CUPCAKES

Banana Chocolate Cupcakes  

                                                                                                     Pre heat --180C
                                                                                                     Baking time -18-20m

                                                                                                     12 -15 cup cake tray

Kid's favourite - cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 cup maida
1 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt 

1 over riped banana. ( Or 3 small Banana )
1/4 cup refined oil ( canola Or light olive oil)
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup warm water
1 large egg
3/4 vanila extract

Method:

Whisk together all the dry ingredients or sieve . Keep it . Now mash the banana with a fork and add the egg . Mix it well. Then add all the other wet ingredients into it. Mix it well with a whisker. 

Now pour the wet mixture to the dry mixture and gently mix using  the cut and fold method. Then put it in the oiled cup cake tray. Bake for 18 - 20 m. 



Note: You can use this recipe for  banana chocolate cake increasing the baking time to 35 -45 m . 

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Egg Curry

• Egg curry with Potato ( কণী আৰু আলুৰ জোল )

This is a very popular dish among the Assamese and Bengali people. It is very simple and quick dish that goes with Rice, Roti / Chapati and Luci / Puri. But my favorite is with Luci. Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:

• Egg - 5
• Potatoes - 2 medium size
• Onion - 1 medium size
• cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Ginger- 1 inch long
• Garlic -3 /4 clove
• Garam masala -1tsp
• Cumin powder-1 tsp
• Paprika/red chili powder- 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
• Tomato -1 small (optional )
• Oil -4 tbsp.
• Red chili -2
• Salt to taste

For garnishing :

Coriander leaves and green chilies.

Preparation:

• Boil the eggs and potatoes together and then peel. Keep it aside.
• Cut the onion into small pieces.
• Make a paste of ginger.
• Just crush the garlic.
• Tomato cut into half if you are using .

Method:

Put a heavy based pan on medium heat. Put oil and let it become hot. Then fry the eggs starring continuously. It will be golden brown. Take it out and keep it.
Cut the boiled potatoes in half.
On that same oil add the cumin seeds and whole red chilies.
Then  fry the onion and then add the ginger paste and crushed garlic. Fry for two minutes.
Reduce the heat.
Add the powdered spices and mix well.
Then add the boiled potato pieces and tomatoes.
Add salt
Let it cook properly.
Add 1/2 cup water .
When it become a thick gravy add the eggs and cook for another 5 m.
Garnish with coriander  leaves and green chili slit.
Serve hot.

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CRISPY FRIED CHICKEN

Deep Fried Chicken 

It is a kid's favoriate chicken recipe that they like to eat as a snack or dinner with carrot  and cucumber slices and some romaine leaves.

Appetizer

Ingredients:

• Chicken 250 g ( Prefered bone less )
• Cumin Powder 1tsp
• Coriander powder 1/2 tsp
• Paprika 1 tsp
• Corn starch 1 tbsp
• Rice flour 1/2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

Method:

• Wash the chicken pieces and drain it well.
• Rub the chicken pieces with salt , cumin and corianer powder . 
• Mix corn starch , paprika and rice flour together with a little salt. 
• Put the flour mixer into the chicken and mix it very well. ( Some times need to add two- three drops of water to give the chicken a nice coat. )
• Put enough oil in a skylet on high heat to deep fry the chicken pieces.
• When the oil is hot reduce the heat to medium. 
• Fry the chicken pieces till it turns golden brown and crispy.
• And serve it with your choice of sauce. ( Kids like it with tomato ketchup)

NOTE:  You can add salad and boiled potato with butter if you are serving the chicken  as a dinner.



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Fish Curry With Coriander Leaves

Coriander leves and Fish curry

Right after marriage I came to Chennai and I met Rupa baideu.  She is  so kind hearted and we came  very close to each other after the first meeting as if we know each other for long.She is like my elder sister  and guide me in every step . She taught me so many cooking tips and so many authentic Assamese Dishes at the time of staying in Chennai. One of them is Coriander Leaves Fish Curry and here is the recipe.

Preration Time :10m                      

Cooking Time : 15m

Ingredients:

• Fish : 4 /5 pieces ( Any river fish or back water fish goes well with this recipe)
• Coriander Leaves:1/4 Bunch
• 1/4 of a small onion
• 1 small potato or left over boiled potato mash ( aloo pitika)
• 2/ 3 garlic clove
• 2green chillies
• 2 tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder +1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt
• Oil 2-3 tbsp ( Preferebly musturd oil)

Preparation:

• Clean and wash the fish well. Rub 1/2tsp of turmeric powder and salt. Keep it.
• Do small pieces of the onion.
• Cut the cleaned coriander leaves into small .
• Cut tomatoes and potato into four pieces.  

Method:

• Put oil on a hot pan and when it is hot fry the fish turning once. It will be light brown.
• Take it out and keep it aside.
• On that same oil fry the onions ( If you feel it is too less to fry the onion add one more spoon of oil.)
• When the onion is fried properly add the  potato   and stir it .
• Put turmeric powder, salt ( remember that you add salt in the fish too )and the garlic cloves. 
• Mix it well.
• Now add the coriander leaves and the tomatoes. Stir it and cover it reducing the heat.
• Add 1 1/2 cup of water when the mixture is almost cooked and keep it on medium heat.
• Put the fish into the curry when the curry is boiling. 
• Cook it for another 5 - 8 m . 
• Add the green chillies.
• And enjoy with steamed rice.

