Pesto Pasta with Chicken

Pesto Pasta with Chicken

Recipe

Ingredients:

For Pesto:

Yield: 1 cup

• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan

For Pasta:

Serves: 2

• 150gm farfalle / bowtie pasta
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast fillet.
• Dried crushed chillies to taste
• Knorr Aromat All Purpose Seasoning, to taste
• 15gm oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• ½ cup homemade pesto (or shop bought if you prefer)
• 1 packet asparagus
• ½ cup shredded parmesan

Method:

For Pesto:

• Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
• Add 1/2 cup of the oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth.  (If using immediately, add all the remaining oil and pulse until smooth).
• Season with salt and pepper.

For Pasta:

• Cook pasta according to package instructions; drain.
• Slice chicken breast into thin strips.
• Drain & slice sun dried tomatoes.
• Cut off 4 inch tips of asparagus and finely chop rest of the stalks.
• Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
• Sauté garlic until tender.
• Stir in chicken and season with crushed chili flakes & Knorr Aromat seasoning.
• Add in asparagus and cook until chicken is golden, and cooked through.
• Cover the lid until asparagus is tender to your taste.
• In the same skillet, add in pasta, sun-dried tomatoes, parmesan and pesto.
• Toss to coat evenly and until pasta is heated through.

¬ Enjoy!

Tip:

To save Pesto for later: If freezing, transfer to an air-tight container and drizzle remaining oil over the top. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and stir in cheese.

Homemade Chicken Tikka Pizza

Homemade Chicken Tikka Pizza

Recipe

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 500gm strong white bread flour
• ½ level tbsp. fine sea salt (or plain salt)
• 1 7gm sachet of dried yeast
• 1 tbsp golden caster sugar
• 325mls lukewarm water

For the tomato sauce:

• 1 clove  garlic
• 1/2 small bunch fresh basil (or dried basil if you don’t have fresh)
• Olive oil
• 200gms good-quality tinned plum tomatoes
• Sea salt to taste (or plain salt)
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the topping:

• 85g mozzarella cheese
• Vegetables of your choice (I used Black Olives, Capsicum, Chestnut Mushrooms, Cherry Tomatoes, Shallots and Chicken marinated in Garlic Powder & Tikka Masala & later grilled in oven) 
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt, pepper & chili flakes

Method:

• I had marinated my chicken in garlic powder and tikka masala for 30 minutes, then had fried it for 3 minutes each side on lightly greased frying pan, then grilled it for 15 minutes in oven.

To make the dough:

• Pile the flour and salt on to a clean surface and make an well in the centre. 
• Add your yeast and sugar to the lukewarm water, mix up with a fork and leave for a few minutes, then pour into the well.
• Using a fork and a circular movement, slowly bring in the flour from the inner edge of the well and mix into the water. It will look like thick porridge. 
• Continue to mix, bringing in all the flour. 
• When the dough comes together and becomes too hard to mix with your fork, flour your hands and begin to pat it into a ball.
• Knead the dough by rolling it backward and forward, using your left hand to stretch the dough toward you and your right hand to push the dough away from you at the same time. 
• Repeat this for 10 minutes, until you have a smooth, springy, soft dough.
• Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let double in size for about 45 minutes.

To make the sauce:

• Peel and finely slice the garlic. 
• Pick the basil leaves and discard the stalks and chop them fine.
• Heat a saucepan on a medium-low heat and add a splash of olive oil and the garlic.
• Cook gently until the garlic starts to turn golden, then add most of the basil leaves, the tomatoes, and a good pinch of salt and pepper.
• Cook gently for around 20 minutes, or until smooth, mashing the tomatoes up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
• When done, have a little taste, and season again if needed.

To assemble the pizza:

• Pinch the dough that you covered with kitchen towel / plastic wrap.
• Dust your surface and the dough with a little flour and roll it out into a rough circle / oval or whatever shape you want about 0.5cm thick.
• Tear off an appropriately sized piece of tin foil / baking paper, rub it with olive oil, dust it well with flour and place the pizza base on top.
• Cover it with cling film and put them in the fridge.
• When you're ready to cook them, preheat your oven to 250°C/500°F/gas 9.
• Now apply your topping.
• Smear the tomato sauce over the base of your pizza and spread it out to the edges (to ensure that your edges brown well, brush milk over them).

