Love to stay home

Homemade Pizza

May 30, 2021 2 Comments

Homemade Pizza from Scratch will be a constant on your weekly menu! It is quick and easy to make, the only hard part is waiting for the dough to rise!

Pizza is one of my kid’s favorites, they like to have it at least once every week. I have been on the lookout for a great homemade pizza recipe for a long time.

I have tried lots of recipes until I found the one that checks all the boxes. The recipe that I follow is based on this one from Jen, click here for her recipe. A big thank you to Jen for this fantastic recipe!

What are the Ingredients for Homemade Pizza Dough?

The ingredients are very basic, all-purpose flour, yeast, sugar, salt, oil, and water. I used fast-acting yeast for this recipe. Though it does state in the original recipe that you can use any yeast.

The temperature of the water should be warm and not hot. If it’s too hot it will kill the yeast and your dough will not rise.

It is just a matter of mixing the dough and letting it rise for about an hour. You can use a stand mixer or mix it by hand.

What are the different toppings you can use?

The toppings that you can use for a pizza are so many.., it’s difficult to actually list them all out but I will mention the really popular ones.

Vegetarian

Spinach

Bell Peppers

Broccoli

Zucchini

Tomatoes

Onions

Pineapple

Mushrooms

Paneer (Indian Cottage cheese)

Tofu

Non-vegetarian

Pepperoni

Ham

Chicken

Steak

Bacon

Turkey

Seafood ( I have eaten seafood Pizza at California Pizza Kitchen and it was really good!)

How do you make the Pizza Dough for your Homemade pizza?

If mixing by hand, add all the ingredients to a bowl and mix, once the dough comes together, knead it for about 5 minutes. Cover it and keep it in a warm place to rise. I made mine in the stand mixer as it is so convenient and was ready in about 10 minutes, I added about 1/4 cup more water than the recipe called for. Once it was done, I removed the dough and placed it in an oiled bowl, covered the bowl with a dishtowel, and kept it in my oven to rise.

After about an hour, once the dough has risen. Punch it down, divide it into 2 balls and roll out your pizzas. You can get 2 good-sized pizzas. I used a rolling pin to roll out the dough. As you can see I am not that great at making perfectly shaped pizzas! So let’s just call them rustic! 😉

Baking your Pizza:

Preheat oven to 450F. Once you have a pizza base about 1/4 inch thick. You can use a pizza stone if you have one.

I used a sheet pan with a silicone liner. Brush a little bit of olive oil on the silicone liner, place the pizza base on it.

Brush a little olive oil on the pizza base, add some sauce, I use whatever store-bought pasta sauce I have on hand. Put your toppings on and lastly the cheese. I use Italian blend cheese or mozzarella cheese.

Pizza ready for baking — Pizza ready to be baked. The toppings are ham, bell peppers and cheese

Place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes till cheese is melted and crust is golden brown.

Take out the pizza from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before cutting it with a pizza cutter.

Enjoy your delicious homemade pizza!!

Baked pizza — Baked Pizza. My son decided he wanted mushrooms, so I added a few before baking.

Print

Homemade Pizza

Delicious Homemade Pizza from scratch

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

3 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 packet Yeast (7gms) or (2¼tsps) or (¼oz)
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
1¼ cup warm water

Instructions

Add all the ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment and switch it on. I put mine on the Number 2 setting.
If mixing the dough by hand, mix all the ingredients and knead it till you get a nice firm dough.
After about 10 minutes the dough will form. Switch off the stand mixer.
Make a smooth ball out of the dough and put it in an oiled bowl to rise.
Cover the bowl either with cling film or a kitchen towel. Let it rise in a warm place for about an hour. I put it in my oven.
Once it's double the volume, punch it down and divide it into 2 balls.
Preheat your oven to 450°F.
Roll out your pizza base. I used a rolling pin to roll the base to about 1/4 inch thick.
Brush some olive oil on your baking tray or mat. Place your pizza on it. Brush a little olive oil on the base, add your sauce, toppings and cheese.
Put your tray in the hot oven and bake it for 12 to 15 minutes till the cheese has melted, and the crust is golden brown.
Take the pizza out of the oven, let it rest for 5 minutes, and then cut it with a pizza cutter. Enjoy your scrumptious Pizza!

Notes:

The pizza dough can be refrigerated. I have kept half the dough in the fridge and used it the next day. So you can make the pizza dough in advance.
Also, the pizza dough can be frozen, please visit the above-mentioned website to read about it.
Once baked, you can top the pizza with Italian seasoning, Chilli flakes, dried parsley, etc.

If you like to make a pizza without yeast, you can make 2 Ingredient Naan as the base! It has no yeast and turns out quite delicious as a Naan Pizza!

Hope you enjoyed reading about this Homemade Pizza and will try it out sometime! Let me know if you do by leaving a comment down below.

Thank you as always for visiting and have a great day!!

