. Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder thrice.

4. With an electric mixer, cream the butter until soft. Add the sugar and and continue beating until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add milk and vanilla essence and continue beating.

5. Mix cocoa powder with hot water in a bowl. Add half of the cake batter to this bowl and combine well.

6. Spoon into the loaf tin and bake until the cake pulls away from the sides (about 35minutes). Remove from the oven but carefully pull the lining. Let the cake cool completely.

MUSHROOM AND SPINACH CUTLET / Mushroom Palak Kebab

How to make Mushroom and spinach cutlets?

Preparation time : 30min

Makes : 25cutlets

Ingredients :

Mushrooms : 10-12medium / 2cups / 8oz / 500g, Chopped
Washed Spinach : 2 cups, chopped

Onion : 1, finely chopped

Potato - boiled, peeled and mashed : 1 Large

Green Chilly : 1, finely chopped

Ginger : 1 inch piece, finely chopped

Garlic : 5, finely chopped

Coriander leaves : 1/4Cup

Chilly Powder : 1 tsp

Coriander Powder : 1 tsp

Garam Masala : 1 tsp
Fennel (Perinjeerakam) : 1/2tsp(optional)

Bread : 6-7slices, make breadcrumbs

Maida : 2tbsp mixed with water to make a loose batter / you can use 1 beaten egg

Salt

Oil

Method :

1. Heat 1tbsp oil in a non stick pan and add Fennel seeds(optional). Now add chopped ginger, garlic and green chilly and saute for a minute.Now add onion and saute till it turns to translucent. 

2. Add all masalas in the same order and saute well. When you get the aroma of roasted masala, add mushrooms, spinach and salt. Combine well and cover the pan with a tight lid. 

3. When it is cooked and water completely absorbed turn the gas into high flame and stir fry for 2 minutes. Make sure water is completely absorbed and then add mashed potatoes.  Combine with the spatula and turn off the flame. Allow to cool.

4. Mix the mixture again using your hands and shape them into 25 cutlets. Dip in maida batter and cover with breadcrumbs. 

5. Deep fry and serve hot with Mayonnaise / Ketchup. 

Notes :

1. After covering the patties with bread crumbs you can refrigerate them and use within 5days. 
2. Use appropriate vessel and Fry them on medium flame for even cooking. I use my appachatti for frying all starters. So it is easy to use less oil and i cook 3cutlets at a time.

SEMIYA UPMA / Vermicelli Upma

How to make Easy Semiya Upma?
Cooking time: 20min 
Serves :2adults and 1 child

Ingredients :

Vermicelli : 1Cup(i used Bambino's roasted vermicelli)
Water : 2Cups
Onion : 1, meduim sized, finely chopped
Ginger : 1/2 inch piece, finely chopped
Green Chilly : 2, cut in lengthwise
Carrot : 1, small, finely chopped
Beans : 2, cut into half inch pieces
Shredded Coconut : 1/2 Cup
Cashew nuts : 1 tbsp(optional)
Coconut oil : 2tsp
Mustard Seeds : 1/4tsp
Urad Daal : 3/4tsp

Curry Leaves : 1 spring

Salt

Method :

1. Heat oil in a kadai and add mustard seeds. When it splutters add urad daal, cashew nuts and curry leaves. Saute for a minute and add onion, ginger and green Chillies and saute till the onion is translucent. 

2. Add beans, carrot and saute for 1 minute.  Pour 2 cups of water and cover the kadai with a tight lid. When water boils, add salt and vermicelli. Cover and cook for few minutes(in low flame). When it is 80% cooked add the coconut and combine well. cover and cook till done.

Note :  If You are not using roasted vermicelli, dry roast it in a kadai for 4-5 minutes, till it turns to light brown color. Keep aside to cool.

MY 5TH BLOG ANNIVERSARY

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEMON N SPICE :)

WOOOW!!! I can't believe its been 5 years since i started "Lemon N Spice". I never imagined that I will be blogging with the same drive and energy 5 years later. Blogging helped me understand different cuisines, cultures and ingredients. It helped me to attempt different recipes that i haven't heard or tasted before. 

I really thank my husband, who convinced to start the blog and record my kitchen experiments. He is the one who discovered a 'cook' in me. He helped me convert my hobby into a passion.

I really thank my sister Nish and my close friend Krishna Kumar for gifting beautiful bakeware. Sincere thanks to my dear blogger friend Teenu (Tina Noble) to give the inspiration to start baking. And a big thanks to my friends Vilas Patel, Mekha prathyush, Sojan Anto, Saranya Sriram, Remya Nair, Deepasri Deb, Sajesh Soman, Milsha Mukund and Chikku's Kitchen for liking most of the food photography snaps i uploaded in facebook. 

A big thanks to each and every one of you for giving me all the support and encouragement that has kept me going these wonderful Five years.