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Roasted Chicken

Roasted chicken From  my OTG

Preparation Time: 10 m

Cooking Time : 45 - 50 m

Ingredients:

• Chicken leg piece 2
• Thigh piece 2
•  Everest  tondoori chicken masala 2 tsp
• Garam masala 1 tsp
• Cumin  powder 1/2 tsp
• Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
• Salt

Method:

• Marinate the chicken with all the spices and salt.
•  Keep it in the refrigerator at least for 1/2 a day.
•  Place the chicken pieces on a baking tray and spray some vegetable oil.
•  Put it in the hot oven. ( If you are usinng oven , U S A model , pre heat the oven )
• Roast the chicken at 250C for 20 to 25 m. 
• Take it out and turn the chicken up side down and roast again for about 20 m spraying some oil. 
• Or roast it until it properly cooked.

Enjoy with some onion rings and lemon edge. It is good healthy dinner with a boiled potato and salad.




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Til Pitha / Narikol Pitha

Til Pitha /Narikol Pitha ( Bihu special)

Another very authentic Assamese Bihu snack is Til Pitha / Narikol Pitha. It is prepared with rice powder and sesame seeds/ grated coconut with jaggery/ sugar.  Til  is an Assamese name for sesame seeds and Narikol is  for coconut.

We need

• Glutinous rice / bora soul- 2 cups ( 1 cup for Til  Pitha and other for Narikol Pitha )

  I found a very good glutinous rice in Asian store. The name is Thai glutinous Rice . Here is the picture.

• Black sesame seeds- 1/4 cup
• Jaggery  - 1/4 cup
• Grated coconut  -1/4 cup
• Sugar  -1/4 cup
• Cardamom powder - 1tsp ( optional )

Method:

• Soak the rice over night.
• Drain it well and keep it aside.
• Roast the sesame seeds and mix with jaggery  or  You can grind it in a mixture together with cardamom powder.
• For the Narikol Pitha roast the grated coconut with sugar. Add the cardamom powder if you are using it.
• Keep these aside.
• Now grind the rice carefully and sift with a sieve .
• Heat a griddle on medium heat .
• Take a table spoon full of rice powder and spread it with the back of the spoon or with your finger tips on hot griddle. It should be like Puri. 
• Spread the jaggery mixture for Til pitha or coconut mixture for narikol pitha on it.
• When it is roast fold from both sides or roll the pitha. 
• Enjoy the pithas with Assam Tea or keep it for 2/3 weeks .

Note: If you want to keep it for longer time you have to roast properly or one easy thing you can do is pre heat the oven at 350F and the switch off. Put the pitha on a baking tray inside it til the oven cool down. 



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Ghila Pitha (Assamese snack)

Ghila Pitha - Bhugalir Pitha  Pona

It is a bihu special snack that Assamese people prepare mainly at the time of bhugali bihu. Bhugali bihu is the harvest festival celebrated in Assam , India  in the mid January . The Assamese people prepare a lot of different types of snacks and sweets with the new crop at this time.

Thai Glutinous Rice

To prepare the Ghila Pitha

• Sticky rice ( bora Saul ) - 2 cups   

 ( Bora Saul is available only in Assam . But no worries . You can make Ghila Pitha outside India with the Thai glutinous rice or sticky Japanese rice which is easily available in any Asian store.)

• Jaggery  or sugar -1/2 cup
• Grated coconut - 1/4 cup ( optional )
• Enough oil to deep fry

Method:

• Soak the rice for 2 -4 hour.
• Drain and dry it with kitchen paper.
• Grind it in a grinder taking 2 tbsp at a time and sift with a sieve.( It should be fine powder).
• Take a bowl and mix jaggery and coconut with the rice powder. 
• Make a dough of it with water .
• Take a handful and make a ball.
• Then flatten it with your palm.
• Keep it .
• Put Oil in a deep frying pan on high heat.
• Let the oil be hot. 
• When it is hot reduced the heat to medium to low.
• Now deep fry the pithas till it brown turning once.
• Keep the pithas on a kitchen paper towel to soak extra oil.
• Enjoy the pitha at tea time. 

                                             


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Tin Fish with Mushroom

Tin Sardin and Mushroom

Tin sardin is available in any grocery store . Some are with water and some are in olive oil. Both  are good for this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1tin sardin fish ( aprox: 4-5 boneless sardin fish)
• 1 tomato
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1 medium size onion
• 1 maitake mushroom or 3-4 button mushroom
• 2-3 garlic clove
• 3-4 spring onion
• 1 tbs oil or oil in the tin 
• salt to taste

Preparation:

• Do thin slices of the onion , tomatoes and garlic
• Slit the green chilies
• Chop the spring onion.
• Remove the stem of the Maitake Mushroom. If you are using button mushroom do the thin slices of it.

Method: 

• Put oil in a skilet over medium heat. 
• Add onions into the oil and fry for 2-3 minute.
• Then add the tomatoes and fry it about  4- 5 minute.
• Put the mushroom when the tomatoes are almost cooked. Mix it well adding the galic slices and the chilies.
• Add salt. Please check the level before adding salt as some tin fish come with added salt.
• Add the tin fish with the oil/water. Mix it and cover it now.
• Let it cook for about 5 minute stiring occassionally.
• Season with chopped spring onion.
• The fish is done when it seperate oil from it. 
• Serve hot. 

Note: If you like you can add slices of green bellpepper.



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