Recipes

Air-Fryer Potato Wedges

May 28, 2021 No Comments

These Air-Fryer Potato Wedges are the perfect solution for your family’s French Fry cravings!! These are homemade, baked, and not deep-fried, so you can make them often without feeling too guilty!;)

I highly recommend an Air Fryer if your family loves deep-fried foods, Check out this Highly rated Cosori Air Fryer on Amazon.

( The above link is an affiliate link, meaning that If you decide to buy the product using my link, Amazon will give me a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products I love and that are of great quality. Thank you so much for your support.)

My children love french fries, I used to buy the frozen french fries at the store, but after reading what goes into them I decided to make my own version of homemade fries. I would have called them French Fries but they are not as crispy and thin as Fries, hence I’m calling them Potato Wedges! My kids enjoy these Potato wedges, they are a great alternative to deep-fried French Fries.

With an Air-fryer and some potatoes, you can have your own homemade Potato wedges in a matter of 15 minutes. If you do not have an Air-Fryer, you can bake them in an oven at 400F for about 15 minutes.

Just potatoes, salt, and a little bit of oil! You get to control the amount of salt and oil so that’s a real plus if you ask me!

Use any seasonings you like and make them according to your taste. Serve these Potato Wedges as they are or as a side to your main meal.

Which potatoes are best to use for Air-Fryer Potato Wedges?

Russet Potatoes – These potatoes are high in starch and low in moisture content so they make a great Potato Wedge. Alternatives that you can use are Yukon Gold Potatoes.

Potatoes do get a bad reputation when it comes to being healthy, but I think it is just the way it is cooked, if you add unhealthy fats to it like deep frying then it obviously will be unhealthy.

Potatoes contain fiber, vitamin C, potassium, and Vitamin B6. So they do have some nutrients that our bodies need.

How do you make Air-Fryer Potato Wedges?

First, peel the potatoes, then wash them. Pat them dry with a kitchen towel. Slice them into thin wedges, make sure the wedges are more or less the same size. I cut them lengthwise in the middle once, then place one half cut side down and cut into half again. Then repeat, so you can get about 8 wedges from one potato. but if your potato is big you could get more.

One potato cut into 4 — Cut into 4 wedges

Cut Potato wedges — Further, cut into 8 wedges

4 potatoes cut into wedges — Potato wedges cut from 4 medium-sized potatoes.

Pat the wedges dry with a kitchen towel, put them in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil ( about 1 tbsp), and add salt. I have read lots of recipes where the potatoes are soaked in water for about 15 minutes. I have tried this but I find that the way I have mentioned above is what worked for me.

Air frying your Potato Wedges:

Add the potato wedges to the air-fryer, bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes turning halfway till golden brown. Add salt to taste. You could preheat the air fryer too to have your fries even faster, but I don’t. Just thought I would mention it.

Bake in 2 batches so that the wedges are in a single layer in the air fryer. It is important not to overcrowd the air fryer, If you add too many it will steam instead of frying, so make sure they are in a single layer. It is tempting to throw the whole lot in, believe me, I have tried it! But be patient and do it in 2 batches for the best results.

These are not as crunchy as deep-fried French fries but a healthier version I would say. They are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.

Seasoning your Potato Wedges:

Once you take them out, put them on a paper-lined plate. Check for seasoning, add more salt if required or any other seasoning you desire.

With potatoes seasoning is everything, so make sure they are seasoned well.

Enjoy your Air-Fryer Potato Wedges without feeling guilty!

Print

Air Fryer Potato Wedges

Potatoes cut into wedges, seasoned well and Air fried to crispy perfection!

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Author Nandini

Equipment

Air Fryer

Ingredients

4 Medium Russet Potatoes
1 tbsp Olive oil (Any cooking Oil)
Salt (to taste)

Instructions

Using a peeler, peel the skin off the potatoes. Wash them well
Pat dry with a kitchen towel. Cut the potatoes into wedges.
From a medium potato, you can get 8 wedges.
Pat all the wedges dry with a kitchen towel and add them to a bowl.
Add salt and oil. Add any other seasonings if desired. Toss the potatoes well so that the oil and seasoning get mixed well.
Add half the wedges to the Air Fryer at 400° for 10 minutes. Make sure the wedges are in a single layer.
After 5 minutes, open the Air Fryer and shake it well. Close and let them air fry for another 5 minutes till crispy.
Remove your Potato Wedges onto a paper-lined plate. Check the seasoning, adjust if necessary.
Air Fry the remaining Wedges the same way.
Enjoy your Air Fryer Potato Wedges with Ketchup or any dip.

Optional:

You can add any seasoning to make them a bit different. Pepper, garlic, chili powder, paprika, Italian seasoning, dried parsley, chili flakes, onion powder, etc
If you wish you could leave the skin on the potatoes, but of course wash well with a vegetable brush.
Sweet potato fries can be made the same way.
Enjoy these immediately as they will not remain crispy for too long.
They can be re-heated in the Air Fryer for a few minutes if you have any leftovers, highly unlikely in my opinion! 😉

If you try out this recipe, please comment down below and let me know, it makes me happy to hear from you!! Thank you for being here, I appreciate your time and support!!

