Pasta with broccoli

Hi guys...

I had a fun (long) weekend in Lancaster and Blackpool.

My brother-in-law and his wife recently moved to Lancaster so thought of visiting them. It was a lot of fun. The best part was our trip to Blackpool - an amusement park. Me and my co-sis love the rides and really freaked out. The weather was extremely good - so it was packed. But even with the long waits, we did not mind once we get on the rides.

We started from Blackpool and came back to Glasgow on saturday.

I got up around 9:30 on sunday and slept again by 10:30. I did not get up till 12:00. Came down and asked my husband what's for lunch? He said he had toast and he told me to have the same. Really didn't feel like. I told him I'll make pasta. He was as usual why? no need. and all that. I told him to let me make and then decide if he wants to eat or no.

There were not many vegetables at home. Just tinned chopped tomatoes, onions, chillies and frozen broccoli. I tried out the following recipe and it came out 'not bad'.

Ingredients
2 med - onions - finely chopped
3 - 4 - green chillies - chopped
1 tin (440gm) - chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp - chilli powder
6 - 7 - broccoli pieces
2 - fists fusilli pasta (you can use what you want - this was handy for me).
2 tbsp - olive oil + oil for boiling pasta
salt to taste

Method:

1. Start boiling water with a little salt and 1 tbsp oil.
2. Once the water is boiled, add pasta and boil for 10 mins and strain.
3. In a different pan, add 2 tbsp olive oil and chillies.
4. Once the chillies are fried, add the onions and fry till translucent.
5. Add tomatoes, salt and chilli powder and boil till the tomatoes are done
6. Add broccoli and cover and cook on med-high for 5-6 mins.
7. Add pasta to the sauce and serve hot.

That's it for now... ta ta

Jeera Rice

Ya ya ya... I know I haven't been blogging... Been busy with stuff.

I had some left over rice and wanted to make Jeera rice - an all time favourite.

Searched a little but couldn't find any with left over rice. So decided to try myself (not something I do)...



Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
2 cups - left over Rice
2 tbsp - Cumin Seeds
1 Onion - finely chopped
4 - 5 - green chillies slit
15 - curry leaves
1 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
1 tbsp - Oil
Salt to taste
Coriander Leaves for garnishing

Method

1. Add oil in a pan / wok.
2. When oil is hot, add the jeera.
3. Once they splutter, add the chillies.
   
4. Fry for 3 minutes and add curry leaves and fry for 30 secs.
5. Then add the onions. Fry till the onions turn brown.
   
6. Now, add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell goes.
7. Add salt and mix well.
   
8. Add the rice and mix well.
9. Garnish with Coriander Leaves and serve
   

We had with left over palak tofu and curd. For my first experiment, I must say, it came out quiet well.

Chicken Fry

My First Recipe...

I can not cut or even see raw chicken. So P cuts and marinates so I can take it from there.

Every sunday at home, they used to make 2 kinds of chicken. Chicken pulusu and Chicken fry. I loved Chicked fry and my brother's choice was Chicken pulusu(not that he didn't eat the fry). But off late, I started liking Chicken pulusu with dosa, ragi mudda, roti and even rice. People's tastes do change...

This recipe is from my Pinni(mom's younger sister):

Ingredients:
For marination:
400 gms Chicken - boneless, cut in small cubes
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
2 tsp Ginger Paste
2tsp Garlic Paste
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder

For cooking:
1 Medium size Onion
10 chillies (we prefer it extremely hot)
1 inch Cinnamon
2 Cloves
1 Medium size tomato
Salt to taste

Method

1. Marinate chicken with the ingredients for atleast 1/2 hour (preferably over night)
2. Make a smooth paste of onion and chilli.
3. In a pan, heat some oil and add the onion-chilli paste.
4. Fry till it turns brown.
5. Add the Cinnamon and Cloves and fry for some time.
6. Then add the tomato and fry till the tomato is cooked.
7. Now add the marinated chicken.
8. Mix well and add little water if necessary.
9. Cover and cook till chicken is done.
10. Check salt and add if necessary.
    
11. Serve with rice or roti.

Book Review - Mixed Doubles by Jill Mansell

I am not the romantic novel kinds. Even in college, when all my friends used to drool over Mills & Boons, I used to be like - 'Who will want to read romantic novels? They are so boring'. I was into crime, mystery, suspense (read Sidney Sheldon).

I went to a book store which had a closing down sale and the deal was 3 books for £10. I knew 2 books that I definitely wanted. They were costing me almost £9. I thought why should I let the deal go? So after much consideration (and nagging from hubby to hurry up), I bought 'Mixed Doubles by Jill Mansell'.

When I read the back cover, I knew it was a girlie story(Its about 3 best friends and their new year resolutions). But something told me its going to be full of humor and it'll be a nice time pass read. I was right and wrong. It was quiet funny. But it definitely was not a time pass read. Once you come to a certain point, I had to read it till the end. So instead of passing my time, the book took away my time (not that I am complaining). I did not think I'll enjoy a romantic comedy this much.

The book is about three best friends (all are above 30) and their new year resolutions and how they keep them up.

Liza - She's a successful food columnist(critic types). She's not the thin types but men find her irresistable. Her only problem is - she cant stay interested in a man for more than 2 weeks. She doesn't want that. So her new year resolution is to get married. She meets a person who is 9 years younger to her. She feels she's going to get bored of him like the other men in her life.

Dulcie - She's married to a workaholic. She has a lot of money on hand but doesn't have her husband when she needs him. His only excuse is - I am working for our better future. Her new year resolution is to divorce him and be single. She comes out of the relationship only to have a bad fling with the tennis coach. Its only when she sees her ex-husband with another girl does she realise that she still loves him.

Pru - The calmest among all, she's married to her first love and she feels he's helped her not to go through the teenage affaris. But she is not allowed to do anything that she likes except spend the money he earns. Her resolution is to stay married to him. Her world turns upside down when she discovers that her husband is having an affair with the cleaner and is bank rupt. She needs to start life fresh after having lived a protected life.

The book then goes on to see how the three friends cope up with the situations and the happenings in their lives during that one year.

Apart from a very few serious situations, the book is quiet funny. If you are the kind of person who'll laugh and cry with the books you read, you health will improve with this book (doesn't laughing make you healthier?).

My First Blog

Well guys!!! This is my first blog. I've seen my cousin blog his views. I've seen so many food blogs that help people (like me) start cooking. I've also seen blogs which don't do much (after their initial post).

Only time will tell how my blog's going to come up.

For starters, I am an Indian living in Glasgow (Scotland). I work as a programmer and live with my husband Preetham (P) for the past 7 years (I know a looooooong time).

My hobbies include reading books, listening to music, watching movies, browsing, trying out new recipes (my cousins will get a shock reading this), travelling and programming(software).

I'll try and blog as often as possible.

Till then - c ya!!!