1st BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION WITH 'SALAD RICE WITH SWEET & SPICY CHICKEN'

A year has passed by and along came in 2012 with lot of new hopes and dreams. Wishing you all a Great New Year Ahead.......may every moment be filled with joy and hope all your dreams come true....!!!! It’s been more than a month that I wrote anything. Did I lose the excitement......No way; rather I was caught in the hands of faith. I met with an accident and was in bed-rest all this time. Sadly I missed a lot of important and fun occasions in the process --- I missed to celebrate my blog's birthday, SORRY BUON APPETITO :( , I missed the new year celebration and I even spent my birthday lying in bed. Well no use crying over spilt milk, today I started cooking and I decided to making something that celebrates my cooking experiments and it’s my way of saying sorry to my blog for missing out on her birthday :) . Do join me to wish BUON APPETITO a very Happy 1st Birthday. I just cannot believe that one year has passed by and I had a lot of fun with you (BUON APPETITO). Before I begin with the recipe I want to share the story behind my blog. I was always interested in cooking since childhood but I have started serious cooking some 6-7 years back ---after I moved out of my home and I was tired of eating out. Over the years I had treated my friends & family now and they would always encourage me a lot. My friends would often ask for my recipes and it got me thinking that I should have a space where I could note down my recipes and everyone could access it. During the same time, my younger brother started blogging and he explained me all about it and it seemed to be a great idea........and I started my first blogs -VERSATILITY. In a few days I realized that blog could be a great way of noting my recipes and anyone could access them easily if they wanted. With this thought in head I came to office on December 18th, 2010 and I determined to start my recipe blog. However I didn’t know what to name it and the whole day in office I kept thinking about it, I even involved my younger sister in the process. At night 11:00pm it struck me.......I had read an article sometime back, that Italians never start their meal without wishing "BUON APPETITO" meaning 'Enjoy your Meal' to all and it felt just perfect. I have some fascination with everything Italian---the architecture, food, men everything stands out in my eyes :) . And I want everyone to enjoy my dishes.....so my blog is named "BUON APPETITO". I started blogging with no knowledge about it. I thought blog is only for personal entries---that’s what I saw in Movies, I didn’t even know that there are other peoples who blog about recipes. Over the last year I discovered the blogger community; I met many wonderful people and loved the experience. Now let’s move to the recipe---SALAD RICE with SWEET & SPICY CHICKEN. I wanted to make something special to celebrate the birthday......however I was torn between trying something new or revisiting an old recipe. Finally I decided to make this dish.....it has a great importance to me. This is the dish that marked the beginning of my journey with kitchen. The first time I made it was some 4 years back just for me.....and then I had it again for my parents some 2 years back. Today when I made the dish I had made a few changes and I liked the variation.

FOR SWEET & SPICY CHICKEN
Chicken thighs	8 pieces
Potatoes	2 medium sized
Carrots	2 medium sized
Red Onion	1 large
Ginger-garlic paste	2 teaspoons
Grape Juice	1 cup
Lime Juice	1/2 of a Lime
Honey	1 tablespoon
Tomato puree	1/2 tablespoon
Paprika	3 teaspoons
Salt	As per taste
Ground-Nut Oil	2 tablespoons

FOR SALAD RICE
Basmati Rice	2 cups
Onion	1 large sized
Carrot	1 large sized
Cucumber	1 medium sized
Tomato	2 medium sized
Yogurt	4-5 tablespoons
Lime Juice	1 number
Turmeric powder	1/2 teaspoon
Paprika	1 teaspoon
Salt	As per taste
Ground-Nut Oil	2 tablespoons

    SWEET & SPICY CHICKEN:-

1. Marinate the chicken thighs in a bowl with salt, 1 teaspoon paprika and lime juice. Let it stand for 15-20 min.
2. Chop the vegetables --potato, carrot and onion, in medium sized cubes.
3. In a large pan, add oil and fry the chicken till it get golden. Remove the pieces in a foil and fold the foil so that the chicken pieces stay warm.
4. In the same pan, add the ginger-garlic paste and fry. Add the cubed vegetables and lightly fry them.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together paprika, tomato puree, honey and line juice. Pour the liquid mixture in the pan. 
6. Add the warm, fried chicken pieces to the cooking pan and cooking again for 4-5 minutes; see that every vegetable and chicken are properly coated with the liquid mixture.
7. Pour the grape juice to the pan; let it cook on medium heat till the chicken and vegetable are cooked and the liquid is a evaporated.

