Pepper Chicken

½ Kg Chicken
1 Tsp Ginger Paste
1 Tsp Garlic Paste
2 pieces cardamom
2 stick cinnamon
2 bay leaves
3 pieces cloves
2 tomatoes chopped
2 small onion chopped
1/2 tsp coriander pdr
1/2 tsp red chilli pdr
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp crushed pepper corns
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
3 green chillies chopped
3 Tsp mustard oil
salt as per taste
Few curry leaves
2 Tbsp Freshly Chopped Coriander Leaves

Heat the oil in a large pan add  cardamom, cinnamom, cloves and bay leaves. Then add mustard and cumin  seeds.
Now add the onions, fry for 2-3 minutes then add turmeric, ginger garlic paste curry leaves, and green chilli and saute for a while.
When the masala is done now add chopped tomatoes, coriander, cumin pdr,garam masala, red chilli pdr and salt and mix well.
When masala leaves the oil from side of the pan then add the chicken to the frying pan and mix well, and cover and cook over a low-medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
When the chicken is almost done, add the crushed peppercorns into the mixture and mix well.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with parantha or chapati.

Waldorf Salad

2 apples
3 stalks celery
4 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 handful walnut halves
1 handful raisins
Salt and black pepper to taste

Core and slice the apples. You can peel them if you like, but that is optional.
Toss them with the lemon juice to prevent discoloration.
Toss the apples, walnuts, and celery with the mayonnaise and a pinch of salt and black pepper.
Serve the salad.

Other Variations
You can use different nuts such as pecans or hazelnuts instead of walnuts.
The same goes for the grapes-raisins, cranberries, and currants are good substitutions.
The dressing can be made with a 50/50 mix of any 2 of these: sour cream, yogurt and mayonnaise.
The lemon juice can be replaced with any citrus juice or a little apple cider vinegar.

Pearl Barley and Roast Vegetable Salad

Barley is an extremely good source of dietary fiber, and its nutrients are said to help lower cholesterol, prevent gallstone, cancer and heart desease, protect against childhood asthma, can benefit arthritis sufferers, can help develop and repair body tissue, and... Well, just have a look - very healthy indeed!

2 cups pearl barley
1 red pepper, cut into chunks
2 carrots, cut into chunks
2 red onions, cut into wedges
2 zucchini, cut into chunks
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small eggplant, cut into chunks
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
200g baby spinach leaves, chopped
3 tbsp basil leaves, chopped

 Preheat oven to 180C. Cook barley in a large saucepan of water for 40 minutes or until tender. Drain well.
Put garlic, pepper, carrot, onion, eggplant and zucchini in a large baking dish and drizzle with a little of the oil. Roast for 40 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
Put barley, roasted vegetables, spinach and basil in a bowl and toss gently to combine.
Serve immediately. You can serve hot or cold as per your

Tuscan Minestrone Soup

    3 medium carrots, chopped
    1 onion, chopped
    1tsp garlic, chopped
    3 celery stalks, chopped
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    1tsp red chilli flakes
    1 can of chopped tomatoes
    1 can mixed beans
    1 can borlotti beans
    1 can chickpeas
    1 tbsp. dried basil
    1⁄2 cup whole wheat spaghetti broken
    salt and pepper as per taste

    Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
    Saute the onions, garlic, carrots and celery until soft, about 5 minutes.
    Add the chopped tomato, beans and broken spaghetti  pieces cook for about 30 minutes.
    Add dried basil and adjust the seasoning.
    Ladel soup into bowl and serve.

Lemon Cake

Today I baked this wonderful tasty lemon cake because lemon cake is my hubby's favourite cake. Thats my valentine gift for him. Happy Valentine to all of you.........Hope everyone is enjoying their day........

175gm caster sugar
175gm butter
175gm self raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 medium eggs
3tsp lemon juice
finaely grated rind of 2 lemons
3-4 tsp lemon curd

For Butter Cream
50 gm butter, at room temperature
100 gm icing sugar
good squeeze of lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 190°c/gas mark 5, 10 minutes before baking. Lightly oil and line the base of a deep round 8 inch cake tin with baking paper.
In a large bowl, cream the sugar and butter together untill light and fluffy. Whisk the eggs together and beat into the creamed mixture a little at a time
Beat in the lemon juice. Sift the remaining flour and fold into the creamed mixture.
Spoon into the prepared cake tin. Spoon the lemon curd dot randomly across the top of the mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then turn out carefully on to a wire rack.
 Put the butter in a bowl and beat. Add the icing sugar little by little, beating well after each addition. Add a good squeeze of lemon juice and mix in.
Spread the butter cream on top of the cake and decorate with lemon silvers.
Cut into pieces and serve.