Fiesta Rice

This is great weeknight dinner when tired from work or just don't want to cook anything too complicated. Super simple recipe with common ingredients readily available in the pantry. This Mexican rice is usually served with cheese enchiladas as a side dish.

Ingredients:-

• 1 cup Long Grain Rice
  
• 2 cups Vegetable Broth
  
• 1/2 cup Onion, chopped
  
• 1/2 cup Hot Salsa,
  
• 1/4 cup Yellow Corn Kernel
  
• cup Black Beans, canned, rinsed and drained
  
• 1-2 Jalapeno, chopped
  
• 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
  
• 1 tbsp Taco Seasoning
  
• 1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
  
• 2 tbsp Scallions, chopped
  
• 1-1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
  
• Cilantro, chopped
  
• Salt to taste
  

Method:-

1.Heat oil in sauce pan, saute onion, garlic, jalapeno for 2-3 minutes.

2. Add rice and toast for 1 minute, and add taco seasoning, salsa, corn, black beans, cumin powder, scallions, and salt. Mix well.

3. Add vegetable broth, and bring it up to the boil. Turn down the heat, cover pan with lead and cook rice for 15-20 minutes.

4. Fluff up the rice with fork and add cilantro.

5. Serve hot with tortilla chips on side.

Enjoy...

Tip :- Use grilled corn and roasted bell peppers to enhance the flavor even more.

Manchurian Soup

Indian-style Chinese is my third-most favorite cuisine, and Veg Manchurian is my most favorite dish. I crave it in the middle of the night sometimes. It is very hard to find Indian-style Chinese food here in US and sometimes my untimely cravings makes it even harder. This is my solution to quench that craving. It is very quick and easy to make compare to real manchurian and tastes pretty much the same. The fried vegetarian balls give Manchurian a pleasant munch and I think my use of pasta and fried noodles works the same magic for the soup. Must enjoy this when it is piping hot.

Ingredients:-

• 1/2 cup Cabbage, finely chopped
  
• 1/3 cup Onion, finely chopped
  
• 1/3 cup Carrot, finely chopped
  
• 2 tbsp Green Beans, finely chopped
  
• 2 tbsp Green Bell Pepper, finely chopped
  
• 2 tbsp Green Onion, chopped
  
• 2 tbsp Vermicelli or Angel Hair Pasta
  
• 1 tbsp Ching's Manchurian Sauce
  
• 1/2 tsp Soy Sauce
  
• 2 Green Chillies, finely chopped
  
• 1 Garlic, grated
  
• 1/8 tsp Ginger, grated
  
• 1 tsp Sugar
  
• 1/2 tsp All Purpose Flour
  
• 1-1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
  
• 4-1/2 cups of Water
  
• Black Pepper, ground
  
• White Vinegar to taste
  
• Salt to taste
  
• Fried Noodles, store bought
  

Method:-

1. Heat oil in sauce pan, saute cabbage, onion, carrot, green beans, bell pepper, green onion, garlic, green chillies, and ginger with little salt for 3-4 minutes.

2. Add all purpose flour, Manchurian sauce, soy sauce, and sugar. Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

3. Add water, vermicelli, black pepper, and stir well. Cover with lid and Bring to a boil.

4. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup for 15-20 minutes.

5. Turn Off the heat, and add vinegar.

6. Serve hot with fried noodles sprinkled on top.

Enjoy...

Lemon Chocolate Cake

Hi All, I missed many delicious posts and events during my short break from blogging. :(

This cake is another great combo of citrus and chocolate. This is soft and very moist cake. The lemon syrup adds juiciness to this cake. Don't be afraid to pour lemon syrup on cake, cake will absorb the syrup like a sponge and it will enhance taste to an extent.

Ingredients:-

• 1-1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
  
• 1 cup White Granulated Sugar
  
• 1/2 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
  
• 2 Whole Eggs + 1 Egg White
  
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
  
• 1 3/4 tsp Baking Powder
  
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
  
• 3-1/2tbsp Unsweetend Cocoa powder
  
• 1 tsp Salt
  
• 1/2 cup Milk, room temperature
  
• 1/4 cup Boiling Water
  
• 1 tbsp Lemon Zest
  

-- For Lemon Syrup

• 1 cup Water
  
• 1/4 cup Sugar
  
• 1/8 cup Lemon Juice
  

Method:-

1. Preheat oven on 350°F. Grease and flour cake pans. Set aside.

2. Mix flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder through sieve in large bowl.

3. Add sugar and mix with spoon. Add butter, vanilla, and beat with hand mixer on medium speed.

4. Add egg (One at a time) and beat on medium speed. Add milk and again beat on medium heat for 2 minutes.

5. Carefully add boiling water, and lemon zest. Stir well and pour this batter in cake pan.

6. Bake this cake for 30 to 35 minutes.

7. Cool the cake for 10-15 minutes and remove from the pan to wire wrack. Cool completely.

-- For Lemon Water

1. Mix sugar, water, and lemon juice in big mug, and microwave for 1-1/2 minutes. Stir well.

2. Poke cake with toothpick, or with wooden kabab skewers 7-8 time in cake.

3. Transfer your cake on cake base, and Pour little little amount of syrup on the cake with big spoon.

4. Dust some powder sugar on top of the cake, and serve.

Enjoy...

I thought I would share some pictures of other cakes that I made...

-- Zebra Cake.






-- Chocolate Cake with Orange Marmalade Filling and Cover with ButterCream Icing.






Enjoy...