• Make a layer of thinly sliced grilled chicken breast over the tomato sauce.

• Over the chicken make a layer of mushroom (if you’re using. Mushrooms should be buried deep under cheese else they dry and burn out quickly)
• Next layer your pizza with some cheese, then vegetables and then some more cheese.
• Drizzle with a tiny bit of extra virgin olive oil and add a pinch of salt, pepper & chili flakes.

• Cook for 10 - 15 minutes, until the pizza is golden and crispy.

Tips: 

• Remember, the key to crispy brown crust is proper hot oven, so allow plenty time for preheating your oven before you start baking. I pre-heat my oven for half an hour.
• If you like thin pizza, then make fewer layers. Mostly in Pakistan, we like thick well loaded pizza. It all your personal preference & choice.

¬Enjoy!

Crispy Fried Chicken Fingers

Crispy Fried Chicken Fingers

Recipe

Ingredients:

For Marinade:

• Chicken breast cut into long strips / fingers
• ½ tsp salt                               
• ½ tsp pepper                  
• 1 tsp garlic powder

For Batter:

• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup corn-flour
• Salt, pepper & paprika, to taste
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Water, enough quantity to make a thick batter
• Oil, for deep frying

Method:

• Marinate chicken in marinade ingredients for 15-30 minutes (or longer if desired)
• Make chicken batter by mixing batter ingredients.
• Batter should be thick enough to coat chicken strips properly (you can test the consistency by dipping your finger in the mixture; it should cover your finger and drip a bit).
• Dip marinated chicken pieces in the batter and deep fry till golden.
• Enjoy these real crispy chicken fingers with steak cut fries and sauces of your choice.

Kofta Pulao

Kofta Pulao

Recipe

Ingredients:

For Koftay

• 225 gm minced meat (I used chicken)
• 3 long green chilies, finely chopped
• ½ bunch of coriander / parsley, finely chopped
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp red chili powder
• Salt, to taste
• 1 tbsp garam masala powder
• 100 gm besan / chickpea powder

For Pulao

• 500 gm basmati rice
• 500 gm peas
• 2 medium onion, finely sliced
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp minced ginger
• Salt, to taste
• ½ - 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp white cumin
• 4 bay leaves
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 3 tomatoes, chopped / sliced
• Few green chilies, julienned
• ½ bunch coriander / parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds
• Few whole cloves, black pepper, black cardamom and cinnamon sticks
• ½ cup vegetable oil

Method:

• Mix all kofta ingredients and make small balls.
• Fry them till golden brown and set aside.

• Soak basmati rice for 15-30 mins after rinsing thoroughly to remove surface starches.
• Meanwhile make a small bag of fennel and coriander seeds using thin clean cotton cloth and tying it with a thread.
• In a sauce pan, add ½ cup oil and fry white cumin, bay leaves, cloves, black pepper, and cinnamon sticks for a couple minutes.

• Add onions and fry till golden brown. Set half of the fried onions aside.

• Add minced ginger garlic, tomatoes, half of green chilies, ared chili powder and salt in the pan and fry for few minutes.
• Add peas and stir for 1 minute.

• Add the little bad of whole spices and koftas and chicken stock and bring to a rolling boil.

• Remove the cotton bag after few mins and add soaked rice.
• Cook on medium-high heat for 5-7 mins till only little amount of water is left.

• Sprinkle rice with fried onions, julienned green chilies and chopped coriander.

• Cover the lid of the pan for ten mins and steam cook on low heat.
• Serve hot with salad & green raita.

¬ Enjoy!

Apple Crumble

Apple Crumble

Apple Crumble; with sweet warm apples spiced up with cinnamon and nutmeg and topped with crispy, buttery golden crumble. And when served with Vanilla custard... it's like Foodie heaven! 

