Soni's Food

Indian Inspiration!

Honey Cumin Boneless Chicken Wings with Greek Yoghurt Dip #CookedInTranslation

23 | 01 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

chicken wings2

With Superbowl in sight, our Cooked in Translation team has chosen the perfect dish to try out this time!The theme of Cooked in Translation is to create your own adaptation of a recipe and that’s what makes this so exciting!!The recipe for today is CHICKEN WINGS chosen by our host Azlin Bloor of LinsFood!I’ve used Chicken Tenders or Goujons here because the hubby doesn’t like Chicken Wings with bones.I’m sure there are many people out there who prefer boneless wings like my husband does and why not, its more meaty and tastes absolutely delicious.

chicken wings1

These make for the perfect little bites to enjoy while watching your favorite game and they couldn’t be easier, since they’re made in a skillet!The sauce is a sweet and spicy combination of honey and Sriracha with some toasted Cumin that gives it so much flavor and the lovely color.Talking about Sriracha, I have to admit I’m addicted to it and add it to everything I cook these days!But wait till you try this recipe, it all comes together on the stovetop and I serve these with a simple Greek Yoghurt Dip spiked with cayenne and cumin!Its hot, its sweet,its just perfect for any game night!

greek yoghurt dip1

 

Honey Cumin Boneless Chicken Wings with Greek Yoghurt Dip

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Ingredients
  

  • Chicken Tenders/Goujons-1 lb apprx 8 pcs cubed
  • Garlic Powder-1 tsp
  • Salt- 1 tsp
  • Pepper-1 tsp
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil-2 tbsp

For the Sauce

  • Honey-1/4 cup
  • Sriracha-1/8 cup
  • Toasted Cumin-1 tbsp
  • Unsalted Butter-2 tsp

Greek Yoghurt Dip

  • Greek Yoghurt-1 cup
  • Cayenne-1/2 tsp
  • Toasted Cumin Powder-1 tsp
  • Salt-1/2 tsp

Instructions
 

  • Cut the Chicken into cubes or small pieces.
  • In a skillet, heat the oilve oil and add the chicken pieces with the garlic powder, salt and pepper.Saute unitl cooked through.

Sauce

  • Dry roast some about 2 tbsp of cumin seeds in a pan.Once it changes color and is all crispy transfer into a pestle and mortar or spice grinder and powder it.
  • In a saucepan mix all the sauce ingredients and gently bring to a boil and reduce on low heat.Once the sauce starts to thicken add the cooked chicken wings and mix it all together.
  • Arrange on a platter.Pour the remaining sauce all over.

Greek Yoghurt Dip

  • Mix 1/2 cup of Greek Yoghurt along with a some salt, 1/2 tsp of cayenne and 1/2 tsp of the toasted cumin powder.Serve alongside the chicken wings with some sliced carrots and celery!

See all other yummy interpretations that my friends have come up with!!You can also add your own version of Chicken Wings!


Quinoa Potato Cakes (Quinoa Aloo Tikkis)

16 | 01 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

Quinoa is one of my most favorite grains to cook with these days.I love the fact that it can be cooked on its own or combined with other products to create a variety of dishes!My recipe today is an Appetizer/Snack or even Breakfast combining Quinoa and Potatoes.If you’re familiar with Indian Foods you must have heard of Aloo Tikkis that are these yummy potato cakes made with Indian Spices!If you’ve been to Delhi,you must have come across lots of street stalls selling Aloo Tikkis,Chaats,Chole, Pani Puri to name a few, cooked right in front of your eyes!The Street foods in India are to die for and just writing about them makes my mouth water 🙂 In an attempt to quench my insatiable appetite for Delhi Street Foods, I came up with this recipe that’s both healthy and delicious!!

quinoa tikkis:patties

The process involves boiling the potatoes and cooking the Quinoa.Once they’re cooked I mix them with some Indian Spices readily available at your grocery stores and pan fry the ready patties with a little oil until they’re all nice and golden!If you’re looking for a great Quinoa recipe that’s a tad different from the usual but packed with flavor, then this is for you.It tastes just like a Aloo Tikki, but is healthier and has a nice texture!

