Wheat Flour chocolate Bread

 I usually make the banana bread with wheat flour. This time I tried with chocolate, Choco chips and walnut and the taste of the bread is really mouth watering.

Pre heat the oven: 180C

Prepare a loaf pan (9 x 5 x 3 inch (23 x 13 x 8 cm) using vegetable spray or butter. I prefer butter.

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup walnuts 1 1/2 cups wheat flour (can be used  3/4 cup all purpose flour+ 3/4 cup Wheat flour) 1/4 cup cocoa powder (I used "Weikfield " cocoa powder) 1 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup white, dark, or milk chocolate chips ( I used mix of white and dark chocolate chips) 2 large egg, at room temperature 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas ( 5 large long ripe bananas -in Assamese it is JAHAJI KOL) 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter -melted and cooled to room temperature ( Can be used salted butter also, If using salted butter do not add salt) 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Method: Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for about 6 minutes or until lightly brown and fragrant. Let cool and then chop coarsely. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the chopped nuts and chocolate chips. Mash the banana and measure it. In another bowl, whisk the eggs. Then add the mashed bananas, melted butter, and vanilla. ( Alternatively you can add all this ingredient in a mixie jar and blend it well.) Lightly fold the wet ingredients (banana mixture) into the dry ingredients until just combined with a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon. The batter will be thick and chunky, Scrap the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top with a back of a spoon. Bake for about 40-50 min in the middle rack in the oven. Check the bread inserting a tooth pick.  Note :  Frozen bread can be stored for a month.                                             ************

Honey Chicken

 My style of honey chicken 

Ingredients:

• Two full leg pieces 
• 1tbsp brown mustard powder 
• 1tsp paprika / red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 
• 1tsp curry powder- ( A mixer of dry roasted spices)
• And salt to your taste.

Rub all the above  with the chicken. Keep it for 2/3 hrs.

Honey sauce 

• 1 tbsp honey 
• 4 tbsp tomato sauce 
• 1 tbsp red chili sauce. 
• 1/2  tsp ginger paste
• 1/2 tsp garlic paste 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice 

 Mix the above well 

Pour 2 tbsp oil in the inner pot of the rice cooker. Slice one small onion and make a bed for the chicken.  Place the chicken on top of onion slices. 

Pour the honey sauce on top of the chicken pieces.

Close the lid of the rice cooker and set slow cook for an hour. Server with sticky rice, slices of tomato and cucumber. 

Note: Reduce honey if you want less sweet.

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Assamese cuisine- Fish head with bottle gourd

 This is a very easy and yummy curry that Assamese people love to eat with steamed rice.  

Ingredients:

1 Rahu or Catla fish head

1 small Bottle gourd( approx 20cm long)

1 potato

2-3 medium-sized tomatoes

2/3 tablespoons oil. ( I prefer mustard oil).

2/3 clove of garlic

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 of a small onion

2/3 green chilies

1tsp turmeric powder

salt as per taste.

Methods:

1. Clean the fish head properly and rub turmeric powder and salt. 
2. Peel the bottle gourd and potato and cut into chunks.
3. Put oil in a heavy-based pan or korai and let it be hot over medium flame.
4. then fry the fish head and break it into small pieces, fry properly and take out from the pan.
5. Keep it aside.
6. Now on that same oil add mustard seeds and let it spatter. Add onion pieces, crushed garlic, and one slitted green chili.
7. Then add the cut pieces of bottle gourd and potato. Mix it well.
8. Add turmeric powder and salt.
9. Cover it with a lid.
10. Once half cooked add tomato pieces, cover again, and let it cook properly.
11. Then add two cups of hot water.
12. When it boils add the fried fish head. cover it and cook in high flame. 
13. You will get a think gravy.
14. Add crushed green chili.
15. Adjust the salt and serve hot with steamed rice.

                        Alternative methods

Pressure cook the potato, tomato, and bottle gourd pieces in a pressure cooker with two cups of water and a little bit of salt. On the hot leftover oil, add mustard and then onion and crushed garlic. Fry this adding turmeric powder and add some of the boiled potato and gourd pieces. Mashed those pieces and pour all the pressure cooked. Let it boil and add the fish head. Let it cook and you will get the thick gravy.

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Burger Bun without Yeast

 Dinner bun without yeast and egg 

 In lockdown tried to prepare lots of kids friendly food at home with limited ingredient as they are missing the restaurant food. 