Recipe

Ingredients:

For the filling

• 3 medium sized Bramley / Pink Lady / Granny Smith’s apples
• 2 tbsp golden caster sugar
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cinnamon stick

For the crumble

• 175g plain flour
• 110g caster sugar
• 110g cold butter
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

For the topping

• 1 tbsp rolled oats
• 1 tbsp demerara sugar
• Double cream, clotted cream or custard, to serve

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180 ‘C.
• Peel, slice and core apples. Cut each slice into 1-1.5 inch pieces.

• In a pan add half cup water, apples and filling spices and cook on medium flame for 5-8 mins until apples are a bit tender.

• Now put this apple filling in a 23cm round baking / pie dish at least 5cm deep, or a 20cm square dish. 

• Put the flour and 110g sugar in a bowl with a good pinch of salt, ground cinnamon and nutmeg and slice in the butter.

• Rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like moist breadcrumbs.
• Shake the bowl and any big bits will come to the surface – rub them in. Alternatively, pulse in a processor until sandy (don’t over-process).

• Pour the crumb mix over the apples to form a pile in the centre, then use a fork to even out.
• Gently press the surface with the back of the fork so the crumble holds together and goes crisp, then lightly drag the fork over the top for a decorative finish.
• Sprinkle the oats and demerara over evenly, if you wish.

• Set on a baking tray and put in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, until the top is golden and the apples feel very soft when you insert a small, sharp knife.
• Leave to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with Vanilla Custard or Clotted Cream.

~ Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from BBC Food with a slight twist.

One-pan Salmon & Veggie Dinner

One-pan Salmon & Veggie Dinner

Recipe

Ingredients:

2 servings

• Aluminum foil
• Nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray
• 2 pounds new potatoes (small red and yellow potatoes)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons chopped ginger
• 2 salmon fillets
• 1 bunch / 1 pound of asparagus

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
• Cut potatoes in half  and drizzle them over with 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle 1 clove minced garlic and 1/2 tbsp. thyme over the potatoes.

• Cover a sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Spread out your potatoes on the pan and bake for 15 minutes, flip, then bake for another 10 minutes.

• In the meantime, create your salmon glaze. Combine 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 2 Tbsp. honey, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, 2 tsp ginger, 2 cloves minced garlic, and 1 Tbsp. thyme. Set aside.
• Take the potatoes out of the oven and push them to the top or side of your pan. (Don’t cramp them — Make sure to still space them out a bit.)
• Season both sides of your salmon fillets with salt & pepper.

• Place your salmon fillets on the pan and brush on the glaze onto both sides. Place your asparagus on the pan and top with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. lemon juice, salt and pepper, 1 clove minced garlic, and 1/2 Tbsp. thyme. 

• Bake for 8-10 minutes. (The salmon should flake easily with a fork when it’s ready.)

Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from: #Tasty!

Lemon & Strawberry Buttercream Cupcakes

Lemon & Strawberry Buttercream Cupcakes

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 110g/4oz butter or margarine, softened at room temperature
• 110g/4oz caster sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 110g/4oz self-raising flour
• 1-2 tbsp milk
• For the buttercream icing:
• 140g/5oz butter, softened
• 280g/10oz icing sugar
• 1-2 tbsp milk
• Few drops yellow & pink food colouring
• 2 tbsp strawberry syrup
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• Few drops lemon & strawberry essence essence

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
• In a mixing bowl add butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, milk and flour. 

• Beat with an electric mixer until well combined and mixture is of dripping consistency adding more milk if needed.
• Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until they are half full.

• Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into one of the cakes comes out clean. 
• Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
• For the lemon & strawberry buttercream icing, beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add half the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
• Then add the remaining icing sugar with one tablespoon of the milk, adding more milk if necessary, until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
• Divide this into two equal portions.
• In one portion add lemon juice, essence & yellow food color.
• In second portion, add strawberry syrup, essence and pink food color.
• Spoon the icings into separate piping bags with star nozzle.

• Pipe the icing over cupcakes using a spiraling motion onto the cup cakes in a large swirl.
• Sprinkle the cupcakes over with edible cake decorations of your choice.

• Serve with your evening tea or brunch!

~ Happy Baking!