South Indian Chicken 65

I realize that being Hyderabadi, it would be a crime for me to keep my knowledge of south Indian food to myself. :) That being said, here is one of my personal favorite south Indian recipes. The origin of chicken 65 dates back to early 60's. There are different stories behind its name, but regardless, it's the taste that makes this dish an all-time favorite. While extremely popular in restaurants, with the right use of spices, the same restaurant quality can easily be achieved at home. :)

Ingredients:

-1 lb. chicken breast cut into small chunks (or legs and thighs if you prefer)
-4 tsp. red chili powder
-2 tsp. coriander powder
-1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
-1/4 tsp. garam masala powder (available at any Indo/Pak grocer)
-5 tsp. lemon juice
-2 tsp. plain yogurt
-1 tsp. ginger garlic paste
-About 3 drops of red food coloring
-1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
-2 cups oil (for deep frying)
-Small handful of coriander leaves (for garnishing)

*In a large bowl, mix red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt, garam masala, food coloring, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice, and yogurt and make a thick paste.
*Add chicken pieces to this and rub all over to thoroughly coat chicken with masala all around. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour (covered) in the refrigerator. (The longer it marinates, the better)
*When chicken is ready to be cooked, heat oil in a deep sauce pan or wok and deep fry over medium high heat for about 6 minutes or until it turns dark brown on all around.
*Drain excess oil and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve with lemon wedges and onion slices and eat with rice or by itself!

A Big Bowl of Love in the form of Chili :-)

I got a recipe for chili from my friend Julie and added a few of my own twists to it. This was the first time I ever had chili because growing up, my mother only made Indian, Arab, and occasionally Chinese food. Also, since I only eat zabiha meat, I wasn't able to eat it out at restaurants. Alhamdulillah, I absolutely love it. I think it has quite possibly become my new favorite comfort food. It's slightly time-consuming, but overall pretty easy to make. And a big old potful will last you a while. This is a great recipe for a cold day and is sure to warm you body and soul. :)

*Note: This would also be the perfect dish for vegetarians--just leave out the meat! ;)

Ingredients:

-1 large onion, diced
-2 medium cans stewed tomatoes
-1 large can diced tomatoes
-1 to 1 and 1/2 lbs. ground beef (or turkey, lamb, or chicken if you like)
-1 red, 1 green, and 1 yellow bell pepper diced
-2 cans kidney beans
-1 can black beans
-1 can corn
-2 to 3 tbs. vegetable oil
-1 packet chili seasoning (I use McCormick)
-1 to 2 tsp. taco seasoning (not necessary, but a good addition if you have some)
-Salt to taste (I don't use any)
-Pepper (to taste)
-3/4 tsp. chili powder
-Pinch of cayenne pepper
-1/2 of a small jalapeno pepper diced (optional)

*First, begin by sauteing onions in an open-faced pan. Add vegetable oil.
*When the onions start to caramelize, add your ground meat and cook thoroughly until brown.
*Drain any excess liquid after meat is cooked.
*Add meat and onion mixture to pot (or crock pot) and add all remaining ingredients. Allow to simmer over medium-low heat for at least 30 to 40 minutes. (The longer you let it simmer, the better it will be).

*Serve with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with shredded taco cheese. Enjoy!

Hawaiian Shrimp Skewers

I love coming up with fun recipes for seafood--especially shrimp. Since seafood is so versatile, it can be paired with a myriad of flavors. I came up with this next recipe for those who love those sweet and tangy combinations like I do. This recipe is so quick and easy and is perfect as an appetizer,snack, side dish, or addition to any barbecue.

Ingredients:
-1 lb. cleaned and deveined shrimp (fresh is best, but frozen works just fine)
-1 can pineapple chunks
-3 to 4 tbs. honey
-1 tsp. red pepper flakes (Use more if you want it spicy and less if you like mild heat)

*Preheat your oven to 375°
*Mix red pepper flakes and honey in a bowl.
*Remove tails from shrimp.
*Alternate threading one shrimp and one pineapple chunk onto skewers. (I recommending presoaking your skewers overnight before using them in the oven as they may set off your fire alarm.)
*Apply honey and red pepper flakes mixture to both sides of skewers with a basting brush.
*Place skewers on a tray with raised edges so that the base of the tray does not actually touch the food, but instead catches any drippings.
*Place tray with skewers in the oven for 10 minutes.
*After 10 minutes, turn over each skewer and baste one more time.
*Put skewers back in the oven for another 10 minutes.
*Serve hot or cold.