Please do check out my other Air Fryer recipes: Air Fryer Okra Fries

Air Fryer Tortilla Samosas and Air Fryer Salmon Fish Fry

Crochet

Easy Crochet Chain Earrings

May 27, 2021 No Comments

These Easy Crochet Chain earrings are so easy to make! As the name suggests they are made with just chains! Can it get easier than that?! I don’t think so!

You can make them in many colors and have one to match every outfit you have! Mix and match colors and have a blast. They are so quick and easy you could make a whole collection in less than a day!!

What do you need to make these Easy Crochet Chain Earrings?

Size 10 crochet thread in different colors or Embroidery thread

Crochet hook size 3.75MM

Earring hooks

Optional – Beads

How do you make these Crochet Chain Earrings?

I used 3 colors together. Hold the 3 colors together in your hand. Make a slip knot to start. ( for the embroidery thread I used 2 colors together)
Insert your crochet hook into the slip knot and start making chains.
Make 18 chains. ( For shorter loops make 12 chains)
Close into a loop using a slip stitch. Chain one. Pull thread and cut. Tug on the thread to tighten.
Make a knot with the beginning threads and the ending threads
Attach an earring hook to the thread and tie twice, cut the excess thread. To make it secure I would recommend adding a drop of glue.
Your earring is ready.
Make another one and you have your first pair of earrings!

If you want to add beads, you can do so before adding the earring hook.

You could use 2 or 3 colors together. Mix and match the colors, or use shades of colors. The possibilities are endless!

I personally liked the earrings with the embroidery thread as the thread is thicker and the colors are more vibrant.

You can make these earrings and give them as gifts to family and friends. Or just make yourself your own designer collection!!

Enjoy making these easy earrings using just chains!

If you are new to crochet and would like to learn, do check out this Introduction to Crochet and The basic crochet stitches

Let me know if you try to make these Earrings, I would love to know!

Crochet

Learn the Basic Crochet Stitches

May 26, 2021 No Comments

Crochet projects using the basic stitches

Learning the Basic Crochet Stitches:

For any crochet pattern, there are a few basic stitches to learn. The most basic and common are single crochet, double crochet, half double crochet, and treble crochet. Once you practice and get the hang of it, following any pattern will be easy.

Most written patterns that you find can be followed if you know the basic stitches and their short forms used. There are some patterns that have diagrams to follow. Check out this article on How to read crochet diagrams

Basic crochet stitches — From top to bottom
Single Crochet
Half Double Crochet
Double Crochet
Treble Crochet

One thing that is important to remember is there is a difference between UK and US patterns.

US vs UK

SC (single crochet) DC (double crochet)

HDC ( half double crochet) HTR (half treble)

DC ( double crochet) TR ( treble)

TR ( treble) DTR ( double treble)

Slip stitch (Sl St)

We are starting with the slip stitch commonly written as ‘sl st’ in patterns.

Insert hook in stitch, yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.

Here is a great article from thesprucecrafts.com to learn more about Slip Stitch

I am explaining these Basic Crochet Stitches in US terms:

Single crochet (sc)

Single crochet projects — Single crochet potholder and wristlet.

This is a very common stitch. It is written as ‘sc’ in patterns.

Insert hook in stitch, yarn over, pull through stitch, yarn over, pull through both the loops on the

hook.

Watch to learn Single crochet, a video by Bella Coco on YouTube.

Half Double crochet (hdc)

Half double crochet used in a coaster — Half Double Crochet used in a coaster.

This stitch is written as hdc in patterns.

Yarn over, insert hook in stitch, yarn over, pull through stitch, yarn over, pull through all 3 loops on hook.

Watch to learn Half Double Crochet, video by Bella Coco on YouTube

Double crochet (dc)

Double crochet used in a bow — Double Crochet used in a bow.

Yarn over, insert hook in stitch, yarn over, and pull through stitch, (yarn over, pull through two

loops) twice.

Watch to learn Double Crochet,

Video by Bella Coco on YouTube.

Treble crochet (tr)

Yarn over two times, insert hook in stitch, yarn over, pull through stitch, (yarn over, pull through

2 loops) 3 times.

Watch to learn Treble Crochet

Video by Bella Coco on YouTube

Things you can crochet using the above stitches:

Using the above stitches you can crochet just about anything. If you are starting I would suggest a scarf, a dish towel, a trivet, coasters, doilies, even a baby blanket! You can follow any pattern if you practice these stitches.

Here are the links to some of the patterns:

Potholder by Rachel of Adventures of a DIY Mom: Super easy single crochet Potholder

Wristlet by Stitch in Progress: Single crochet wrist lanyards

Bow by Kim Layton of EverythingEtsy: Easy Crochet Bow using double crochet

If you are new to crochet and would like to learn, please read this Introduction to Crochet.

Thank you for reading, I appreciate every one of you!

Recipes

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

May 25, 2021 No Comments

Chicken Salad is a really tasty filling for sandwiches. The creaminess comes from the mayonnaise and the crunchiness comes from the cabbage and carrots.

You can add red onions and jalapeños if you like it spicy.

