On a busy day, or just on days when I’m too lazy, I love experimenting with pasta or noodles, just because they are too much fun to work with, and always end up tasting great 🙂

A simple prawn-garlic combo, is loved by all. I’ve also added some finely chopped broccoli, so that my hubby doesn’t end up removing the chunky broccoli 😉 😀

Ingredients:
Serves: 2

Cooked Spaghetti/Chinese Noodles – 2 cups
Olive Oil – 4 tbsp
Prawns – 1 cup
Broccoli Florets – 1 cup
Soy Sauce – 4-5 tbsp

Prawn Marinade:
Turmeric – 1 pinch
Chilli powder – 1 pinch
Salt – 1 pinch
Pepper corns – 1 tbsp
Garlic Powder – 1 tbsp (heaped)

Step 1: Marinate the prawn and set aside for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Step 2: In a non-stick pan, heat some oil. Stir fry the marinated prawns, until done.

Step 3: Finely chop the broccoli florets. Place in a bowl. Sprinkle some water over it, and microwave for 1 minute.

Step 4: Mix in the chopped broccoli along with the prawn. Add soy sauce. Cook for a minute.

Step 5: Toss in the cooked spaghetti/noodles. Mix well.

Back home in Kerala, tapioca is one of the most loved snacks. In the olden days, it used to be grown in most homes, so they would just pluck and prepare, whenever they want. I guess it’s that love for tapioca, that my parents have. When they hear tapioca, or ‘kappa’, they just jump with joy like they’ve found their long lost love. 😛

One of the ways tapioca can be enjoyed is with a nice and tangy chutney.

Ingredients:
Serves: 4

Tapioca – 2
Coconut oil – 3 tsp
Water – 1-2 tbsp
Shallots – 8-10
Green chilli – 3-4
Tamarind – a 1-inch piece
Salt – as per taste

Step 1: Peel/Chop off the skin of the tapioca. Chop into pieces. Immerse in water. Boil until done.

Step 2: In the mean-time, prepare the chutney. Blend the shallots, green chilli, tamarind. Add 3 tsp coconut oil and  1-2 tbsp water at the end. Add salt as per taste.

 Dip and enjoy. 😀

(This kind of boiled tapioca is usually eaten with this chutney, but you could also have it with some spicy fish curry. I had it with both, the chutney and the fish curry. 😉 😀 )

Love Shawarma, but worried about how healthy or unhealthy it maybe to try one from out? Why not make it at home? 😀

Being born and brought up in Saudi, Shawarma is one thing I’ve literally grown up on. Having tried different kinds of them, this recipe is a combination of my favorite elements that make up a good shawarma. 🙂

Shawarma is made by placing strips of meat or marinated chicken on a stick; an onion or tomato is placed at the top of the stack for flavoring. The meat is roasted slowly on all sides as the spit rotates in front of, or over, a flame for hours (see rotisserie). Traditionally a wood fire was used, now a gas flame is common.

To replicate this, I’ve used already cooked chicken, shredded, and stir-fried to get the slightly crisp textured chicken.

(Shred the chicken from any leftover chicken curry, or cook chicken in some basic spices.)

Since I’ve been planning to try this for a while, I had pickled some cucumber and beets last week, to use in this recipe.

Arabic Pickle Recipe:
Chop cucumber and beets. Drop into a glass jar. Add crushed garlic, salt and vinegar. Fill with water. Shake well. Use after a minimum of 3 days.

To mimic the garlic sauce used, I’ve made it the cheat’s way 😉 using mayonnaise and garlic powder. 😀 😀

Ingredients:
Serves: 2

Pita bread – 2
Shredded-Cooked Chicken – 1 cup
Red chilli paste – 1 tsp
Lime squeeze – few drops
French fries – 1-2 handful
Mayonnaise – 6 tsp
Garlic powder – 1/2 tsp
Pickled Cucumber & Beetroot – according to taste
Mint & Coriander leaves – a handful (finely chopped)
Hot sauce/Ketchup – according to taste

Step 1: Prepare your french fries.

Step 2: Mix the chicken with red chilli paste and lime.

Step 3: In a non-stick pan, drizzle some oil, and toss in the chicken. Stir-fry until required texture is attained.

Step 4: Mix mayo and garlic powder, for the garlic sauce. 🙂

Step 5: Assemble the chicken, garlic sauce, french fries, and pickles over the pita bread. Top with some mint & coriander. Add ketchup or hot sauce if required. Roll and enjoy. 🙂

Sandwiches are a popular type of lunch food, taken to work, school, or picnics to be eaten as part of a packed lunch. Sandwiches are loved by all.

A basic tuna sandwich requires no cooking at all. But this one, is a little different. It’s sautéed along with onions and flavored with chilli and tomato paste. Turns out tasting a lot like tandoori. 😉 😀

Ingredients:

Tuna – 2 tbsp
Oil – 2 tbsp
Onion – 1/2 (finely chopped)
Garlic paste – 1 tsp
Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Tomato paste – 1 tbsp
Cucumber – 1/2 (finely chopped)
Mayonnaise – 1 tsp ( heaped)
Salt – as per taste

Step 1: Heat some oil in a pan. Add onions and saute until translucent.

Step 2: Mix in the garlic paste, tomato paste and chilli powder. Cook for about a minute or two.

Step 3: Tip in the tuna and turn off flame after another minute of heating.

Step 4: Toss in the cucumber and mayonnaise. Mix well. Add salt to taste.

Step 5: Spread over bread.

Enjoy your generously spread spicy tuna sandwich. 🙂 😀

Amla, aka Indian Gooseberry is one fruit that packs many health benefits into a really small package.  This humble fruit is known to be a rich source of vitamin C. It contains anti-oxidants, fibre and minerals like calcium and phosphorus, which help improve immunity, protect your heart, improve skin health, control diabetes and its complications, eliminate toxins, improve digestion; The list goes on.

One of several ways to include them in your diet, is in a pickled form. Those like me, who do not like it in its raw, sour and pungent form, can go ahead and pickle them using the following recipe.

Ingredients:

Amla / Indian Gooseberry – 20  (Go ahead and add as many as you want. 🙂 )
Salt – as required
Green chillies – 5 (adjust as per taste)

Step 1: Drop all the ingredients into a large jar. Fill with water.

Step 2: Consume after 3 days. 🙂