Easy Rice Pudding Recipe!! (Kheer)

Rice pudding (Kheer) is a very popular dessert severed in Nepali cuisine. It is served in almost every occasions and fiestas. Sweet and smooth in texture, this dish provides what I call “a good feeling flavor” to your taste buds after eating spicy Nepali foods. As good as it tastes, it is also extremely easy to make. There might be other fancy ways to make this dessert but what I have come up with is a simple, sweet and effortless method to prepare this delicacy. So, here is the recipe for you to try:

Yummmm...! 

Prep time: 2min(s) Cook time: 30min(s) Total time: 32min(s) 

Things you will need:
* Milk (2 liters)
* Rice (little less than 1 cup)
* Coconut (Thinly Shredded/ sliced, 2 table spoons)
* Cashews (2 table spoons, halved)
* Raisins (2 table spoons)
* Ghee (1/2 cup)
* Cardamom (1 and 1/2 table spoon)
* Sugar (according to your taste)
* Cloves (5)

Directions:
1. On a deep cooking utensil, heat ghee and add all of the mentioned dried fruits except Cardamom (if you have freshly grounded ones then go ahead and fry it as well. If powder, then wait). Fry it until golden brown. Be careful, dried fruits burn really quick.
2. Add milk and after this add sugar and rice. Stir everything and add Cardamom.
3. Cook everything on a medium heat and make sure to stir periodically.
4. Throughout the cooking process the quantity of milk reduces and with rice, it becomes thick in texture.
5. Once rice is cooked and when the mixture becomes gravy like consistency, it’s ready.
6. Serve hot/ refrigerate it for an hour and RELISH :) Also, click here for Vermicelli Pudding.

Kwati (Nepali Beans/Himalayan Soup)!!

Kwati is a very popular Nepali soup prepared especially on the day of Janai Purnima. Kwati is extremely delicious and contains several kinds of beans. With beans, people also include meat on this recipe but I prefer vegetarian version. Kwati is known to be a healthy food. They say that it cures cold, cough and is one of the best foods for women in their maternity leave. Since, it contains varieties of beans, this recipe is loaded with proteins and thus helps weak/sick people to regain their energy.

Health benefits aside, I love this dish because it is yummm and extremely easy to make. There are various ways of making this dish and here is the way I do: 

Prep time: 2min(s) Cook time: 20min(s) Total time: 22min(s) 

Things you will need:

• Mixed Beans packet (3 cups; I got mine from a local grocery store. If you have varieties of beans then go ahead and mix them)
• Ghee (2-3 table spoons)
• Juano (Ajwain Lovage Seeds; 2 table spoons)
• Salt (according to taste)
• Turmeric (2 tea spoons)
• Oil (2 tea spoons)
• Ginger (2 table spoons)

Directions: 

1. Soak beans overnight in a large bowl. Next day, clean beans throughly in water. Drain all of the excess water and cover the beans and let it be for 2 days until it sprouts
2. Once you see beautiful sprouts, wash it again but be very gentle this time 
3. Put beans on a pressure cooker and add water (Please refer to the picture above for you to measure water quantity)
4. Add salt, oil, and turmeric and cook it on a medium heat until the cooker whistles thrice 
5. After this, heat a pan and add ghee. Once ghee is heated add juano and cook it until it becomes brownish black
6. Pour ghee and juano over the beans (Be careful while doing this!). Also, add ginger paste
7. Stir and Serve :) too simple isn't it? :) 

Mixed Achar!!

After chukauni, this is another kind of achar in Nepali cuisine, which is so simple to make and yet really tasty. Whenever, I don't feel like cooking and want something fast and simple, I tend to prepare this dish. It goes with almost everything, such as flattened rice, rice and bread. Sour and creamy in texture, and crunchiness from various vegetables on this dish helps to elevate taste of any other dishes you combine with.  So, if today is one of those lazy days for you then follow these simple steps below to take yourself to the world of yumminess :D
  

Yummmm!!!

Prep time: 10mins(s) Cook time: 5min(s) Total time: 15min(s)

Things you will need: 

• Potato (1 large, boiled/microwaved and cut it in cube sizes)
• Onion (1 small, finely sliced)
• Green chilies (2-3, finely chopped)
• Carrot (1, thinly sliced)
• Cucumber (1/2 thinly sliced)
• Sesame seeds (1/2 cup)
• Red chili powder ( 1 table spoon)
• Cumin-Coriander powder (1/2 table spoon)
• Turmeric powder (2 tea spoons)
• Salt (according to your taste)
• Fenugreek seeds (1 tea spoon)
• Oil (4-5, table spoons)
• Lime juice (2-3 table spoons)

Directions: 

1. On a large bowl place the vegetables and add all of the above mentioned spices except oil, fenugreek and sesame
2. Roast sesame seeds until golden brown and ground it until it becomes powder like consistency
3. Add ground sesame on top of everything
4. Heat oil and fry fenugreek seeds until brownish black and pour it over the vegetables and spices 
5. Add lime juice and give everything a good mix. Also add 2-3 table spoons of water and mix to give achar good texture 
6. Garnish with cilantro and have fun :D

Nepali Style Chicken Curry Version 1 (Gravy) Recipe !!

