Aloo Paratha

Aloo Paratha,  popular North Indian dish. Enjoyed by many as a breakfast. These are prepared by stuffing wheat bread with a spicy potato filling , and cooking the wheat bread to a crisp golden color.
Enjoy with yogurt, these hot Aloo paratha,  any time and especially on a cool Sunday morning as a brunch.

Ingredients
4 to 5  medium size potatoes (boiled till soft)
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 to 3 finely chopped green chilies
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp garam masala ( available in Indian grocery store)
1/2 tsp chat powder
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
1 small onion finely diced 
1 tsp salt
1 tsp red chilly powder

Dough
2 cup wheat flour
1/2 cup water
vegetable oil

Aloo Parathas 

Method 1.Boil potatoes and peel the skin. In a bowl, add mashed potatoes, salt, green chilies, onions, chat powder, coriander powder, ginger garlic paste. Add garam masala powder and check for salt. Mix well together. This becomes the potato stuffing.
2.Take 2 cups of wheat flour, add 1/2 cup of water  slowly to the flour to knead it and prepare a dough that is not sticky or too wet. Divide this prepared dough into 8 portions, each ball almost the size of a golf ball.
3.Using a rolling  pin, roll out  3 inch disc shape bread. Add a tbsp of potato stuffing and close the rolled bread, by bringing the ends together. Add a dust of wheat flour and carefully roll the disc again. Approximately 1/2 inch thickness and 6 inch in diameter each.
4.Heat a flat pan, add the Aloo stuffed wheat  bread and cook for about a minute, flip carefully as not to break the bread :) add a tsp of vegetable oil on the surface of wheat bread , further cook the bread on both sides, for a minute or two till they appear golden brown in color.  Remove and continue cooking the rest of parathas (aloo stuffed wheat bread)
Enjoy hot parathas with white butter , and yogurt :)

Pink Strawberry Lemonade

Pink Lemonade adds a nice twist to freshly squeezed lemon juice. We all remember lemonade from our childhood.It is like a cool summer breeze. This recipe is  very simple and the pink color that it gets is by adding in fresh strawberries. The strawberries also give this drink its hint of  tart flavour. 
Now you can add raspberries, or any other berries too instead of strawberries, some people also get the pink color by adding soem grenadine to the lemonade and that too turns pinkish, but i like to add strawberries.

Ingredients:
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice ( about 6 to 7 lemons)
1/2 cup fresh strawberries sliced 
1 cup sugar
2 cup water
1 cup ice cubes 
3 to 4  sprigs of mint leaves or lemon rinds, make a good garnish.

Chilled Pink Lemonade

Method:
1.Heat 2 cups of  water in a sauce pan, add 1 cup sugar and allow to boil, for a few 4 to 5 minutes, creating a simple sugar syrup. Close burner and keep aside.
2. Add 1 tsp sugar to the cut strawberries and add them to the blender, add 1/2 cup lime juice and blend for 2 to 3 minutes. Strain the strawberry lemon juice.
3. Using a big pitcher, add ice cubes, lemon juice , strained strawberry lemon pulp, stir together .
3. Add sugar syrup . At this time if the drink is too thick, you can add 1/2 cup more water. Lemonade, as we all know from our childhood, is very refreshing and the pink color that this drink gets , from strawberries makes it even more attractive. Pink strawberry lemonade is ready , refrigerate for about 15 to 20 minutes and enjoy this drink cold. Garnish with mint leaves or lemon rinds. Perfect  drink for a barbecue or just by itself , anytime . Enjoy:)

Grilled Tandoori Salmon & Asian Grilled Salmon

Salmon fish provides high quality protein, almost 40 gm in about 5 ounce fillet of salmon. Filled with omega 3 fatty foods, salmon is one of the heart healthy fish too. Making it  a good alternative to eating chicken or meat.
Also fairly  easy to prepare ,doesn't require much time to get cooked,  try to eat salmon, preferably 2 to 3 times a week.  Good source of many other nutrients like vitamin B, B 12, magnesium, potassium and it is a low calorie, food. 

  Grilled Tandoori Salmon

Tandoori Salmon
Ingredients
4 Fillets of Salmon, each  approx  6 to 8 ounces each, skinless
1 pod of garlic, grate the cloves for added flavor
1 inch ginger grated
1/4 cup oil
salt to taste
1 tsp red chili powder
2 tablespoon Shaan tandoori powder ( ready spice mix available in Indian stores)
2 green chilies finely chopped

Method: 1.Clean and wipe the fish fillets, with a paper towel.  Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl add oil, grated ginger, green chilies, garlic, and Shaan powder, salt , red chili powder and 1/2 lemon juice, mix all together to form a paste.
3. Add the fish fillets and allow to marinate in this paste mixture for about 30 minutes.
4.Place  marinated  fish fillets, on to a  foil covered baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes on both sides, and serve hot along with green chutney. ( Recipe of green chutney in this blog) or you can buy ready made too from an Indian grocery store.