    SALAD RICE:-

1. Heat oil in a large pot; add the rice to the pot and fry it for 5-6 min.
2. Whisk together the yogurt, turmeric powder, paprika and salt in a bowl.
3. Pour the yogurt mixture to the frying rice, mix well and let it cool for 6-7 min.
4. Add water to the pot and let the rice cook.
5. Chop the onion, carrot, cucumber and tomato into small cubes. 
6. Add lime zest. lime juice and salt to the chopped vegetables and let it stand for 10 min.
7. Mix the tangy vegetables to the cooked rice.

         

The tangy Salad Rice with Sweet and Spicy Chicken makes a great combination.

GAJAR HALWA KA PATISHAPTA / SWEET EGGLESS CREPES STUFFED WITH CARROT PUDDING

On the 26 October 2011, Wednesday we celebrated the festival of light - Diwali or Deepavali, it is celebrated on the New Moon Day after Dashera. This festival brings immense happiness and joy to one and all. There are so many wonderful things about Diwali celebration - the puja done at home, the lighting of the diyas - small clay lamps filled with oil, bursting of crackers and the special homemade sweets. There are lot of significant mythological events associated with Diwali. It marks the return of Lord Rama with his brother Lakshman and wife Site to Ayodhya after 14 years of Vanvas. The subjects of Ayodhya decorated the entire city with diyas. The day is associated with Pandavas returning from 12years exile as they were defeated by Kauravas. The people of Hastinapur celebrated their Kings' return by lighting diyas. The Goddess Kali is worshiped on this day. It depicts the victory of Good over Evil, so the dark night is illuminated with diyas and crackers. Diwali is very special for me - I get to be a kid for a day :) . It’s been 7-8 years that I celebrate Diwali away from my family and with my friends. Although I miss my family but I always enjoy this festival. I start planning from morning, there is shopping for lights to be done and the last minute cracker to purchase. I love decorating my house with diyas and lighting and this is something I do every year, these small diyas always bring a lot of smile. Then the final part - burst crackers as much as I can, I really feel like a kid -- literally jumping with joy as they burst and then laugh out loud :) But this year I did one thing different--made some sweets at home :) - one of them was Gajar Halwa ka Patishapta (Sweet Egg-less Crepes stuffed with Carrot Pudding) . Patishapta is a very common Bengali sweet, its sweet egg-less crepes stuffed with sweet coconut or sweet khoya filling. This sweet is made is almost all Bengali house to celebrate Makar Sankranti which is mostly in the between (January to February). India being a predominantly agrarian country the harvesting season is joyfully celebrated throughout the country. However I can have Patishapta anytime....it’s mine and Baba's favourite sweet...so Patishapta in Diwali. As you know me by now I love to experiment with foods and so I decided to stuff my Patishapta stuffed with Carrot Halwa rather than Coconut or Khoya and called it Gajar Halwa ka Patishapta and served it with Rabdi Sharing the recipe with These Chicks Cooked Link Party - Featuring Your Recipes from All Around Blogland #25

FOR GAJAR HALWA
Carrot	7-8 medium sized
Ghee	2 tablespoons
Milk	3 cups
Condensed Milk	1/2 cup
Cardamom powder	1/2 teaspoon
Sugar	2-3 tablespoon

FOR PATISHAPTA
Maida/All Purpose Flour	2cups
Semolina	1/2 cup
Sugar	1 & 1/4 cup
Water	2-3 cups
Salt	As per taste
Oil	2 tablespoon

FOR RABDI
Milk	2 cups
Condensed Milk	1 cup
Almond	4 numbers
Pistachio	7 numbers

    GAJAR HALWA/CARROT PUDDING:-

1. Grate all the carrots finely.
2. Heat ghee in a pan, add the carrot and fry till the carrots soften and are properly fried (see that the color is kept intact).
3. In a separate pan, add milk , condensed milk and sugar. Bring it to boil .
4. Add cardamom powder to the sweet-boiled milk and simmer it in low flame for 5 min
5. To the frying carrot add the milk and keep cooking in low heat till the milk is completely absorbed.
6. Remove it in a bowl and set it aside. Let the pudding cool slightly.

