There comes a time when one needs to know the basics of the culinary world to survive. On the contrary to the popular belief, cooking, believe it or not, is not so hard if you are willing to invest time on it. With the lockdown dangling like a pendulum on our heads, Mow Zaman brings you six easy recipes which you can prepare in your pantry with everyday ingredients.
Chicken cutlet
- Chicken 250 gm
- Garlic Ginger Paste 2 tbsp
- Salt to taste
- Soya Sauce ½ tbsp
- Butter 2 tbsp
- Chopped Green Chillie 1 tbsp
- Chopped Onions 1 cup
- Roasted Cumin Powder 1 tsp
- Tomato Ketchup 2 tbsp
- Mashed Potato 1 cup
- Coriander 2 tbsp
- Bread Crumb 2 cups
- Whisked Egg 1 cup
Method
Boil the chicken with two cups of water. While boiling the chicken, add one tablespoon of Garlic-Ginger paste, salt and Soya Sauce. After the chicken is boiled, shred the meat.
Preheat a pan and then add butter. After the butter melts, add green chillies, onions, Garlic-Ginger paste, roasted cumin powder and the tomato ketchup. Cook for one minute.
Then add the shredded chicken and add the mashed potatoes after two minutes. Mix them well with coriander leaves.
After the mixture is done, le sit till the temperature gets down to room temperature. Take a small portion of the mixture and shape it into a regular cutlet. When done, douse the cutlets into the whisked egg (salted) and cover the cutlets with bread crumbs. Put a double coating of bread crumbs if necessary. Once the prepping is done, put the cutlets into the refrigerator for thirty to an hour.
Then take the cutlets out and fry the cutlets until they turn golden brown.
Creamy Chicken Half-Moon Pie
- Minced Chicken 250gm
- Chopped Onion 1 cup
- Chopped Green Chillie 1 tbsp
- Coriander 2 tbsp
- Green Chickpeas ½ cup
- Chopped Carrots 1 cup
- Spring Onions ½ cup
- Garlic Ginger Paste 1 tbsp
- Butter 2 tbsp
- Flour 1 tbsp
- Liquid Milk 1 cup
- Black Pepper tsp
- Salt 1 tsp
- Sugar 1sp
- Parmesan Cheese ¼ cup
- Bread Crumbs 1 cup
- Whisked Egg (Salted) 2
For Dough
- Water 1.5 cup
- Salt 1.5 tsp
- Sugar 2 tsp
- Butter 2 tsp
- Flour 1.5 cup
Method
White Sauce Preparation
Fry the flour with butter in low heat. Add milk gradually with salt, pepper and sugar. After a minute add the parmesan cheese, cook it till it is in liquid form. Let it sit to get the room temperature.
Filling
Preheat a pan. Add onions, garlic-ginger paste, green chillies, salt cook it for 2 minutes. Add carrots and green chickpeas let it cook for 2 minutes and add coriander. Add the white sauce and cook the mixture till it gets a creamy consistency. Let it sit in the room temperature.
Dough Preparation
Boil 1.5 cup of water. Add salt, sugar and butter. After it is boiled, add flour gradually while mixing. Mix it till a dough is formed.
Make small rotis out of the dough. Add fillings in the roti and shape it into half-moons. Douse the moon pies into the whisked egg (salted) and cover them with bread crumbs. Put a double coating of bread crumbs if necessary. Once the prepping is done, put the moon pies into the refrigerator for thirty to an hour.
Then take the moon pies out and fry them until they turn golden brown.
Cheesy Potato Balls
- Mashed Potatoes 1 cup
- Roasted Cumin Powder ½ tsp
- Oregano Powder 1 pinch
- Salt to taste
- Black Pepper ½ tsp
- Lemon zest 1 tsp
- Small Mozzarella cubes as needed
- Bread Crumbs 1 cup
- Whisked Egg (salted) 1
Method
Mix roasted cumin powder, oregano powder, salt, black pepper, lemon zest and mashed potatoes together. Make small balls out of the mixture and add mozzarella cheese cubes in the centre of the balls.
Douse the balls into the whisked egg (salted) and cover them with bread crumbs. Put a double coating of bread crumbs if necessary. Once the prepping is done, put the balls into the refrigerator for thirty to an hour.
Then take the Cheesy Potato Balls out and fry them until they turn golden brown.
Jira Rice
- Boiled Rice 2 cups
- Cumin seeds 1tsp
- Butter 3 tbsp
- Chopped Green Chillies 1tsp
- Chopped Coriander 1 tbsp
- Salt to taste
Method
Add butter to the pan. Cook it for thirty seconds. Add cumin seeds and fry it for thirty seconds more. Then add rice to the pan and cook it for 3 minutes. Add chopped green chillies, coriander and salt and cook it for few more minutes until ready. Your Jira Rice is ready.
Shahi Jilapi
For Batter
- Rice Flour 1 cup
- Pea Flour 1 cup
- Baking Soda 1 tsp
- Orange Food colour 2-3 drops
- Water 1 cup
- Vegetable oil 1 ltr
- For Sugar Syrup
- Sugar 2 cups
- Water 1 cup
- Green Cardamon 4
- Lemon Juice 1 tbsp
- Ghee 2 tbsp
Method
Batter
Mix rice flour, pea flour and baking soda with water gradually. Mix the batter until it has a thick consistency with food colour, make sure the batter is thick and runny. Let it sit for ten to fifteen minutes. Your thick batter is ready.
Sugar Syrup
Add sugar, green cardamom and water in a deep pan. Stir the mixture until it boils. Let it boil for two to three minutes. Cook it until it has a sticky consistency. Turn off the stove, add one tbsp ghee and lemon juice to the syrup. Let it sit for a few minutes.
Pour the batter into a piping bag. Add oil with one inch of depth in a frying pan with one tbsp ghee. When the oil is hot, squeeze the batter into the oil in a spiral form. Fry it until the jilapis are lightly golden.
When the jilapis are done, put them into the syrup while they are hot. Let it soak for a minute or two then serve your warm jilapis on a plate!
Chicken Daal Makhni
- Chicken 10 pcs
- Fried Mung Lentil 1 cup
- Chopped Onions 1 cup
- Chopped Tomatoes ½ cup
- Chopped Coriander leaves 2 tbsp
- Whole Green Chillie 5 pcs
- Red Chillie Powder 1tsp
- Turmeric 1 tsp
- Coriander Powder 1 tsp
- Cumin Powder 1tsp
- Garam Masala Powder 1 tsp
- Garlic Ginger Paste 2 tbsp
- Bay Leaf 2 pcs
- Green Cardamon 4 pcs
- Cinamon 2 pcs
- Clove 4 pcs
- Whole Black Pepper 1 tsp
- Salt to taste
- Pani ½ cup
- Vegetable Oil ½ cup
- Butter 2 tbsp
Method
Add oil in a pan on a stove. Then add bay leaves, green cardamom, cinnamon, clove and black pepper. Fry it for a minute and onions. Cook it until it turns light brown. The moment the onions turn colour, add tomatoes and fry it for thirty seconds and then add water.
After adding the water add red chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, garlic ginger paste and salt. Mix them well and cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken to the mixture and let it cook for fifteen minutes in medium heat with the lid on. Then add half a cup of water and let it cook for ten to fifteen minutes more.
Boil the fried lentils and add it to your chicken dish and let it cook for five minutes then add one cup of water. Mix it well and wait till it boils. Sprinkle the garam masala powder. Before serving add butter, coriander leave and green chillies. Your dish is ready!