Ajwain - flavoured Potatoes

Ingredients:

Potatoes : 4 no; Tomato (big) : 1 no; Fresh Ginger : 1";

Simla Mirch ( Green Capsicum / Bellpepper ) : 2 no;

Green Chillies : 2 no; Ajwain ( Carom Seeds / Bishop's Weed ) : 1 tsp;

Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp; Salt to taste;

Garam Masala powder : 1/4 tsp ( optional ); Oil : 2 tsp.

Method:

Cut the vegetables in half and then slice length-wise. In a pan/wok, take oil. Add the ajwain, chillies and ginger and add the potatoes. Saute for 2 minutes & then add the capsicum, turmeric and saute. Now add the tomatoes, salt and the masala and add enough water to cook the potatoes. Cover & cook for 3-5 minutes. Serve hot with paratha or rice.

Clear Chick Broth

There is nothing like hot chicken soup on a cold winter evening. I have been a bit busy for the last few months, so was not able to add any new recipes on this blog. So today seemed like the perfect way to start anew. A chicken broth is a very versatile thing...it can be used as a soup by itself, as a base for other soups like cream of chicken/minestrone or as a base for making Risotto. Its use is limited only by your imagination. You can use the regular base of onions, celery and leeks instead of the one below....I made it this way to conform to my mom's Indian palate. I will be putting up the variations on this blog soon, I hope. [The bones below means the whole carcass, the neck and the wing tips as well.]

Ingredients:


Chicken Bones: 250 gm; Onion:1 no;

Carrot: 1 no; Coriander Stalks: a small bunch;

Garlic: 4 cloves; Ginger: 1/2";

Cinnamon: 1/2"; Cloves: 3 no;

Black Peppercorns: 4 no; Bay Leaf: 1 no;

Green Chilly: 1 no; Salt to taste;

Chopped Coriander: 1 Tb; Cornflour: 1 Tb.

Method:

Boil the bones with all the ingredients except salt, chopped coriander and cornflour.
Boil for about 45 minutes. Then strain the broth. If there is any meat on the bones, remove it and add to the broth. Add cornflour and salt to taste. Boil till a little thick and remove. Garnish with chopped coriander.