Enjoy! :)

Southern Skillet Cornbread

I can't believe the first time I had cornbread was only just over a year ago! It is such a wonderfully satisfying food and it has quickly become one of my favorite comforts as well as my husband's. This recipe is pretty easy and you probably already have most of the ingredients in your pantry! I LOVE this recipe and I know you will too. :)


Ingredients:
-2 cups cornmeal
-2 cups all-purpose flour
-1/2 tsp. salt
-2 tbs. baking powder
-2 eggs
-1 cup margarine, melted
-4 cups buttermilk
-Corn oil (enough to coat skillet)

*Preheat oven to 400°F.

*In a large bowl, mix together corn meal, flour, salt, and baking powder.
*In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, butter, and buttermilk.
*Add corn oil to skillet and swirl oil around to coat bottom and sides.
*Leave remaining oil in pan.
*Return to high heat for 1 minute.
*Pour the cornbread batter into the skillet and cook on high heat until bubbles start to form in the center.
*Remove from stove.
*Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
*Serve warm!

Southern-style Collard Greens

Collard greens are one of those secret treasures that not many know about unless they're from the south. I discovered this tasty find when I began my quest to learn southern cooking. Collard greens are quite pleasing to the palette when made the right way and they're a great way to sneak in some of those leafy greens that are so good for our health into your diet. This particular recipe is a variation of one given to me by my mother-in-law. I added a few of my own touches to it. Give it a try! :)

Ingredients:
-4 bunches collard greens
-1 and 1/2 cups seasoned salt (I use Lawry's)
-3 beef bouillon cubes (I use Maggi)
-1 pkg. (about 10 strips) smoked turkey bacon

Preparing the greens:

It's important to make sure your collard greens are properly cleaned as they may contain a lot of dirt, bacteria, and even little bugs sometimes.

*Fill up your (clean) sink with cold water and add lots of salt (to kill any bacteria).
*Submerge collard greens in water and move around with your hands.
*Leave greens in water for about 10 minutes so that all of the debris falls to the bottom of the sink.
*Drain water and gently wash off any remaining salt and/or debris from greens.

In a large pot:
*Bring to boil about 4 qt. water.
*Add seasoned salt, beef bouillon cubes, and turkey bacon slices.

*Gently pat the excess water off of your greens with a paper towel.
* Roll out each leaf and cut out the stem so that all that's left are two clean halves of a leaf. (Some people like to keep a little stem, but it's really up to you)
*After all the greens have been destemmed, stack 5 or 6 leaves on top of each other and roll up.
*Cut the roll of greens in 1/2 inch chunks.
*Place all cut up greens into a bowl as you go along.
*When all greens are cut up, add them to your pot of boiling liquids and turkey bacon.
*Reduce heat to medium-low and allow greens to cook for 45 minutes to an hour, stirring every 10 to 15 minutes.
*Drain water, discard turkey bacon slices, and serve hot!
(Optional: Southerners often like to add some hot sauce to their greens)

Bon appetit!

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes are one of the simplest comfort foods to make. They're also one of the most satisfying. Try this classic recipe!

Ingredients:
-2 lbs. Idaho (brown) potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks (about 5 cups)
-3/4 cup hot milk (1%, 2%, or whole milk)
-2 tbs. butter
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1/4 tsp. black pepper

Optional ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
-2 tbs. freshly chopped parsley or dill

*Place potatoes in large pot and add enough water to cover potatoes.
*Cook 13 to 15 minutes or until very tender.
*Drain potatoes in colander.
*Return cooked potatoes to pot and stir over medium heat, about 1 minute, until excess water has evaporated.
*With potato masher, mash in hot milk, butter, salt, and pepper.
*Beat with wooden spoon until potatoes are smooth and creamy. Stir in any optional add-ins, if desired.

Enjoy! :)

Candied Yams

When my husband and I got married, I began learning about southern cooking and "comfort foods" to remind him of the food he grew up eating. Luckily, over the past year I've become a pro in the art of soul food. The first I heard about candied yams, it sounded like the least appetizing food possible, but it turned out to be quite the opposite. Candied yams have become one of my personal favorite comfort food dishes. The sweetness of candied yams also blend in well with other southern foods like mashed potatoes, collard greens, corn bread, and even turkey or chicken. I'm sure you guys will love this recipe as much as I do and it's so easy to make! :)

Ingredients:

-2 cups water
-2 cups granulated sugar
-4 tbs. butter
-1 tsp. lemon juice
-1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
-8 small yams (or sweet potatoes)

*Peel outer skin from yams or sweet potaoes and slice into 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick circles.
*Rinse in cold water, allow to drain, and set aside for later use.
*In a medium pot, bring water and sugar to a boil, add butter, lemon juice, nutmeg, cinnamon and sliced yams or sweet potatoes.
*Return to boil, cover pot and reduce heat to simmer.
*Cook yams or sweet potatoes for 35 to 45 minutes until tender.
*Gently stir while cooking.