The filling can be added in a burger bun, brioche bun, croissant, or sandwich bread.

You can even put it in between 2 lettuce leaves if you do not eat bread.

What are the ingredients needed?

Chicken – Chicken breast, thighs, or tenders can be used. To save even more time you can use shredded rotisserie chicken.

Cabbage – A small wedge cut into small pieces.

Carrots – chopped into small pieces.

Scallions/Spring onions – chopped

Mayonnaise – I used olive oil mayonnaise but any mayonnaise is fine.

Vinegar – just a teaspoon of white vinegar.

Salt and pepper to taste.

That’s it! It’s really simple.

How do you make this Chicken Salad?

Boil the chicken in water with salt and pepper until fully cooked.

When it cools down you can shred/chop the chicken and keep it aside.

Chop the cabbage and carrots the same size. They should be diced into small pieces.

Chop the scallions/spring onions.

Add vegetables to the chicken, add mayonnaise, a tsp of vinegar, pepper, and salt to taste.

Mix well. Use it as a filling for your sandwiches.

The filling can be stored in the fridge in an airtight food-safe container for up to 2 days.

Make a sandwich using the filling and some lettuce. It really is a simple filling meal!

I used it as a filling in a croissant as that’s what I had. But a good hearty sandwich bread makes the best sandwich!

Print

Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Ingredients

2 Chicken Thighs/Chicken Breasts
¼ Cabbage chopped
1 Carrot peeled and chopped
2 Scallions/ Spring Onions (the green parts chopped)
⅓ to ½ cup Mayonnaise
1 tsp White Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

To make Sandwich

Lettuce leaves
Bread
Butter optional

Instructions

Boil the chicken in water with salt and pepper.
Once cooled, shred or chop and keep aside.
Chop cabbage and carrots into small dice pieces. Chop the green part of the scallions.
Add cabbage and carrots, and scallions to chicken pieces. Put in Mayonnaise and vinegar, Mix well till nice and creamy.
Add salt and pepper to taste. Your Chicken Salad is ready.

To assemble your Sandwich

Take your 2 slices of bread on a plate. Add 1 lettuce leaf on one slice of bread.
Generously spoon the Chicken Salad onto the leaf. Cover with the another lettuce leaf and then with another slice of bread on top.
Cut in half diagonally or in half and enjoy you delicious Sandwich!

Notes:

Shredded rotisserie chicken is a great option to make it easier.
Putting butter on your bread is optional. I have skipped it as the filling is creamy and I felt it did not need it.
Do not skip the lettuce leaves as this prevents the bread from getting soggy.
You could add red onions, and jalapenos to enhance the taste of the filling and make it spicy.

Hope you try out these easy delicious Chicken Salad Sandwiches! If you do let me know how you liked it. I would love to hear from you, please comment down below!

As always Thank you for reading and visiting, I appreciate YOU!

Recipes

Pan-Fried Crispy Shrimp

May 24, 2021 No Comments

Pan-Fried Crispy Shrimp is the simplest, tastiest way to cook shrimp! It needs very few ingredients to marinate them, but the secret to them being crispy is the coating of Fine Semolina.

Sometimes the recipes with the least amount of ingredients are the tastiest! And this recipe certainly proves that!

Since shrimp cooks really fast it’s ready in no time. It can be served as an appetizer with a chutney or dip, or it can be eaten with rice, paratha, etc.

What ingredients do you need for Pan Fried Crispy Shrimp?

Shrimp – I used large shrimp without the tail. You could use extra-large shrimp too but I don’t recommend using smaller shrimp.

For the marinade:

Turmeric powder

Kashmiri Chili powder

Salt to taste

Ginger garlic paste

Lime juice

For the coating:

Fine Semolina (Known as Rava or Sooji in India)

How do you make Pan Fried Crispy Shrimp?

Just mix the marinade ingredients together and add to your cleaned shrimp. I kept it aside for 20 minutes.

To fry the shrimp, heat up a pan, add some cooking oil, about 1 tablespoon.

Coat both sides of the shrimp with the semolina.

I put some semolina on a plate and using tongs coat the shrimp on both sides.

I do that for about 8 to 10 shrimp, then put them in the pan. Cook on medium heat, for about 2 to 3 minutes on both sides. Shrimp cook really fast so take care not to overcook them.

Once done, drain the excess oil on a paper towel, transfer to a serving plate or bowl.

If serving as an appetizer you could have a dipping sauce like a green chutney or a yogurt dip.

Your crispy shrimp is ready to be enjoyed!

Print

Pan-Fried Crispy Shrimp

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Author Nandini

Ingredients

20 Large Shrimp
½ tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
¼ tsp Turmeric powder
½ tsp Kashmiri Chili Powder
½ Lime
Salt to taste
1/4 cup Semolina (Rava/ Fine Sooji)

Instructions

Clean, devein and remove the tails of the Shrimp. Add them to a bowl.
Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, chili powder, salt to taste, and the juice of half a lime to the shrimp.
Mix the marinade and the shrimp well. Leave aside for about 15 minutes.
Add semolina/sooji to a plate. Using tongs, drop shrimp onto the Semolina and coat on both sides.
Coat about 10 shrimp. Then fry in a hot pan with about a tablespoon of oil.
Fry for about 2 minutes on each side till the shrimp is cooked.
Take out crispy shrimp and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.
Fry the rest and serve hot.