    PATISHAPTA/SWEET EGG-LESS CREPES:-

1. In a large pan add water and sugar and let them boil till the sugar dissolves completely
2. In a separate bowl , mix maida/all purpose floor , semolina and salt.
3. Pour the sugar syrup to the dry mix and whisk well till a batter of crepes consistency is formed. 
4. Let the batter stand for at least half an hour.
5. In a flat non-stick pan, brush oil. The oil should be very less, so I used the head of the brinjal to spread the oil .
6. Using a ladle pour the batter to the pan and evenly distribute the batter in a circular shape.
7. When it can hold the shape and the bottom is partially done, put a little amount of the carrot halwa lengthwise on one side.
8. Using a spatula start folding the sides like an omelet. 
9. Fry for 3-4 min more, see that the color is not changes.

   RABDI:-

1. Dry roast pistachio and almond. 
2. Grind the nuts very finely.
3. In a pan, add the milk and condensed milk. Bring it to boil.
4. Keep stirring occasionally till the sweeten milk is slightly thicken.
5. Add the grounded nuts to the milk and stir them well till it gets a smooth consistency.
6. Let the rabdi cool down

       
Plate the patishaptas in a flat dish , garnish with toasted pistachios. Serve with the Rabdi.

MULLIGATAWNY SOUP WITH TOASTED BREAD AND PEA PESTO

OCTOBER.....this is the most festive month of the year. There are endless number for festival from all around the world and I have decided to celebrate them all-----HOW??? With food for sure. :) .  My month long festivity started with Durga Puja----a festival most awaited by bengalis. We actually wait for 361 days to celebrate the 4 days of Puja. The beautiful statues of the goddess in the midst of light shows , dak(drums) and aromatic foods is breath-taking. This is the first time in years that I have been away from my family and I was sad, but that didnt stop me from Pandal-hopping. It was a refreshing feeling and the sound of dhak(drums) just suppressed all sorrows :). I tried out a lots of lovely food but the one street food without which Durga Puja seems incomplete for me is Egg Roll. Since my childhood during all the days of Durga Puja we would litterally bug my father till he bought us the super delicious Egg Rolls :) and I still have the same craving. The last day of Durga Puja is called Dashami, when the statues are paraded around the city before being submerged in the lakes or rivers. With all the missed feeling in heart, we spend the rest of the day feasting with all the wonderful dishes --- both savory and sweet. This year, although away from home, I had a feast in my house here ... not on the Dashami day but on the following Sunday :) . Ya I was alone but food kept me accompanied and at the end of the week I was feeling better :D . I will be sharing all the recipes with you all.Lets start with the starter -- Mulligatawny soup with Toasted Bread and Pea Pesto.   Mulligatawny means "pepper water" or "pepper broth" in Tamil. The became popular with the British stationed in India during colonial times, during the late 18th century and later.  They took the recipe back to England and made variations to suit their tastes and it became a well-loved classic. There are many versions to the original recipe and I tried my own twig to the classic. Pesto originated in Genoa, North Italy. Its a sauce traditionally made with garlic,basil and pine nuts grounded along with olive oil and cheese. Currently there are many different types of pesto sauces made all around the world. My pesto had Pea as the main ingredient another small change to classic. Shared my recipe with My City Cuisine

