Give your Recipes a Dash of Herbs - Chicken & Basil Stir Fry

No one wants to eat bland food, but ladling on sauces and gravies just adds excess fat and calories to your diet. Fortunately, calorie-free herbs add flavor without all that extra baggage, and they’re easy to use. Herbs are edible, fragrant plants that add flavor and nutrients to many types of foods. By playing with herbal variations in your recipes, you can get a completely different taste every time you cook. When choosing dried herbs, it’s best to buy organic so you’re sure the herbs have not been irradiated. When you're buying fresh herbs, whether at the grocery store or a farmers’ market, be sure to get them as close as possible to the day you plan to use them. Before cooking with fresh herbs, you'll need to wash them carefully. Rinse the herbs underneath running water, then place them on a paper towel or shake them off to dry. If you're cleaning large leaves like basil or a large bunch of parsley, place them in a bowl of cool water and swirl it around. Transfer the herbs to a clean bowl of water and continue to rinse until the water stays clear. Then dry them off and prepare them for cooking. Generally, you just want to use the leaves, not the stems, of the herb. Different types of herbs can be used for different dishes.

Oregano and basil for pasta dishes and sauces

Rosemary and thyme for chicken and vegetable dishes

Dill for cauliflower, cucumbers, and fish and fish sauces

Parsley for fish, soups, vegetables, and tomato sauce

Mint for salad, beverages, and desserts

Marjoram for stews, soups, and eggs

Cilantro for Mexican and Thai dishes

Chicken & Basil Stir Fry

Prep Time 40 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Yield Serves 4

Ingredients

    1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (longer pieces cut crosswise in half again)

    1 tablespoon cornstarch

    Coarse salt and ground pepper

    6 teaspoons vegetable oil

    1 small onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges

    2 bell peppers (red, yellow, green, or a mix, ribs and seeds removed), cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips

    6 garlic cloves, minced

    2 tablespoons rice vinegar

    2 tablespoons soy sauce

    1 1/2 cups fresh basil leaves, larger leaves torn in half

    Cooked white rice, for serving (optional)

Directions

    Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until coated; season generously with salt and pepper.

    In a large wok or nonstick skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium-high. Cook half the chicken, turning once, until browned, but not completely cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with another 2 teaspoons oil and remaining chicken. Transfer chicken to plate. Set aside. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel.

    To skillet, add remaining 2 teaspoons oil, onion, and bell peppers; cook over medium-high heat, tossing often, until beginning to brown, 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

    Add 1/4 cup water, vinegar, soy sauce, and chicken to pan; cook, tossing, until chicken is cooked through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in basil leaves. Serve immediately, over white rice, if desired.

Celebrate Fathers Day with home cooked meal by India Food Network

Mumbai June 2013 – They say a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. So what better way to tell him how special he is than cook him a delicious meal. India Food Network works up a complete meal for your father that you both can cook and gorge on this special day. India Food Network is a step-by-step guide to simple and delicious home cooking. 

Joel   Dsouza , Chef and Food Consultant who specializes in Mexican Cooking and Archana Arte , who is a raging hit on India Food Network with her delicious home cooking  share some mouth watering recipes for the readers on this special day. Our expert chef’s help you cook an elaborate meal with starter, main course and dessert that you can sit and enjoy with your daddy dearest.

Celebrate good food and easy to make to make recipes with India Food Network.  Watch the channel on YouTube to learn some exciting recipes like Oatmeal Pancakes, Lebanese Chicken Skewers, Vegan Recipes and many more delicious and nutritious recipes. Also live on the channel all this month is Indian Restaurant Special by Mini Ribeiro churning favourite recipes and secret tips from well known restaurants like Zaffran , Abicius, Kailash Parbat and many more . Log on to http://www.youtube.com/user/Indiafoodnetwork?feature=watch

Recipe for Nacho Chips by Joel Dsouza from India Food Network

Ingredients

·         For the corn chips

·         2 cups Makkai ki atta

·         1 cup lukewarm water

·         Salt to taste 

Method

·         Sieve the corn flour in a clean dry bowl

·         Add salt

·         Pour in lukewarm water, 1 tbsp at a time until the dough is semi dry and clumps together in the shape of a ball

