Spaghetti with meat balls

Its one of the most popular and classic old italian recipes. Simple to make and a feast for your taste buds! Italian cuisine is a personal favourite and this tops my list. Try cooking it for friends or family and i'm sure they'll ask for more!

Ingredients:

For the meat balls:

300 Grams Minced mutton or lamb
1 small onion
Bread crumbs
3-4 cloves garlic
Parsley or coriander
Rosemary leaves
Parmesan cheese
Salt to taste

For the sauce:

3 cups tomato puree
1 medium onion
3-4 cloves of garlic
1 bunch of fresh oregano or 1 tsp dried oregano
3-4 leaves of fresh basil
1 bay leaf
Rosemary leaves(few)
2 Tbsp olive oil
Pinch of sugar
Salt to taste
Black pepper

Cooking Process:

For the meat balls preparation:

1: Boil spaghetti with a little salt according to packet instructions. It usually takes about 10 minutes.

2: Blend onion, parsley/coriander, rosemary leaves and garlic in a food processor.

3: Take a bowl and mix the minced mutton/lamb with the prepared onion mixture, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese,salt and shape them into small balls by priorly wetting your palm so that it doesn't stick.

4: Sear the meat balls in olive oil for a few minutes and add them into the simmering sauce( given below).

For the sauce preparation:

1: In a pan add olive oil and fry the onions, garlic and bay leaf.

2:Pour in the tomato puree and add 2 cups of water or packaged tomato juice, oregano, basil and rosemary and cook for about 15-20 minutes.

3: Lastly season with salt and pepper and a pinch of sugar.

4: Add the fried meat balls and cook on simmer for about 15 minutes.

5: Serve with the boiled spaghetti.

Tip: 

You can use canned tomatoes for the sauce if not fresh.

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Tips and tricks for the Kitchen

Kitchen tips can be very handy and helpful. Every now and then i'm gonna post a few of them(may be 5 at a time) that i've been taught since a kid by elders and specially by my mom.
So here we go...

1: For free flow of salt from a salt cellar add a few grains of uncooked rice, it will never block the salt from flowing.

2: To get rid of odour from the microwave, place a bowl of water with a lime wedge and keep it on for about 10 minutes.

3: To avoid butter from burning in a pan, add a few drops of oil.

4. To keep herbs like coriander, mint, dill or chives fresh for a longer period of time, place them in brown paper bags and stash them into the freezer.

5: Another way is to place herbs into a vase with a little water. It keeps them fresh and looks decorative as well!

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Dark Angel

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I came up with this recipe after baking some disastrous chocolate brownies which turned out as hard as rock! Did'nt want them to be thrown away so i created a lip smacking desert! Its creamy and melts in your mouth with each scoop. And so my husband named it Dark Angel, as it has dark chocolate and white luscious double cream! Next time you call some guests for dinner, think about this one.

Ingredients:

3 cups double cream or low fat cream
7-8 pieces of chocolate brownie/cake
1 cup marshmallows
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Steps:

1: In a saucepan melt the cream, marshmallows and the unsalted butter stirring non-stop until a smooth texture is formed and set aside to cool.

2: Mash the chocolate brownies/cake with a rolling pin and mix in some ready-made or home-made chocolate sauce.

3: Layer the mashed brownies/cake and the creamy mixture one by one (as many layers as you want) and refrigerate for about 2-3 hours.

4: Serve chilled.

Tip:

You can mash the brownies or cake into complete powder or muddy form or keep a few mini chunks like the one in the picture.

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Pumpkin Soup

Soups any day are best tasted during winters as they are warm and comforting. The pumpkin soup that i have made is total comfort food and will calm you down after a hectic day at work/home. So tuck yourselves into your blankets and cosy up on the sofa and take charge of that remote to watch your favourite show with a bowl of some hot pumpkin soup for company!

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo pumpkin
1 onion
4-5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup cream
3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Nutmeg (optional)

Cooking Process:

1: Peel out the skin of the pumpkin and cut into medium sized pieces.

2: Take a non stick deep pan and fry the onions and garlic until they turn translucent. Do not fry them until golden brown. Add salt at this point itself to prevent them from burning.

3: Add in the pumpkin pieces, freshly ground black pepper, some grated nutmeg and fry on medium heat for about 10 minutes.

4: Pour 1 litre of chicken or vegetable stock into the pan and bring to boil.

5: Add in the cream and mix well for 2-3 minutes.

6: Set aside and allow it to cool.

7: Transfer the pumpkin mixture into a blender and puree in batches until smooth and cook for about 20-25 minutes on low flame.

8: Serve hot with a dollop of sour cream or double
 cream and fresh mint/coriander.

Tip:

You can use an electric hand blender if you have one and puree the pumpkin mixture in the pan itself while cooking. Makes your job easy!

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Spicy Chicken

This is a recipe given to me by Afreen, a very close friend of mine. She once invited us over to her place for lunch and all of us were literally licking our fingers!! She's such a fab cook and has got this gift from her mom who according to me cooks the most tasty dishes! Her khatti dal with fried chicken that we would have during our college days still lingers in my mind.. Though I've cooked this a number of times it still doesn't taste as good as hers!

Ingredients:

For the marination:

1/2kg boneless chicken
1 egg white
Ginger garlic paste
3tbsp Chilli garlic sauce
2tbsp soy sauce
2tbsp worcestershire sauce
2tbsp red Chilli sauce
1tbsp cornflour
Pinch of red colour
2tsp cumin powder
Red Chilli powder
Salt to taste

For the gravy:

3 cups yogurt
3tbsp Chilli garlic sauce
2tbsp soy sauce
2tbsp red Chilli sauce
3tbsp tomato sauce (ketchup)
1tsp ginger garlic paste
Pinch of cornflour
Red colour
Fresh coriander
Salt to taste

For the tadka:

2tbsp oil
Curry leaves
Green chillies
Cumin seeds

Cooking Process:

1: Deep fry the marinated chicken in small batches and keep aside.

2: In a deep frying pan add all the sauces and fry for about 3-4 minutes.

3: Mix the yogurt thoroughly to maintain a smooth texture. Pour this into the pan of sauces and add in the cornflour, salt and red colour and cook for about 10 minutes till the oil separates.

4: Now place the deep fried chicken into the yogurt mix. Cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes.

5: Take a small pan and fry the cumin seeds, curry leaves and green chillies and pour over the chicken curry.

6: Sprinkle fresh coriander and serve hot with rice or roti/naan.

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