FOR MULLIGATAWNY SOUP
Apple	2 numbers
Pineapple	1/2 of a medium sized
Carrot	2 number
Potato	2 number
Baby onion	1 cup
Red Bell Pepper	1 medium sized
Peas	1 cup
Corns	1 cup
Ginger grated	1 teaspoon
All purpose Floor	1/3 cup
Curry Powder	1 teaspoon
Milk	1 cup
Salt	As per taste
Pepper	1/3 teaspoon
Oil	1/2 tablespoon

FOR TOASTED BREAD AND PEA PESTO
Peas	2 cups
Cilantro	1 bunch
Pine Nuts	1/2 cup
Garlic cloves	2 numbers
Salt	As per taste
Oil	1 teaspoon

  MULLIGATAWNY SOUP:-

1. Boil corn till its a little soft but still having a slight crunch.
2. Cut the carrot , potato and red bell pepper into cubes.The fruits are also cut into cubes.
3. The baby onions are only peeled and the shape is kept intact.
4. Heat oil in a large pan, add the ginger and saute till the oil get a gingery smell.
5. Add the  potatoes , carrot , red bell pepper and baby onion to the pan. Saute for 5 -6 min.Then add the peas , corns , apples and pineapple and saute for 5-6 min again.
6. Add curry powder, black pepper and salt to the pan and cook for 2-3 min.
7. Finally stir in the flour and gradually add milk to the pan, keep stiring so that no lump is created.
8. If needed add hot water(I needed it :) ) and let it boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

  TOASTED BREAD AND PEA PESTO:-

1. To toast the bread, grill the bread slices in a sandwich maker.
2. For the pea pesto : boil the peas till it slightly soft and remove it instantly and cool under running water
3. In the food processor pulse together the soften peas , cilantro , pine nuts and garlic cloves. When done add salt and pulse for a few seconds only.
4. In a pan, add oil and add the pea-cilantro mash. Stir for 3 min max.

                   

A hot toast with a dab of pesto along with the warm,sweet and sour soup.. :)       

CREAMY CARROT SOUP

The past too weekends were super tiring for me as I was busy looking for a house. Rents in any part in Bangalore has become a total killer. Also it was Monday yesterday and I had a very tiring and hectic day at work . To add to my misery I was the last drop so had reached home at 10:00pm......2 hours after I left  :'(.  Anyways lets forget all the sad things and move to something thats relaxing and fun....COOKING and BLOGGING :D . Till some years back, I had some kind of a cold war with Carrots :) . Actually I didnt dislike them but I could never feel any great use of the vegetable. Whenever I am in Shillong, on Sundays my dad makes his super delicious noodles with lot of vegetable including carrot, so I felt that was the only best use of the vegetable. Then my mom started making Carrot Halwa, just remembering about her carrot halwa is making all drooly and humgry.  According to me, she made the best Carrot Halwa I have ever tasted. Thats when I realized that this vegetable can be had in many different ways and I started experimenting-----Carrot Cake, Carrot and Chicken, Carrot puree with Grilled Fish etc.  So when I came home yesterday all tired I decided to make some soup, soups have always helped me relax. Also today I had read in my Food Bloggers' Cafe page about everyone creating wonders withCarrot and it got me tempted to have Carrot, hence my Creamy Carrot Soup was created :)

Carrots	4 & half cup
Milk	1 cup
Cream	1 cup
Onions chopped	1 cup
Ginger juliennes	1 tablepoon
Oil	1 tablespoon
Salt	As per taste
Black pepper powder	1 tablespoon
Lemon juice	10-12 drops

  

    CARROT SOUP:-

1. Boil water in a rice cooker with a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon juice. Place the carrots in the cooker and cook till it softens.
2. When the carrots are cooked, remove them from water and let it cool for some time.
3. Transfer the carrots to a blender or food processor; cover and process until smooth.
4. Heat oil in the pan and add the chopped onions and ginger juliennes and fry till the onions turn brown.
5. Add the pureed carrot to the pan and cook for 2 min.
6. Stir in the milk, cream, salt and pepper to the pan and cook over low heat for 5 min. 
7. The Creamy Carrot Soup is ready for the tummy.                