Notes:

You can use medium, large, or extra-large shrimp.

You could leave the tails on, I just took them off as it makes it easier to serve with toothpicks.

If you do not have or like ginger-garlic paste, you could leave it out.

Serve these Crispy Pan-Fried Shrimp immediately after frying them as they do not remain crunchy for very long.

If you like crispy appetizers and snacks, do check out my Air Fryer Okra Fries

or my Air Fryer Salmon Fish Fry

Thank you for visiting. Have a wonderful day!

Recipes

Instant Pot Chicken Pulao

May 22, 2021 No Comments

Instant Pot Chicken Pulao is a one-pot meal that comes together quickly.

On Sundays we usually have a special lunch, it’s always been that way. The most common dish on the menu is Chicken Pulao. Cooked in an Instant pot it is an even faster meal!

I just love the Instant Pot and use it very often to make quick meals.

It is basically a pressure cooker that does not make as much noise, aside from having preset buttons and a timer!

It’s more convenient than a pressure cooker as it switches off after the set time. So you don’t have to babysit it!

But if you do not have an Instant Pot, you can use a pressure cooker.

Amazon recommendations:

If you would like to buy an Instant Pot, these are the ones from Amazon that I recommend Instant Pot 6qt or Instant Pot Duo Mini 3qt

These are the 2 that I have and I use them so often! There is this Instant Pot Duo Plus Mini It is the newer version of the 3qt version mentioned above.

( The above links are affiliate links, which means that if you decide to buy the products using these links, I will receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. Please know that I only recommend products that I love and are of great quality. Thanks for your support!)

What are the ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Pulao?

Chicken – You can use chicken thighs as it is the most flavorful part of the chicken. Chicken drumsticks can be used too or a mix of both.

Onions – Here in the US, we get white onions, yellow onions, and red onions. The most commonly used for cooking is the yellow onion. In this recipe, I used yellow onions thinly sliced.

Tomatoes – I used Roma Tomatoes as that’s what I buy. But you could use regular tomatoes.

Ginger garlic paste – You can use store-bought or homemade. Homemade is always best, but I used store-bought as I do not make my own.

Cilantro – You can use the stalks of the cilantro too as we are going to grind in a blender.

Mint – optional, you could use a few mint leaves if you have, this will be ground along with the cilantro and green chilies.

Green chilies – I use the green chilies bought from the Indian Grocery, they are Thai green chilies. I think a good substitute for these would be Serrano peppers.

Rice – Basmati Rice is the best rice to use for Pulao’s and Biriyani. Over here I use Royal Basmati Rice purchased from the Indian Grocery. I have seen Basmati Rice in the regular grocery store, it is pretty much widely available now. The rice is washed and soaked for about 20 minutes.

Whole Spices – Cardamom, Cinnamon, and Cloves

Kashmiri red chili powder, you could use just regular chili powder.

Salt to taste

Juice of 1 lime

Ghee is also known as clarified butter – Ghee gives it a very rich flavor, but regular oil can be used instead. I used olive oil as I did not have ghee.

How do you make Instant Pot Chicken Pulao?

Wash and soak rice. Cut the chicken into nice size pieces and keep them aside. Slice onions and tomatoes, and keep the spices ready.

Grind cilantro, mint (if using), and green chilies.

Heat ghee/ oil in the Instant Pot. When hot, add whole spices. Stir, add onions and fry well be till it turns brown, add ginger garlic paste and fry for about 5 minutes, add ground cilantro, mint, and green chili paste. Add tomatoes. Fry till soft.

Next add chicken, chili powder, and salt. Mix well, cover, and cook till the chicken is almost done.

Add drained rice, water to be added is 1 and a half cups for every cup of rice. So for 1 cup, it’s 1 1/2, For 2 cups it is 3 cups of water, and so on.

Another thing to note here is there might be some gravy that should be considered when adding water. So if you see that there is about 1 cup gravy, add 1 cup less water. Hope that makes sense! It is actually very important as the Pulao can become overcooked and soggy if too much water is added.

Also in place of water, you can add coconut milk. It will give the Pulao a rich taste.

Check the gravy for salt. Add if needed. Squeeze the juice of a lime. Mix it well. Put the lid on and pressure cook on high for 4 minutes.

Do a quick release after 10 minutes and gently mix it.

Transfer to a serving dish. Enjoy with some Cucumber and Onion Raita.