quinoa tikkis 3

Quinoa Potato Cakes (Quinoa Aloo Tikkis)

Healthy and Delicious Quinoa Potato Cakes/Tikkis for a great Appetizer, snack or breakfast!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients
  

  • Quinoa Cooked-1 cup
  • Potatoes large-2 boiled (1 1/2 cups apprx)
  • Fresh Crushed Ginger-1/2 inch
  • Ground Cumin-1 1/2 tsp
  • Garam Masala-1 tsp
  • Fresh Coriander-1/2 cup
  • Jalapeños green chillies-2 chopped
  • Salt- to taste
  • Oil-to pan fry

Instructions
 

  • Cook the Quinoa according to the instructions.
  • Boil the potatoes until tender.Drain and allow to cool and mash.
  • In a deep bottomed vessel, add the Quinoa, mashed potatoes,ginger, cumin, garam masala,japalenos,coriander and salt.Check the seasonings.
  • Made round patties with the mixture.
  • In a skillet heat about 2 tbsp of oil on medium heat and place the patties.Let it develop a golden color on one side before flipping over and repeat the process for the other side as well.
  • Arrange on a platter with some salad of your choice and some sauce or chutney!
quinoa aloo tikkis4

Salty Lassi ~ Beat the Heat #SundaySupper

15 | 07 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

In the scorching heat reminiscent of an Indian Summer, one drink that promises to bring relief is a good old lassi. Lassi is a yoghurt drink mixed with either milk or water along with spices, sometimes fruits, sugar or salt. But growing up I’ve had more Salty Lassi than the sweet ones mainly because I didn’t have much of a sweet tooth back then! Now its a different story because now, I have a sweet tooth like no other J Salty Lassi is relatively unknown outside India unlike its cousin, the Sweet Lassi or the ubiquitous Mango Lassi! In my opinion, all versions are equally delicious though! So when my friend Jen from Junaita’s Cocina suggested ‘Beat the heat’ as the theme for this #SundaySupper, I knew it had to be Salty Lassi for me! 🙂

salty lassi
Salty Lassi has a cooling effect on your body with unique digestive and health benefits. It’s also a great alternative to the alcoholic beverages during the summer and you can flavor it with any spice you want. Traditionally Salty Lassi is flavored with roasted cumin seeds and mint, sometimes ginger.You could also add a little bit of sugar.
The roasted nutty cumin adds a smoky flavor to the lassi. The mint is a perfect garnish to contrast the color and imparts a clean, crisp, minty flavor! Cool, delicious and spicy! Perfect to ‘beat the heat’~

Salty Lassi

Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • Plain Yoghurt any-1 cup
  • Water-2 ¼ cup
  • Roasted and ground Cumin-1 tsp
  • Salt-1 tsp or to taste
  • Mint-to garnish

Instructions
 

  • Cumin-Dry roast some cumin seeds in a pan on medium heat until its golden brown and aromatic.
  • Allow to cool and then just crush using a pestle and mortar.
  • Blend all the ingredients except the Mint until smooth.
  • Pour into servings glasses and garnish with mint. Serve chilled!

See what my friends are serving this #SundaySupper to “beat the heat”!
Scroll down for the fab menu J

#BeatTheHeat Appetizers:

#BeatTheHeat Salads, Soups, & Sides:
#BeatTheHeat Main Dishes:
#BeatTheHeat Desserts:
#BeatTheHeat Drinks & Cocktails:
Wine Pairings Provided By: ENOFYLZ

Indian Spiced Sweet Potato Patties

20 | 04 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

My newest craze these days are Sweet Potatoes.So rich in texture, taste and a nicer and healthier alternative to Potatoes.Packed with nutrition, rich in fiber, vitamins and beta carotene, this is a wonder vegetable that you can incorporate into your family’s diet. Its a versatile vegetable, that can be used in many different ways right from cutlets,to a simple mash, casseroles or desserts.

sweet potatoes

I’d originally planned on making sweet potato mash for dinner.The idea of making these into patties popped in when I’d peeled them up and I instantly changed my plan.I opened up my spice cabinet and threw in some coriander and cumin to give it a kick.The result is a luscious healthy appetizer or snack that you can enjoy guilt free!