            

The soup was really a blessing after all the tiring work and am ready for the next challenges .... :)  

CHEESY FRENCH TOAST

Breakfast is the meal of the day that I skip most of the time. I know its totally wrong and have been told to change this habit by so many people however I just cannot do it yet :D , lets be hopeful for the future ;) . Today morning was really different, I woke up and had the urgent urge to eat something . You can say I woke up hungry , in fact I was so hungry that I woke up at 7:00am which is really shocking in my case. There is a nursery poem "EARLY TO BED & EARLY TO RISE" , well am totally the opposite and I think cause I get up late so I end up skipping breakfast :) . While I was standing near my refrigerator thinking what I could eat for the breakfast at the fasts , instantly I remembered a dish I was created by Nigella Lawson. I dont remember the name of the dish , but I remember the cheese oozing out from the bread and so that was it.  I dont like sweet dish in the morning so I had made my French Toast a savory one. Sharing the dish with My Sweet and Savory

FOR FRENCH TOAST STUFFING
Sandwich Bread	4 slices
Milk	2 cup
Mozzarella cheese slices	2 slices
Carrot	1 medium sized
Onion	1 medium sized
Red Chilli Flakes	1 tablespoon
Oregano	1 tablespoon
Dried Basil	1 tablespoon

FOR FRENCH TOAST COATING
Eggs	2 numbers
Cream	2 tablespoon
Dried Parsley	1 tablespoon
Oil	2-3 tablespoon
Salt	As per taste

      FRENCH TOAST PREPARATION:-

1. Cut off the brown edges from the bread slices.
2. Grate the carrot into very thin slices. Chop the onion as finely as possible.
3. Cut the mozzarella cheese slices into thin strips.
4. Mix the grated carrot and chopped onion in a medium sized bowl. Pour in a bit of oil , salt and oregano and bake it in the microwave for 5 mins.
5. Let the baked bowl cool down , then add the dried basil , red chilli flakes and mozzarella cheese strips and mix them properly (do not mash up the thing).
6. Pour the milk in a large bowl . Place the bread slice in bowl and let the bread get little soft.
7. Take one bread slice put the cheese mixture on it and place another bread slice on top. Then seal the edges properly.
8. Repeat the same with the other 2 bread slices.

FINAL ASSEMBLING:-

1. In a large bowl, whisk together egg, cream, dried parsley and salt.
2. Heat oil in a pan.
3. Place the stuffed bread slices in the egg mixture and fry it in the pan till its turns crispy on all sides.
4. The Cheesy French Toast is ready for hungry tummy :)  

I had my Cheesy French Toast with one huge cup of tea.... :D 

CARROT CAKE WITH ORANGE ICING

This weekend was awesome , I had entered into a Cooking Trance..... :P . Like I told my exams has just got over , and I don't go out too much the best entertainment for me is COOKING. Both Saturday and Sunday I had tried several new recipes and it was the best time also surprisingly none of them turned into a total disaster :D .  Some months back in my fav. channel "TLC" I saw one of my fav. chef "Rachel Allen" bake a Carrot Cake. She made it seem so easy and it looked wonderful and since then I had decided to try this cake but somehow it didn't turn into reality till last Saturday :) . So sharing the carrot cake recipe its not totally like hers cause I didn't have a lot of the ingredients so you can say its my version of Carrot Cake. The best part of this is when I shared the cake with some of my friends they liked it so much that they even parceled a few :) . Sharing the dish with Fudge Ripple - Tuesday Night Supper Club Link Up No 30 , Blessed With Grace - Tempt My Tummy Tuesday , All The Small Stuff - Tuesday's At Table  and Mom's Crazy Cooking - THIS WEEK'S CRAVINGS

FOR CARROT CAKE
Grated Carrot	3 cups
Eggs	2 large
Brown Sugar	2 cup
Caster sugar	1 cups
Flour	2 cup
Vanilla essence	2 teaspoon
Cinnamon Powder	1 teaspoon
Salt	A pinch of it
Baking Powder	1 teaspoon
Baking Soda	1/2 teaspoon
Oil	2 tablespoons
Butter	2 tablespoons