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups all-purpose flour 
• 2 tsp baking powder 
• 1 tsp baking soda 
• 2 tbsp sugar 
• ½ tsp salt 
• 2tbsp +1 tbsp oil 
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (preferably freshly squeeze) 
• ¼ cup yogurt +2-3 tbsp

Methods: 

1. Mix all the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour + sugar +salt +BP+BS)  
2. Make a well and add 1 tbsp oil,and lemon juice.Mix.
3. Knead the dough very well adding  ¼ cup yogurt. 
4. Add 1 tbsp yogurt at a time if necessary, to make a very soft dough.  ( Note: it may need more yogurt ) 
5. Knead the dough for 5-10 minutes or until the dough is very soft and it does not stick in your hand.
6. Rub oil on the dough and make six equal portions. 
7. Give the shape of the bun.
8. Brush oil on the baking tray and place the bun keeping some space to rise. 
9.  Cover the bun and keep it for 2-4 hours to rise.
10. Do not disturb the dough in between. 
11. Preheat the oven at 350F / 180C 
12. Brush the buns with yogurt or one egg yolk wash. 
13. Bake the buns for about 20-25min or until the buns are golden brown. 
14. Remove from the oven and lightly buttered the bun and cover for 5-10min.
15. Place it on a wire rack to cool. 

 

               Enjoy eating homemade buns.  

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Fish Head curry

 Fish head - Mom's Special 2

Ingredients:

• 1/4 of an ash gourd(150 g)
• 1 ridge gourd
• 1 small potato
• 1/2 of a Rahu or Catla fish head.
• 1 medium-size tomato
• 4/5 garlic cloves
• 1-inch ginger
• 1/2 of onion
• mustard oil   ( can be used refined oil)
• 1 1/2 tsp turmeric powder.
• salt

                                                                      

Method:

1. Cut the vegetables into chunks.
2. Cut the onion into small pieces
3. crush the garlic and ginger
4. Rub the fish head with turmeric and salt.
5. Put enough oil into the pan over medium heat to fry the fish head. Fish should be fried properly. Keep it aside,
6. Add onion into the same oil and fry the onion properly. Then add crushed ginger and garlic, fry a little.
7. Add all the vegetables and mix well adding turmeric and salt.
8. Cover with a lid and reduce the heat. Let it cook.
9. Add 2 cups of water and boil. 
10. Then add the fried fish.
11. Cook for 5 min or until it cooks.
12. Serve hot with white rice.

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Fish curry - Authentic Assamese Fish curry

 Authentic Assamese fish curry- Mom's Special

Ingredients: 

• 4/5 piece of Rohu or Catla ( Or any freshwater/ river fish)
•  1/2 of a bottle gourd (150gms approx) - cut into pieces.
• 1 handful of orange lentil ( masur daal)
• 1-inch ginger
• 2 tsp turmeric powder
• salt to taste
• Mustard oil.
• 1tsp fenugreek seeds(methi)

Method:

1. Rub the fish with turmeric powder and salt.
2. Put a Kadai on high flame.
3. Add enough oil to fry the fish.
4. Fry the fish till golden brown (both side)
5. Keep it aside. 
6. In that same oil add fenugreek seed and let it splatter.
7. Add crushed ginger and stir it. Fry a little. Let the raw smell goes.
8. Add the pieces of bottle gourd and lentil. Mix it and then add turmeric.
9. Mix it well and cover it and reduce the heat to medium.
10. Add 2 1/2 cup hot water when the lentil get roasted. Let it boil.
11. Adjust the salt. 
12. Once it is almost cooked add the fried fish into the curry. ( adjust the water) 
13. Let it cook for another 5 min. 
14. Garnish with green chili and coriander leaves.
15. Serve with steamed rice. 

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GLAZED CHICKEN WITH MUSHROOM

A very quick and simple but tasty recipe

 I like to watch cooking shows and borrow ideas from those and like to try cooking something different. That's how I found out this recipe and going to share it with you. 

Ingredients:

250 gm boneless chicken pieces. ( preferred thigh pieces)

10-12 button mushroom cut into half or quarter piece ( same size of the chicken)

one small carrot cut into thick slices (optional)

one small onion - cut into quarter (optional)

One tablespoon cut spring onion

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon tomato sauce

1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce

Salt 

2 tablespoon vegetable oil.

2/3 clove of garlic

Preparing the sauce:

Mix tomato, honey, and soy sauce. Keep it aside.

Methods:

• Remove excess water from the chicken.
• Wipe the mushrooms.
• Put a frying pan over high heat.
• Add oil. Let it be smoking hot and then add the chicken pieces and stir.
• Stir frequently. 
• Add salt and let it cook in medium heat till it turns light golden brown. ( Chicken should be almost cooked)
• Add carrot slices, garlic, and onion. 
• Stir and cook for two to three minutes.
• Adjust the salt. 
• Now it's time to add the prepared sauce. Let it dry stirring continuously over high heat. 
• Add spring onion and serve.

Can be served as a starter or main dish with hot steam rice.

Note: Most important -do not cover while cooking.

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