The patties taste best when the natural sugars in the sweet potato caramelizes and imparts an earthy slightly charred flavor!The ginger kicks in along with the spices and the corn starch works as a binder.Its rustic and delicious!!I have been making it ever since and I’m sure you will too!

Indian Spiced Sweet Potato Patties

Indian Spiced Sweet Potato Patties

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Ingredients
  

  • Sweet Potatoes-3 Medium or 4-5 small makes about 8-10
  • Potato any kind-1 medium boiled
  • Ginger-1 inch crushed
  • Green Chillies jalapeños-2 chopped finely
  • Ground Cumin-1 tsp
  • Ground Coriander-1 tsp
  • Cornstarch-2-3 tbsps
  • Salt-to taste
  • Oil-for shallow frying

Instructions
 

  • Wash the Sweet potatoes and bake it in the oven at 350 degrees F for 50 mins- 1 hour until cooked.
  • In the meantime boil a potato either on the stove-top or in a microwave.
  • Peel off the skin of the sweet potatoes and the potato, mash it and mix all the ingredients except oil.
  • Take some of the mix and flatten it between your hands, into round shaped patties.
  • Heat oil in a non stick pan over medium heat.
  • Shallow fry until nicely brown and caramalized on both sides.Serve hot with some ketchup!
Notes: For best results 
  • refrigerate the ready patties for about 20 minutes before you fry them
  • Use a Non-Stick pan to prevent them from sticking (do not use too much oil, just 2 tbsp on each side should suffice)
  • Let the patties develop a nice golden color on one side before you flip them.

Beet Cutlets-Indian Inspired

15 | 02 | 2012
By Soni Sinha

Isn’t it amazing that so many memories in your life revolve around food?My friend Cucina from Cucina49 has been talking about a book she read titled “Let us Eat Cake-Adventures in Food and Friendship” that in her words “is a remembrance of friends told through the foods that they ate together” and that got me thinking about my food related memories.Growing-up I have fond memories of my Dad making his signature mutton every Sunday (which he does even today!).I was his assistant and taste tester, handing him over all the spices and learned a lot from him just by watching him cook.That’s how my interest in cooking began.

Beet Cutlets

In the same way, I remember my Mom’s Vegetable Cutlets that we had for our snack often and even demanded it for our breakfast on the weekends!They were heavenly.She made them by stuffing different veggies like beets, carrots and peas inside a ball of mashed potatoes with a crispy coating of breadcrumbs and it tasted wonderful.The recipe here is inspired by Mom’s vegetable cutlets.I’ve used beets as the base and added some potatoes to the mix.

Beet Cutlets 1

These make for a great party appetizer your guests will absolutely fall in love with.The sweetness of the beet is balanced by the spices and the moment you taste it,it just explodes with flavor and all the beet goodness!Enjoy.

Beet Cutlets

Beet Cutlets-Indian Inspired

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Ingredients
  

  • Beetroot-3 medium
  • Potatoes-2 small
  • Ginger-1 tbsp crushed
  • Ground Cumin-1 tsp
  • Ground Coriander tsp
  • Green Chillies or jalapeños-2 chopped
  • Coriander leaves-1 cup chopped
  • Salt- to taste
  • Oil-to deep fry

For the Batter

  • All purpose flour-1/2 cup
  • Water-1 1/4cups

For the Coating:

  • Breadcrumbs-2 cups

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Mix the flour and water to form the batter in a bowl.Keep aside.
  • Keep the breadcrumbs/panko ready in a tray.
  • Place the beets in an aluminium foil, drizzle some olive oil and salt.Cover it and cook for about an hour, or until tender.Alternatively you can also boil them with salt until cooked
  • Peel and mash both the potatoes and beets in deep bottomed dish.
  • Mix all the ingredients except oil into the beet/potato mixture.

For the cutlets

  • Take a small amount and roll them between your palms to make oval shaped patties.
  • Dip these into the flour batter and then roll them in the breadcrumbs
  • Deep fry them in hot oil until all golden and crispy.
  • Serve them hot with Green Chutney,Ketchup or hot sauce.