FOR ORANGE ICING
Cheese Cream	1/2 cup
Butter	2 tablespoon
Orange zest	Half tablespoon
Orange Juice	2 tablespoon
Icing Sugar	2 cups

    CARROT CAKE:-

1. Whisk together eggs , vanilla essence , brown sugar and caster sugar. Whisk till the sugar mix properly and also the mixture turns a pale and fluffy.
2. Add the egg mixture add the flour,baking powder , baking soda , cinnamon powder and salt to the food processor and start mixing. The mixture will not be very smooth but its fine.
3. To the food processor add the carrot , oil and butter and start mixing till it gets smooth.
4. Coat a baking bowl with little oil and add the cake mixture to the baking bowl.
5. Bake the cake in microwave for 12 min at 100 degree. After the time is up using the back of the spoon insert it into the cake at the center and pull up. If its clean then the cake is done else bake it for some more time and check again. 
6. Remove it and then let it cool.

ORANGE ICEING:-

1. Mix together butter, cheese cream , orange zest , orange juice and icing sugar till it appears to be glowing and look like cake icing (It will a little running icing , actually I like it way I didn't want it to be heavy).
2. Pour the icing on the cake evenly with a spatula and refrigerate for half an hour as we don't want it to be very thick.

The Carrot Cake with Orange Icing is ready for the bite :) .

SOYA BIRYANI WITH VEGETABLES

It was Monday a new week had started and along with that loads of works :) . Its was  very hot in the morning and by evening we had experienced the first rain of the year. It was raining cats and dogs but everyone seems to be enjoying the rain and so was I. I just love the smell of the land after the first rain..... :)  I also love to see the rain through the window with some pakoda and ginger tea....... somehow it feels just awesome :D . For dinner , if its raining, I love to have khichdi with pickle and brijal fry . Yesterday being a Monday , is the day of the week when I fast and eat vegetarian dishes only, so while I was in office I had already made up my mind to prepare khichdi for dinner. When I reached home and saw all the vegetables I had at home....my plans had changed. Inspite of being tired and hungry I still decided to make spinach rice with vegetable and crunchy brinjal fry.  I had got everything prepared and suddenly the electricity went off....I generally happens here when there is heavy rain , so I thought of waiting for some time. Finally after one hour of patience , I started preparing the dish under the flickering candle light. I hate to do anything in the dark but it was an experience......not a very good one really :) . I have shared the dish with Midnight Maniac Meatless Mondays {No.21} hosted by Rebecca , Meatless Mondays in My Sweet and Savory , Just another Meatless Monday #48 in Hey What's For Dinner Mom

Rice	2 cups
Potatoes	2 medium sized
Carrot	2 medium sized
Spinach	2 bunches
Soya Nuggets	2 cups
Red Chilli Powder	1 teaspoon
Cherry tomatoes	1 cup
Green Chilly	3 numbers
Onion	1 medium sized
Garlic	5-6 cloves
Refined Oil	Half cup
Salt	As per taste

1. Soak the rice in water for 5-10 min. This allows the rice to cook faster.
2. Soak the soya nuggets in water till they soften. Then squeeze out the water for each of the nuggets. 
3. Cut the potatoes and onions in cubes , the carrots in julienne. 
4. Makes a smooth paste of spinach with the garlic.
5. Heat oil in a wok , add half teaspoon red chilli powder in the oil and then add the soya nuggets and fry till they are brown on all sides, remove and set aside.
6. In the wok, add oil and fry the vegetables. I fried the vegetable separately because I wanted then to keep their color intact.
7. Heat oil in a cooker, and add the rice and salt. After stirring for 5 min add the spinach puree to the cooker and cook till the water evaporates and the spinach no longer smells raw, at this point just beware that the rice does not stick in the bottom.
8. And cherry tomatoes and the fried vegetables to the rice and mix them properly.
9. Add some water and pressure cook the rice. The dish is ready to be served. It tastes awesome with Crunchy Brinjal Fry , the crunchy brinjal fry was prepared the same way as the Crunchy Fish Fry :)