Soni's Food

Indian Inspiration!

lndian Roasted Cornish Hens

27 | 11 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

If you are anything like me, then you don’t enjoy Turkey and would settle for anything else but.I’ve never really enjoyed Turkey and there’s this after taste that’s not very pleasing to my palate.Hence,I always look for alternatives during Thanksgiving and this time I chose these little Cornish Hens.I haven’t really worked with them a lot but I find them more manageable because of their size and in my opinion the smaller a bird, the more flavorful it is.

Indian Roast Cornish Hens 1

As usual I’ve given my Indian twist to a roast dinner and why not.The addition of Indian spices liven up any meal and for those of you who’re new to cooking Indian food, this would be a great recipe to start with.My Indian Roasted Cornish Hen has been rubbed with fragrant spices,some crushed ginger,garlic and lemon juice to add tons of flavor and its a great way to spice up your holiday table.The spices are subtle and do not take away from the dish.You could use the same marinade for Turkey or Chicken.You could also marinate the bird a day in advance and refrigerate.Roast it just in time for your guests.

Indian Roast Cornish Hens

The potatoes and the carrots roast in the juices from the Hens and are absolutely delicious.Serve this dish alongside my Sweet Potato Cranberry Casserole with Almond Coconut Streusel to complete your Thanksgiving menu.

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!

Indian Roast Cornish Hens 1

lndian Roasted Cornish Hens

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Ingredients
  

  • Cornish Hens-2
  • Carrots-3 peeled and cubed
  • Red Potatoes-4 cubed
  • Ground Cumin-1 1/2 tsp
  • Ground Coriander-1 1/2 tsp
  • Garam Masala-1 tsp
  • Paprika-1 tsp
  • Turmeric-1/2 tsp
  • Crushed Ginger-1 tbsp
  • Crushed Garlic-1 tbsp
  • Juice of one lemon
  • Salt-to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • Mix the cumin,coriander,garam masala,ginger ,garlic,paprika,lemon juice and salt in a bowl.
  • Pat dry the cornish hens and rub the spice mixture generously all over and under the skin of the bird on both sides.
  • In a greased roasting tray place the potatoes,carrots and the cornish hens.Drizzle some oil all over and, bake for an hour and half until fully cooked.
  • Arrange on a serving tray and serve hot!

 

Indian Spiced Chicken Drumsticks #SundaySupper

26 | 05 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

The weather has played a dampener this weekend that is so unusual for this time of the year!The kids were looking forward to our pool opening,but the weather Gods had something else in mind, I guess!Our Sunday Super team is definitely unfazed by the weather pattern and we’re here to lift your spirits up with some mouth watering picnic ideas!!

Indian Spiced Chicken Drumsticks 1.jpg

I’ve got my scrumptious Roasted Chicken Drumsticks with a spice blend of Coriander,Fennel,Cumin,Red Chilies,Cinnamon and Cloves that gives it some great flavors.I toasted the spices in a pan until the air in my kitchen was filled with a warm aromatic scent and then transferred the mixture into my spice grinder.You could use this as a spice rub for various meats or fish too!So good!

Indian Spiced Chicken Drumsticks 4

I marinated these overnight and broiled them the next day until all nice and golden on all sides.Drumsticks are the perfect finger foods for a picnic and are adored by adults and kids alike!Pack it with some salad or grill them right in the picnic area if you have the facility and you’ve got  a great picnic dish that couldn’t be any easier!

Indian Spiced Chicken Drumsticks 3

Indian Spiced Chicken Drumsticks 1.jpg

Indian Spiced Chicken Drumsticks

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Ingredients
  

Indian Spice Blend

  • Coriander Seeds-3 tbsp
  • Cumin Seeds-1 1/2 tbsp
  • Fennel Seeds-1 tbsp
  • Cinnamon-1 inch
  • Cloves-4
  • Dry Red Chili-2

For the Marinade:

  • Chicken Drumsticks-7-8 pieces
  • Thick Yoghurt-1 cup
  • Crushed Ginger-1 tbsp
  • Crushed Garlic-1 tbsp
  • Indian Spice Blend-2 tbsp
  • Oil-2 tbsp
  • Salt-to taste
  • Chaat Masala optional-1 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • In a pan toast all the spices on low heat until aromatic making sure to not burn it.
  • Transfer into a spice grinder and coarse grind the spices.
  • In a ziplock bag mix all the marinade ingredients except oil and keep it in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
  • When ready arrange on a greased foil lined baking sheet,drizzle oil all over and broil until all golden turning the drumsticks every now and then to develop color on all sides.
  • Brush the sides with the remaining marinade to keep them moist and flavorful.
  • Sprinkle some lemon juice and chaat masala all over and serve warm!

This wonderful event is hosted by the lovely Katy of Happy Baking Days and our group has some amazing picnic ideas for this season!Get inspired 🙂

Salads and Slaws:

Sandwiches and Mains:

Desserts:

Drinks:

Check back on Sunday for all the recipes! You can join in the chat on Twitter too: we’ll tweet throughout the day and share all of our picnic recipes. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. To join in, just follow the #SundaySupper hashtag, and remember to include it in your tweets. You can also check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more delicious recipes and photos.