Print

Instant Pot Chicken Pulao

Indian Spiced Chicken and Rice One Pot Meal

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Author Nandini

Equipment

Instant Pot

Ingredients

5 Chicken Thighs (each cut in half), or 1 Kg Chicken
2 cups Basmati Rice
2 Onions sliced (medium size)
2 Tomatoes sliced (medium size)
1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
Cilantro (a handful)
Mint ( a few leaves) (optional)
2 green chilies (you can add more if you want it spicy)
1 tsp Red Chili powder
Salt to taste
2 tbsp Ghee or Oil
1 Lime

Whole Spices

6 Cloves
1 inch Cinnamon stick
4 Cardamom pods

Instructions

Wash and soak the Basmati Rice.
Cut the chicken into good-sized pieces and keep aside.
Slice onions and tomatoes.
Make a paste with cilantro, mint(if using), and green chilies in a blender. You can add a little water to grind it.
Heat ghee/oil in the Instant Pot. When hot, add the whole spices.
Add onions, fry well till they are slightly brown ( around 5 to 7 minutes), add ginger garlic paste and fry for another 5 minutes.
Next add the ground cilantro, mint, and green chili paste, give it a mix. Add the sliced tomatoes, fry till soft. (about 5 minutes)
Add chicken , chili powder and salt. Mix well, cover with a lid and cook till chicken is almost done.
Add drained rice, water or coconut milk(if using), and juice of 1 lime. Please refer notes about how much water to add.
Check for salt, add more if required.
Mix it gently. Put the Instant Pot Lid on and pressure cook on high for 4 minutes.
Press cancel when done, Do a quick release after 10 minutes.
Open the Instant Pot and transfer to a serving dish.

NOTES:

You can use a mix of chicken legs and thighs or even pieces of a whole chicken.
Mint is optional.
The spice level depends on the green chilies and red chili powder, so add more if you like it spicy.
Ghee gives this Pulao its rich flavor, but you can use oil too.
When adding the water or coconut milk, it is very important to check how much gravy is in the pot already. The ratio of rice to water is 1:1 1/2. So for every cup of rice, there should be 1 and a half cups of liquid. So if there is already 1 cup of gravy in the pot, you need to add only 2 cups of water or coconut milk for 2 cups of rice.
Coconut milk gives the dish a nice taste, it is optional.
Transfer to a serving dish as soon as it is done to avoid overcooking.

Hope you will try this easy one-pot recipe for your family. Please leave a rating and comment down below, I would love to hear your thoughts on this recipe.

Thank you for visiting my blog. Do follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, or Facebook @lovetostayhomeblog to know when I have a new post out.

Here are more recipes to try:

Green Chicken Curry

Easy Butter Chicken

Spicy Indian Chicken Fry

Ghee Rice & Kadai Chicken

Easy Indian Chicken Stew

Simple Chicken Curry

Chicken Shawarma Pita Wraps

Happy Cooking Friends! And have a lovely day!

Recipes

Palak Paneer

May 21, 2021 2 Comments

Palak Paneer Is Indian cottage cheese in Spinach puree with Indian spices.

Paneer is Indian cottage cheese. Palak is Spinach and the combination of the two is just so flavorful.

This dish is on the menu of every Indian restaurant. It originated in North India. It is one of the most popular dishes from India and is available throughout this world.

This is a very simple recipe that comes together fast.

The ingredients you need for Palak Paneer are:

Paneer – I use store-bought paneer, but you could make it at home too.

Here is a step by step recipe to make Paneer at home

Spinach – A big bunch of spinach

Ginger – about 1/2 an inch

Green chilies – 2

Kasoori Methi – Dried Fenugreek leaves

Onion

Tomato

Red chili powder

Coriander powder

Garam masala powder

Salt to taste

How do you make Palak Paneer?

Cut paneer into cubes and soak in hot water till ready to use. I find that it makes the paneer softer.

Blanch spinach leaves, green chilies, ginger, and about 1 tbsp of Kasoori methi in hot water. To make it even quicker, I just put them in the microwave for 2 minutes with a little water.

Once it cools down, blend in a blender. It does not have to be a very smooth paste.

Heat up oil in a pan, add onions, fry till translucent, add tomato and powders. Cover and cook till oil floats on top.

Add spinach mixture and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add drained paneer, sprinkle some garam masala, salt to taste.

Crush some Kasoori methi in your hands and add to the dish.

Mix and let it cook for a few more minutes.

Optional:

Just before switching off add a little bit of heavy cream. Or whole milk if you do not have cream.

To make it vegan you could use Tofu as suggested by one of my readers Ms.Sandra. And instead of cream/milk, you could use cashew paste to give it a rich taste.

Print

Palak Paneer

Indian Cottage Cheese cubes in Spinach onion tomato gravy.