·         Keep aside

·         In a hard bottom deep pan pour in oil and heat over medium low flame

·         Tear out a cling film about half a meter in length and place on your counter

·         Divide the dough in 2 or 4 round pieces

·         Using your palm flatten the dough first and place cling film and cover with the other end of the cling film. Don’t worry if the dough balls start to crumble

·         Using a rolling pin start rolling the cling film until the dough flattens to 1 cm thick

·         Once done, gently pull up the cling film and transfer flattened dough to a cutting board

·         Take a triangle shaped cutter, place it on the dough and cut it out

·         Do an oil test by taking pieces of the dough and putting it into the hot oil. If the dough drowns, 

·         Your oil still needs to heat up. Increase flame. If the dough bubbles on the surface your oil is perfect

·         Immerse the chips in batches and wait until the surface gets golden brown before tipping them on the reverse

·         Drain the chips once cooked in a paper towel to remove excess oil

·         Serve with salsa 

Recipe for Chicken Papillote by Joel Dsouza from India Food Network

Ingredients:

·         Handful of cilantro (dhaniya) leaves

·         2-3 lemon grass stalks

·         1 orange juice and zest

·         6-7 garlic cloves

·         3 ginger pieces

·         1 vegetable cube

·         6-7 pieces green chillies

·         4 pieces of chicken thighs and legs

·         11/2 tbsp black pepper

·         4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

·         Little flour

·         2 onions sliced

·         1 potato slice

·         1/2 Chopped red bell pepper

·         Bok choy

·         Parchment paper

Method

·         Blend cilantro leaves, garlic, ginger, chillies and lemon grass

·         TIP: If the lemon grass is thick, apply force and flatten it

·         Add salt to taste

·         TIP: Use orange juice instead of water to make the paste

·         Blend for 1-11/2 mins till a coarse paste appears

·         Once the paste is ready, smear it over the chicken pieces

·         TIP: You can use aluminium/kitchen foil as well

·         Fold the parchment paper into half

·         Draw a heart on the paper

·         Cut the paper into the shape drawn

·         Place a banana leaf on the paper

·         Place the chicken pieces on top of the leaf

·         Put the potatoes and bok choy around the chicken

·         Season with black pepper powder, salt and orange rind

·         Fold the edges tightly, enveloping the chicken

·         Place the chicken on the baking dish

·         Bake it in a preheated oven at 110 degrees for 45-60 mins

·         Stir fry vegetables: Heat 1 tbsp oil

·         Once the oil is hot, drop in the bell peppers and bok choy

·         Stir fry for 2 mins

·         Season with salt and pepper

·         Transfer the vegetables into the plate

·         For the sauce: heat 1 tbsp oil

·         Once the oil is hot, drop in the sliced onions

·         Once the onions turn light brown, add a dash of flour

·         Add salt and pepper to taste

·         Add 1 vegetable cube

·         Pour in the balsamic vinegar and 1 tbsp water

·         Mix well

·         TIP: When the sauce clings to the laddle, it is ready

·         Now, place the stir fried vegetables, baked chicken and balsamic sauce on the plate

Recipe for Walnut and Date Cake by Archana Arte from India Food Network

Ingredients (For 3/4 kg cake)

·         250g seedless khajoor (dates) soaked in 1/2 cup lukewarm water & soda bicarb for 1/2 hour

·         120g coarsely ground sugar

·         120g maida (all purpose flour)

·         2 eggs

·         100g butter

·         1/2 tsp baking powder

·         1 tsp vanilla essence

·         25g finely chopped walnuts

·         Butter paper to put in the aluminium tin

Method

·         In a vessel, add 100g butter

·         Add 2 eggs

·         Add 1 tsp vanilla essence

·         Add 120g coarsely ground sugar

·         Whisk the ingredients with a beater

·         TIP: Do not whisk the ingredients vigorously

·         TIP: Mixing dates with all purpose flour ensures that the dates are evenly spread in the cake once 

·         baked

·         In a bowl, add 120g maida (all purpose flour)

