Choco-Shrikhand

Summers are almost here and it's time to cool off by gobbling up some yummy cooling delicacies instead of hot curries. And dessert! Because calories don't count while eating dessert, isn't that true? ;) And even though everyone is fond of ice-creams in summer, this is another low-calorie, no sugar, quick and easy dessert to fill up your sweet cravings after dinner.

I have always been making shrikhand from fruits and I have already shared Strawberry Shrikhand, Mango Shrikhand and Cherry shrikhand. But then I tried this yummy dessert and fell in love with this. Try this, you're sure to love it!

Ingredients:

Hung yogurt/thick Greek yogurt: 1 cup
Milk: 6 tbsp.
Cocoa powder: 3 tbsp.
Honey: 4 tsp.

1. Take the milk in a bowl and slowly mix in all the cocoa powder, stirring nicely so there are no lumps remaining. 
2. Microwave the milk for 1 minute on high to cook the cocoa powder and then let it cool down completely. 
3. Slowly add this to the hung yogurt or Greek yogurt and mix completely. Add the honey to this mix and stir well so that it mixed in uniform manner. 
4. Take out the mix in serving bowls and refrigerate for about 4-6 hours. 
5. Remove from the fridge, decorate as you wish and serve shrikhand chilled immediately.

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Chettinad Fish Curry

Hot and spicy curry with a beautiful fiery color, without the use of much spices and red chilis, this fish curry is a yummy and wonderful companion with boiled rice and makes for an awesome meal for those who love Indian style fish curries (and those who don't are sure to fall in love with this one)!!

Ingredients:

Fish: 400 gm (I used salmon fish)
Curry leaves: a handful
Fenugreek powder: 2 tsp.
Lemon juice: 2 tsp.
Cooking oil: 3 tsp.
Fennel seeds: 1 tsp.
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp.
Dried red chili: 1
Onion (chopped): 1 large
Ginger-garlic (crushed): 4 tsp.
Tomato (chopped): 2
Salt to taste
Red chili powder: 1 tsp.
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp.
Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp.
Tamarind: 2 tsp.
Coconut milk: 1/2 cup

1. Clean and cut the fish into desired size and marinate it with fenugreek powder, half the curry leaves and lemon juice and leave for 30 minutes. 
2. Heat oil and fry the marinated fish from both sides until crispy and golden. Remove from the pan and keep aside. 
3. Heat up the same oil on medium flame and splutter mustard seeds and fennel seeds. Add the dried red chili. 
4. Add the chopped onions and fry until the onions are transparent. 
5. Add the crushed ginger-garlic and fry until the raw smell disappears. 
6. Add the chopped tomatoes and sprinkle salt. Cover and let cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy. 
7. Remove cover and add the dry spices: red chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder. Mix well. Add the tamarind and mix well again. 
8. Add the coconut milk, mix everything well and cover again. 
9. Remove cover after 5 minutes and add 3 cups of water. Cover again and let simmer and boil for 10-12 minutes. 
10. Remove cover and let cook open for another 5 minutes. Give a good stir and add the fried fish. Turn off the flame and cover. 
11. Remove cover after 10 minutes and the yummy, spicy curry is ready to eat. Serve with plain boiled rice or jeera rice. 

   
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Chicken Biryani in Slow Cooker

Biryani !! The mention of this dish always makes me drool and undoubtedly I can have a serving of biryani even with a full stomach. And I know nobody can resist a plate full of yummy biryani. But whenever I think about preparing the same, I feel really tired by thinking the elaborate process involved in cooking of biryani and I can totally not prepare it, no matter how much I'm craving for it. I'm sure you know the feeling of craving something and then not being able to have it because you are too tired to prepare it and you know you won't get that awesome dish anywhere else.

But now, you actually can! And without tiring yourself out and also without putting in much of an effort and time. Believe me, we had this biryani on a weeknight dinner which was a working day, all because my slow cooker was putting in all the efforts to make this yummy biryani, bursting with flavors, while I was at work. It's so simple you could actually put in just 15 minutes of your time and can relish this dish any day. It requires some before hand preparation though, but 15 minutes, for a biryani, I'm sure that's not asking a lot.

Ingredients:

For marination:

Chicken: 300 gm
Ginger-garlic paste: 6 tsp.
Yogurt: 1 cup
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp.
Cumin powder: 1 tsp.
Coriander powder: 1 tsp.
Garam masala: 1 tsp.
Mango powder: 1 tsp.
Lemon juice: 4 tsp.

For masala:

Cooking oil: 3 tsp.
Onion (chopped): 1
Ginger (chopped): 6 cloves
Garlic (chopped): 1 inch
Green chilli (chopped): 1
Tomato (chopped): 2
Butter: 2 tsp.
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder: 1 tsp.
Garam masala: 1 tsp.
Kasoori methi: 1 tsp.
Yogurt: 1/4 cup

For biryani:

Rice: 2 cups
Cooking oil: 3 tsp.
Onion (sliced): 2
Cashews: a few
Home made biryani masala: 2 tsp. (Recipe: Home made biryani masala)
Milk: 1/4 cup
Saffron strands: a few
Mint leaves: a handful
Coriander leaves for garnish

1. Wash and clean the chicken and marinate the chicken in marinating ingredients. Cover and refrigerate overnight or 8 hours. 
2. Take out the marinated chicken 30 minutes before you begin the preparation to bring it to room temperature.  
3. Turn on your slow cooker and add oil to it. Add the marinated chicken and mix it. 
4. Add the chopped onions, garlic, ginger, green chili and mix well. 
5. Add the salt and red chili, mix well. Add the dollop of butter and cover the slow cooker. Turn it on the low mode and leave for work. Let it cook slowly for about 8 hours. 
6. After 8 hours, add the chopped tomatoes and the yogurt. Mix well and cover again and turn on the mode to high. 
7. Boil rice: How to make the perfect boiled rice. 
8. Turn off the slow cooker. Take out all the contents in a big bowl. Now layer the rice at the base of slow cooker bowl and then a layer of chicken. Add another layer of rice and sprinkle the mint leaves. Add the remaining chicken and cover it with another layer of rice. 
9. Sprinkle the biryani masala over this rice layer. Add the saffron strands and sprinkle the milk. Cover the slow cooker and turn on again on slow mode. Leave for an hour. 
10. Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan and fry the sliced onions until they are brown and crisp. Toast the cashews in the same oil. 
11. Open the slow cooker, add the sliced onions and cashews, garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot !! 

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