Author Nandini

Ingredients

20 Paneer cubes (or 200 gms of Paneer)
1/2 Onion chopped
1 Tomato chopped
1 tbsp Cooking oil (I use olive oil)
½ tsp Kashmiri Chili powder (You can use regular chili powder)
1 tsp Coriander powder
½ tsp Garam masala powder
Salt to taste
½ tbsp Kasoori Methi (Dried fenugreek leaves), crushed
2 tbsp Fresh cream or whole milk (optional)

For the spinach puree

1 bunch Spinach
½ inch Ginger
2 Green chilles
½ tbsp Kasoori Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves)

Instructions

Cut paneer into cubes and soak in some hot water till ready to use. I find that this makes the paneer softer.
Put all the spinach puree ingrediants together and blanch in hot water. To make things quicker i usually put the spinach, ginger, green chillies, and Kasoori Methi in a glass bowl, add about 1/2 cup water and microwave it for about 2 minutes.
Once the spinach mixture has cooled down, puree it in a blender.
Heat up a pan, add 1 Tbsp of cooking oil. When hot add the chopped onion, fry till translucent.
Add chopped tomato, red chili powder, and coriander powder. Mix it well. Fry till oil separates about 15 minutes on medium-low flame covered with a lid.
Add the spinach puree and mix it well. Add salt to taste.
Let this cook for about 5 minutes uncovered.
After 5 minutes, add drained paneer with garam masala and crushed Kasoori Methi.
Stir and cook for a few more minutes.
To add some creaminess to the gravy, you can add about 2 tbsps of fresh cream or whole milk.
Switch off the flame and your delicious Palak Paneer is ready!

Enjoy your Palak Paneer with Peas Pulao, Ghee Rice, or homemade 2 ingredient naan.

Crochet

Learn How to Crochet

May 19, 2021 No Comments

This is my first post on Crochet. I am so excited as it is my favorite hobby. It is my stress buster and my happy place! I cannot wait to share all the fun, simple and useful projects you can make. Even if you do not know crochet, you can learn, it is very easy and I guarantee that you will love it. There is nothing more satisfying than creating things with your hands.

Introduction to Crochet

Crochet is a real art that anyone can learn. It has been around for centuries passed down from one generation to the next! That’s exactly how I first learned from my great-grandmother who was just amazing at the art of crochet.

I would just be in awe of her work, she made beautiful curtains and bedspreads, and everything she made was amazing. She made these beautiful handkerchiefs with crochet edging for me, I will cherish them always. I just keep them and admire her work, I think I will frame them! I couldn’t resist sharing a picture of her exquisite work!

Crochet edging handkerchiefs — Another picture of these beauties!

All the women in my family are fond of crochet, my grandmother, mother, and sisters. My sister-in-law also recently learned and I hear she is pretty good already!

Anyone can learn no matter their age, a child as young as 6 or 7 can at least learn to make a basic chain. And it is not just limited to girls, boys can learn too! Some of the best crocheters are boys/men! If you have not heard of Jonah from Jonah’s Hands you should check him out, he is an inspiration! Also, the website The Crochet Crowd is by two men Michael Sellick and Daniel Zondervan, they have a fantastic website and beautiful patterns.

What should you learn/what can you make?

With just a few basic stitches and a little practice, you can make a lot of different crochet projects that you can be proud of! In fact, you will not be able to stop! It is addictive and you will want to learn more and more!

Once you keep practicing you can start making blankets, hats, shawls, scarves, earrings, bracelets, headbands, bags, trivets, towels, baby clothes, baskets, flowers, clothes, etc. Oh my goodness the possibilities are endless!

I like making small projects as it takes less time, but you can still create beautiful and useful things. Doilies, coasters, earrings, bracelets, hairbands, etc. are just some of my favorites

I will be sharing all the projects I have tried in future posts, so do check back!

There are millions of free patterns and YouTube videos that make it so easy to learn and grow your craft. It is amazing what anyone can learn these days!

Here are a few of my favorite crochet/Yarn websites:

Naztazia.com

This website has great patterns and tutorials for crochet, knitting, and everything yarn! She has a youtube channel with over a million subscribers!

Fiber flux blog

This is another great website where you can get easy patterns, tutorials on crochet, knitting, embroidery, etc. Also, there are youtube videos from fiber flux which are extremely helpful.

Yarnspirations

Yarnspirations has thousands of free patterns for crochet, knitting, any yarn projects. You can also buy yarn on this website.

Easycrochet

Easy crochet has lots of free patterns and is a very nice website to learn crochet with beginner tutorials.

Lion Brand

Lion brand yarn has lots of great free patterns for crochet, knitting, and anything to do with yarn.

What do you need to learn to make a basic chain?

A 5mm crochet hook

For beginners, it is recommended to start with a yarn that is on the thicker side. A lighter color is preferred as the stitches are easier to see and count.

What should you learn first?

You should learn how to hold the hook and thread and make a basic chain.

1. Hold the hook in your right hand just like you hold a pencil.

2. The yarn is held in your left hand in between your fingers. You must hold the yarn correctly, which determines your stitches’ tension.

3. Make a slip knot to start. ( Please watch the video mentioned below )

4. Starting your chain. Put the hook inside the loop made by the slipknot, thread over the hook, and pull through the loop. Keep repeating until you get a long chain. Your chains should be the same size and tension so it looks even. It is ok if you are a beginner for the chains to look uneven but with practice, you will definitely get better. To finish off a long chain pull the yarn through the last chain. Snip off with scissors. Pull the yarn to tighten it and your long chain should not come undone.

Practice by making long chains with different kinds/colors of yarn.