Prepare the marinade

Place marinated salmon fillets to grill 

Cooked Salmon

Asian Grilled salmon

Ingredients
 4 to 6 fillets of salmon 
1 clove garlic chopped finely
1 inch freshly grated ginger
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp vinegar
1 medium size lemon cut in thin slices 
salt to taste
black pepper
1 tbsp chili garlic sauce ( lee kum lee)
Olive oil
1/4 cup mustard sauce


Method
1.Mix together in a bowl, honey mustard,soy sauce,chili garlic sauce,
finely chopped garlic,ginger.
2.Add vinegar, and sprinkle salt and black pepper on the cleaned fish fillets, keep aside for about 10 minutes.
3. Coat the fish fillets with the prepared sauce. Keep marinated for approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Heat a non stick pan, add 2 to 3 tsp olive oil. Add the marinated fish fillets, two at a time. Allow to cook over medium heat for about 5 to 6 minutes, on each side. Continue with the remaining fillets.
Serve garnished with lemon slices.

Add vinegar,salt ,pepper

Marinate Fish fillets

Asian grilled salmon

Asian Grilled Salmon

European Holiday

Hi Friends and my dear readers, Hope you all are doing great and as for myself I just returned back from a beautiful holiday, visiting some countries in Europe. The beauty of these places made me want to share this lovely experience of travelling. The travel through the country side was a delight. And not to forget the smooth travel by  trains, that aren't only comfortable, but also always on time and well connected to all the places there.

First we went to Amsterdam & stayed there for 2 days. We took a direct flight from California to Amsterdam. The day we reached we roamed around the city center as our Hotel was right in the city and most of the places around are walking distance. People there bike a lot, and for tourist too they can hire bikes, or there are trams, hop on / hop off buses or a beautiful ride on the canal by the boats that makes it look romantic. They serve wine and do candle light canal cruise.

Amsterdam Canal Cruises 

Amsterdam Cruise 

Day 3 we took a train to Brussels, by their luxury high speed train called Thalys Express. The train has red velvet seats and they serve snacks & drinks. Brussels was a 3 hour train ride from Amsterdam. The ride was a treat to  eyes with open green fields & beautiful country side.The day we reached Brussels we took their brochure, and found places of interest to see. The Cathedral was close to Hotel, so we walked over. It was beautiful , peaceful church with stained glass window works.

Thalys Train 

Then we walked over to Grand place, that is like their main attraction and it is just seeing is believing. Amazing splendid architecture. While we were there we were fortunate to experience a flower show in the city center. They had made awesome flower arrangements, with their colorful real flowers.

Flower show 

We treated ourselves at their cute quaint chocolate shops, and to waffles that are very famous there.
Next day we took a day trip from Brussels to a near by place that has models of Mini Europe, also very interesting place. It also has an atomium structure. You an actually take an elevator to the top and view the full of Brussels from there.

Mini Europe

Windmills at Mini Europe 

Next day we left back for Amsterdam and took a flight to London. Only an hour flight from Amsterdam, you can also take a train to London.We were there for 3 days in London.
First day we saw the famous London eye. My cousin lives there so it helps to have a local there so you can pick and choose the main places. She gave us good advice to buy the London eye ticket on fast track online, that way you save on standing in the long lines!

London Eye

London

Buckingham Palace 

Next we walked across the river Thames, and reached Piccadilly square where we treated ourselves to London high tea , an experience not to miss :)) London is so well connected with Tube, the metro system there should be applauded, and is very convenient. Since London is an English speaking city, as a tourist you don't face the language problem, which can be seen in Europe otherwise.

Day 5 we had booked tickets to see Buckingham palace, a palace that has over 700 rooms!!! Dignitaries from all over the world visiting London, are hosted by the royal family at the palace.

After walking so much we sat for lunch at an English pub and relished fish and chips.

Day 6 we saw the famous London bridge and walked around and went to Harrods, which in my opinion was over hyped , but anyways we enjoyed London for its land marks.

Next day we flew back to Amsterdam, where I met with my dear friend of school,a dream come true !!! as we all met for a school reunion after 30 years !!! this all was possible when 10 of us agreed to come to Amsterdam, where a friend of us hosted us all at her place, thanks to her and to all the friends who came from different parts of the globe to make this possible and we stayed together for a week at our friends place , each day was filled with chats, laughs and all the madness one can imagine.
Then we all flew back and I went to Boston for my daughters college, to set up her apartment.
This has been a wonderful experience that I wish one should experience and the memories of it will remain forever
Bonvoyage!!