·         Add 1/2 tsp baking powder

·         Add 25g finely chopped walnuts

·         Add 250g seedless soaked khajoor (dates)

·         Mix well

·         Now, add the dates mixture to the egg batter

·         Mix well

·         TIP: The right consistency is achieved once the of the mixture is slides of the spatula

·         TIP: If the consistency is heavy, add 1/4 cup warm milk to the mixture

·         Once the mixture is ready, grease the tin with butter

·         Once the entire tin is greased with butter, place the butter paper in the tin

·         Now, pour the mixture into the tin

·         Once the mixture is poured, tap the tin on the bottom to spread the mixture evenly

·         TIP: When baking the cake in the microwave, select combi-convection & preheat for 5 minutes

·         TIP: Bake at 160 degrees for 40-45 minutes

·         Once the cake is ready, remove the butter paper from all the sides

·         TIP: Butter paper ensures that the cake doesn't stick to the tin

·         Ready to serve

Cooking Healthy Dinner Recipes - Lemon Poached Chicken & Potato Salad

Many people feel that dinner is one of the important meals in the day. Most of the people in the metropolitan cities pursue a very hectic lifestyle. This hectic lifestyle devoid them from maintaining a proper routine for daily breakfast and lunch. It is the most enjoyable meal for some people. You can relax after a hectic day at work and enjoy your dinner with your family in complete peace. On the other hand there are many people that come home and prepare the dinner themselves. It can turn out to be a pretty tedious task. It would be a real blessing if one gets hand on some recipes that are not so time consuming and healthy alike. There are many ways that can make cooking dinner recipes fun, quick, healthy and easy. 

One must consider it as a time to be involved with the family and kids. There are a number of recipes that even kids can contribute with. These recipes can help you strike a chord between fun, cooking, health and taste. Get the kids involved in helping prepare the meal. They can do things like washing and tearing up vegetables and measuring out ingredients. One must add proper dash of fruits and vegetables to the dinner meals. Vegetables and fruits are often regarded as one of the healthiest ingredients while preparing a dinner meals. These fruits and vegetables are easy on stomach and easily digestible. It also helps in providing a sweet and tangy punch to the meal. Try to chop the essential fruits and vegetables days prior to store it in the fridge. You can store them in containers in fridge and use them as per your needs. This would work wonders for the working class people that cook dinner after reaching home drenched in tiredness. Let us discuss a not so time consuming dinner recipe which is tasty and healthy alike. You can involve the kids too in preparation of it.

Lemon Poached Chicken & Potato Salad

Ingredients

4 small chicken breast fillets, trimmed

1 lemon, rind removed (see hint), juiced

750g kipfler or pink fir potatoes, scrubbed

100ml extra-virgin olive oil

150g baby green beans, trimmed, halved

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, cut into thirds crossways

1 tablespoon dill leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped chives

Method

Place chicken in a large, deep frying pan with lemon rind. Cover with cold water. Bring to the boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 12 minutes. Remove chicken from pan. Cool slightly. Slice across the grain.

Meanwhile, cook potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. Using tongs, transfer to a chopping board. Stand for 10 minutes or until still warm but cool enough to handle. Peel potatoes and cut into chunks. Place in a large bowl.

Using a fork, whisk oil, 1/4 cup lemon juice and salt and pepper in a jug. Drizzle three-quarters of the dressing over potato. Stir gently to coat.

Place beans and asparagus in a heatproof bowl. Cover with boiling water. Stand for 3 minutes. Drain. Add to potato with chicken, dill and chives. Drizzle with remaining dressing. Toss gently to combine. Season with pepper. Serve.

Hint: Use a potato peeler to remove the rind from a lemon, avoiding the white pith which can make the poaching liquid taste bitter.

This recipe would take 20 mins for preparation & 30 mins to cook.

There are many websites and video channels online that provide many such healthy dinner recipes and cooking tips. India Food Network is one such website which you can refer to learn these easy to cook instant healthy recipes. It also provides many nutritional tips and ingredients list for cooking fanatics. Visit the India Food Network website for more information.