Here is a video from youtube that is helpful if you are a visual learner: Bella Coco How to crochet video

Also, I would like to mention that Bella Coco is an awesome resource to learn crochet, her youtube channel is almost up to a million subscribers!

Different sizes of Hooks and Yarns

There are different sizes of hooks for different yarns and threads. Hooks even come in different materials like aluminum, steel, wood, bamboo, etc. Just use whatever you are comfortable with. I use aluminum and steel hooks.

The thinner hooks are for fine threads, the thicker hooks are for thicker yarns.

Crochet thread and hooks — Size 10 Thread with smaller hooks

Every yarn or thread that you buy has a recommendation for the size of the hook to use, so that is helpful. Every pattern gives you recommendations for sizes of hooks and types of yarns/thread to use.

Ideas of things you can make with just chains!!

Here are some ideas of things you can make with all those chains that have practiced making.

Necklaces – Find easy chain and bead necklaces here
Coasters – Check out these cute chain coasters
Headbands – Look at this adorable 3 strand headband!
Buntings – Just crochet long chains in the colors you want and hang them up!
Scarf – Look at this super cute Crochet chain stitch scarf here
Use the chains like ribbon to wrap your presents!
Earrings – I will be posting these super simple earrings that I tried with just chains!
Wall hangings – You can make chains and use them to create a wall hanging to be used as room decor.

Chain ribbon gift wrap — Chain ‘ribbon’ used to gift wrap

Well, what are you waiting for?! Start practicing your chains and try some of these ideas. My next post will be about the most common stitches in crochet., so once you are confident about your chains, head on over and learn the basic stitches!

Hope this was helpful and let me know if you have any questions. You can leave a comment down below and I will definitely reply. Thanks for visiting and I am so grateful that you are here!

Have a wonderful day!!

Recipes

Indian Lime/ Lemon Rice

May 18, 2021 No Comments

This Indian Lime/Lemon rice is so flavorful, it is very lightly spiced, sprinkled with fresh lime juice or lemon juice, and has a great crunch from the peanuts! This is a great way of using up your leftover white rice.

I remember from my childhood, we used to go on picnics every Sunday. It was so much fun.

My mom would pack up our lunch, we would sit under a tree somewhere along our drive and enjoy our lime rice with chicken or mutton fry. It was just a great combination!

All you need is some leftover white rice. I have actually tried it with brown rice and quinoa too, both options are good if you are more health-conscious.

Lime or Lemon??

The question is to use the juice of a lime or a lemon??

Honestly, I use lime most of the time, but that being said I have also tried it with lemon juice.

So in my opinion, both limes and lemons are fine to use, but when using a lemon I would add the juice of half a lemon first, and if you feel you need more you could add more to the rice. The lime/lemon juice should not be very strong but you should be able to taste the flavor.

Whether you use lime or lemon you still get the benefits of Vitamin C from either of these citrus fruits.

You can learn the difference between the 2 here Lime vs Lemon

Other ingredients include:

One chopped green chili( use more if you like it spicy), half an onion chopped fine, 1/2 inch chopped ginger, a handful of roasted peanuts.

For seasoning:

Mustard seeds – Black mustard seeds

Split urad dal – White split urad dal

Curry leaves

Asafoetida

If you have curry leaves, it really enhances the flavor. But leave it out if you don’t have them. I have tried it without curry leaves and it is still good.

Heat up a pan on medium heat. Pour in a tablespoon of oil. When hot, add seasoning ingredients starting with mustard seeds, when they pop, add the rest. Give it a mix and add peanuts.

Add the onion, green chilies, and ginger. Stir.

After the onion turns translucent, add turmeric powder. This is what gives the rice its brilliant yellow color. Add the rice, lime juice, and salt to taste. Mix well till the rice is evenly mixed with all the ingredients and is a bright yellow.

Taste and adjust salt. Garnish with coriander leaves.

This lime rice comes together in under 10 minutes if you have your refrigerated day-old rice.

In case you are making the rice the same day, I suggest cooling the rice before adding it as it could turn out mushy if you don’t.

Enjoy your delicious Indian lime/lemon rice!

Print

Indian Lime/Lemon Rice

Delicious rice lightly spiced with fresh lime/lemon juice and crunchy peanuts.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 5

Total Time 15

Author Nandini

Ingredients

½ Yellow onion Chopped
1 Green chilli Chopped, can add more if you like it spicy
½ inch Ginger Chopped
2 cups Cooked rice Cold rice previously cooked is best
1 tbsp Cooking oil I used olive oil, any cooking oil is fine
½ tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Lime/Lemon

For seasoning

½ tsp Mustard seeds
½ tsp Split urad dal
¼ cup Roasted peanuts
Asafoetida A pinch
1 sprig Curry leaves

Instructions

Heat up a pan, add 1 tbsp of cooking oil.
Once the oil is hot, add seasoning ingredients one by one.
Add chopped onions, green chillies and ginger. Fry till onions are translucent.
Add turmeric powder and mix.
Next add your cold rice and salt to taste, break it up and mix evenly. It should have a lovely yellow color.
Squeeze the juice of 1 lime/lemon into the rice, mix well.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.