Roasted Curried Cauliflower

07 | 05 | 2013
By Soni Sinha

If you’ve been reading my blog you would very well know by now how much I love roasting my veggies!There’s so much flavor that you can extract out of any vegetable just by roasting them!The best part is they’re super easy and you don’t end up using your pots and pans that prevents the mess around the stove top and makes cleaning a breeze!I serve roasted vegetables as a side dish with my Indian and Non-Indian meals very often and now even my kids have started enjoying them!

Roasted Curried Cauliflower 1

Cauliflower is one vegetable that I’ve always loved even as a kid. My kids also love it as much as I do and I make it a point to cook it at least once a week. From heath perspective its something you’d want to make very often since its full of antioxidants and fiber.As a great source of Vitamin K it contains anti-inflammatory properties too.Source

Roasted Curried Cauliflower.jpg

This preparation I have for you today is very simple.All you need is curry powder,salt and chili powder.The fact that I’ve sliced the cauliflower all the way makes for a delightful presentation and its quicker too.I’ve also garnished it with some toasted coconut since it pairs well with curry powder.Simple yet flavorful this is one amazing side dish for any table!

Roasted Curried Cauliflower.jpg

Roasted Curried Cauliflower

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Ingredients
  

  • Medium Cauliflower- sliced into 1/2 inch slices
  • Curry Powder-2 tsp
  • Salt-to taste
  • Red chili or paprika-1/4 tsp
  • Shredded Coconut-1 tbsp
  • Oli-2-3 tbsp

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
  • Toast some shredded coconut in a dry pan until slightly golden.Keep aside.
  • Rub the cauliflower with the spices on both sides.
  • Drizze some oil all over.
  • Roast on a greased baking sheet for about 20 mins until all golden.Sprinkle the toasted coconut all over.
  • Serve hot!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elegant Indian Inspired Thanksgiving Menu

20 | 11 | 2011
By Soni Sinha

I’m not a big Turkey fan, something to do with an unpleasant aftertaste every time I eat it. Hence I normally cook Chicken instead of Turkey during Thanksgiving.This time I’m inspired to give it an exotic Indian touch,something I haven’t done before.Yet I don’t want to spend the entire day cooking in the kitchen, instead, enjoy the Holidays with my family.That said, food still has to be top-notch.So I came up with idea of keeping it simple yet elegant at the same time, sort of “East meets West”.

I am making Indian style Spicy Couscous with Cranberries,Raisins and Slivered Almonds served with Indian Spiced Roast Chicken.Sounds tempting?Wait till you try it.The combination of sweet with the spicy gets your tastebuds dancing.You don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving to make these dishes. You can make them any time of the year.You can also serve the chicken as an appetizer with some chutney, or you can use it on a bed of rice with salad as your weekday or weekend meal.Enjoy!

Spicy Couscous with Cranberries,Raisins and Slivered Almonds/Indian Spiced Roast Chicken

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Ingredients
  

For the Spicy Couscous

  • Couscous- 2 cups
  • Water- 2 cups
  • Oil-2 tbsp
  • 1 medium Onion- chopped finely
  • 3 Green Chillies Jalapeños-chopped finely
  • Black Mustard seeds-1 tsp
  • Curry Leaves available in Indian stores- 3
  • Sweetened Cranberries- 1 cup
  • Raisins-1/4 cup
  • Slivered Almonds- for garnish
  • Salt-to taste

For Indian Spiced Roast Chicken

  • Drumsticks and Thighs-8 pieces
  • Oil-1 tbsp
  • Salt-to taste

For the Green paste

  • Coriander leaves chopped-3-4 cups
  • Ginger-1 inch chopped
  • Garlic-4 cloves
  • Turmeric-1 tsp
  • Ground Coriander-2 tsp
  • Ground Cumin-1 tsp
  • Red Chili powder or Cayenne pepper-1 tsp

Instructions
 

Spicy Couscous:

  • Boil 2 cups of water with some salt.Once it starts to boil add 2 cups of couscous.
  • Turn off the heat and cover the pan.Leave it for 2 minutes.Your couscous is cooked.
  • Gently stir it with a fork.Keep aside.
  • In a skillet, heat oil and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves
  • Once it splutters add the onions and green chilies. Saute until onions are light brown.
  • Mix into the couscous along with cranberries and raisins.Garnish with slivered almonds.

Indian Spiced Roast Chicken

  • Start by preheating the oven to 420 degrees F.
  • Make the green paste using all the ingredients above.Once the paste is ready,place the chicken along with oil,salt and green paste into a ziplock bag.Seal firmly and mix the contents together.Leave it in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours.
  • Place the marinaded chicken pieces on an aluminum foil on top of a baking sheet.Bake for about 40-45 minutes, turning the chicken once so that both sides are golden brown.
  • Once ready, let it rest for a little while before serving.