I am very picky when it comes to meat. I will eat meat only if the flavors are nicely put through both inside and out. It hasn't been that long enough since I learned preparing meat dishes. I had to cook several times, call my mum hundreds of times and go through various recipes crazy amount of times to finally understand the ways of preparing flavorful delicious meat dishes. Not just delicious meat recipes, I was also able to learn how simple it is to cook meat dishes. If you have lots of patience and are not afraid of spices, You Got It!! Below is the recipe for Nepali style chicken curry and I use same techniques for almost every kind of meat. Enjoy :) Also, click here for Nepali Style Chicken Roast recipe , Click here for Kukhura ko Jhol Masu Recipe, and click here for authentic Nepali Style Ajwain Chicken Curry recipe.

Voila! Yumtastic :D

Prep time: 5mins(s) Cook time: 30min(s) Total time: 35min(s)

Things you will need:

• Chicken (2-3 lbs, breast/thighs)
• Large oninon (1) 
• Serrano pepper (1)
• Cinnamon leaves (2)
• Cumin seeds (1tea spoon)
• Cloves (2-3)
• Mustard seeds (1 tea spoon)
• Fenugreek seeds (1 tea spoon)
• Turmeric powder (2 tea spoons)
• Salt (according to your taste)
• Ginger-garlic paste (3 table spoons)
• Cumin-corriander powder (2 table spoons)
• Chicken curry masala (2 table spoons)
• Oil (Half cup)
• Tomatoes (2, medium sized)
• Cilantro to garnish (5-6 strands)

Directions:

1. Heat the oil and fry Cinnamon leaves, Cumin, Cloves, Mustard and Fenugreek seeds.
2. Once they are brownish black, add onions and Serrano pepper. Fry unitl golden brown.
3. Add chicken, salt and turmeric. Fry until it becomes slightly crispy/golden brown.
4. Add Ginger-garlic paste, Cumin-corriander powder, Chicken curry masala and Tomatoes. Do NOT stir, just cover and cook for 5 minutes on a medium heat.
5. By this time, tomatoes should melt and the mixture should become gravy in texture. Stir and cook chicken for another 5-10 minutes on a medium heat.
6. Done!! Garnish with Cilantro and enjoy it with rice/flattened rice :)      

Easy MOMO Achar (Requested Recipe)!!

Click HERE for MOMO recipe. MOMO is always served with some kind of achar. Good MOMO becomes best when served with a dipping sauce. Following is the recipe and the way I like my MOMO achar to be: Simple, fast and yet delicious!! :D Also,Click Here for Spicy (Piro) Momo Achar Recipe.

Smooth Yum :)

Prep time: 5min(s) Cook time:15min(s) Total time: 23min(s) Blend time: 3min(s)

Things you will need: 

• Medium sized tomatoes (4)
• Medium sized onion (1)
• Ginger-Garlic paste (1 table spoon)
• Cilantro (4-5 strands)
• Serrano pepper (1)
• Red chili powder (1 table spoon)
• Cumin-Coriander powder (1 table spoon)
• Oil (4 table spoons)
• Turmeric powder (2 tea spoons)

Note: You can combine roasted sesame or poppy seeds in this recipe. The reason I do not include is because I do not find ANY difference in the taste. Also this way, blending is much easier and faster.

Directions:

1. Heat oil and fry onion until it is slightly brown in color. Add Serrano pepper and cook it for a minute
2. Add tomatoes and all of the ingredients mentioned above except cilantro
3. Cook it until it becomes curry like consistency
4. Add cilantro and stir it 2-3 times
5. Blend everything in a Blender
6. DONE. Enjoy with MOMO :)

MOMO Addiction!!

MOMO (Nepali Dumpling) is the most popular Nepali dish. With, Mt.Everest and Lord Buddha, MOMO is another statement that symbolizes Nepal. It is extremely popular both in Nepal and in the world. MOMO is the best because it is easy, gathering friendly, and most importantly addictively delicious. People have their own ways of making this delicacy. And here are the techniques I follow:

MMM... :)

Prep time: 45min(s) Cook time:15min(s) Total time: 60min(s)

Things you will need:

• 1 ground chicken/pork/beef packet (I used chicken)
• 1 packet all purpose flour wraps 
• 1 medium sized onion finely chopped
• Ginger-Garlic Paste (2 table spoons)
• Half cup shredded cheese (Any shredded cheese will work)
• 3 table spoon soy sauce
• Chicken curry masala (2 table spoons)
• Cumin-coriander powder (2 table spoons)
• Red chili powder (1 table spoon)
• 3 table spoon oil
• 7-8 strands of cilantro  finely chopped
• Salt (according to your taste and make sure to reduce the quantity here because soy sauce is salty as well)

Directions:
1. On a large bowl put ground meat. 
2. After this, add onion, cheese, soy sauce, ginger-garlic paste, chicken curry masala, cumin-coriander   powder,red chili powder, oil, cilantro, and salt.
3. Mix everything together. And keep the mixture aside.
4. Make your steamer ready (Keep water to boil (on high heat) and in the meanwhile glaze steamer with oil to prevent MOMO from sticking)
5. Start wrapping. Make whatever shapes you like. By this time water should be boiling. Put steamers with wrapped MOMOs on top of the boiling water.
6. MOMO usually takes 10-15 minutes to be done but you can tell just by looking at the consistency. MOMOs turn transparent when cooked.
7. DONE!! Enjoy it with any kind of Dip (like Ketchup). Or Click here for yummy MOMO Achar Recipe.

Note: if you do not have a steamer. Refer to this link after step 3.

Tama Aloo (Bamboo Shoots) Curry!!

Bamboo Shoots (Tama in Nepali) used for food purposes are young new canes harvested before they are two weeks old or one-foot tall. Fresh bamboo shoots are crisp and tender, comparable to asparagus in taste. They are mainly popular in Asia and are often found in Asian cuisines.
In Nepal, bamboo shoot usually is cooked in a curry form with potato and beans. Tama curry is extremely popular and is one of my favorite dishes. In fact, I was very surprised and happy at the same time to find it here in the United States. Each person has his/her own ways of cooking Tama and below is the way I fix it:

Final Result:  Yumtastic :D

Prep time: 5min(s) Cook time:15min(s) Total time: 20min(s)

Things you will need:
* Bamboo Shoots (2-3 cups)
* Potatoes (2: boiled or microwaved)
* 1 Serrano pepper
* Schezwan pepper (2 table spoons)
* Coriander-cumin powder (2 table spoons)
* Ginger-garlic paste (2 table spoons)
* Salt (according to your taste)
* Red chili powder (1 table spoon)
* Peas (2 cups)
* Medium sized onion (1: finely chopped)
* Cilantro (4-5 strands) to garnish
* Turmeric powder (1 tea spoon)
* Fenugreek seeds (1 tea spoon)
* Oil (3 table spoons)

Directions:
1. Heat oil on a pan and add fenugreek seeds
2. After the seeds are brownish black add chopped onion
3. Once onion is golden brown add peas/ black-eyed beans
4. Stir and cook for 2-3 minutes
5. Add tomatoes and all of the spices mentioned above
6. Cook the mixture for 3 minutes and add potatoes. Stir everything once and cook for additional 2-3 minutes. Make sure to cover.
7. Now add 4-6 cups of water and Tama (bamboo shoots)
8. Cover and cook for 10 more minutes until the mixture becomes gravy in consistency.
9. Garnish with finely chopped cilantro and Enjoy :)

Chicken Fried Rice!!

Leftovers can become everyday thing with only two people living together. For us, it is mostly rice! I do not know about you guys but for me, I prefer my rice to be newly cooked. Leftover rice usually lack moisture and taste when compared to freshly cooked ones.
I dislike eating leftovers but at the same time, I do not like to waste my food. So, I try to combine different flavors in order to make the food fresh again. Doing this will not only save your food from being wasted, it will also give you an opportunity to delight yourself with a delicious meal for the day. There are several techniques to bring back freshness in leftovers and here is one of them: 

YUMM!! :)

Prep time: 5min(s) Cook time:30min(s) Total time: 35min(s)

Things you will need:

•  Leftover boiled rice
• 1/2 lbs chicken (cut in small pieces)
• 1 carrot (thinly sliced)
• 1 cup peas
• 1 medium sized onion (thinly sliced) 
• Garlic (5 cloves)
• Green beans (5-6: thinly sliced)
•  Green bell  pepper/Capsicum (thinly sliced)
•  Oil (half cup)
• Green onion (2-3 strands)
• Serrano pepper (1)
• Cilantro (2-3 strands to garnish)
•  Soy sauce (3 table spoons)
• Salt (according to your taste)
• Red chili powder (1 table spoon)
• Coriander-Cumin powder (1 table spoon)
• Chicken Curry Masala (1 table spoon: optional)

       Note: You can use any kind of mixed vegetables.

      

      Directions:

          1. Heat the pan and add oil

          2. Add chicken and soy sauce. Cook until the chicken look red and crispy

          3. Add vegetables and spices

          4. Give everything a good mix and cook it on a medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Make sure to stir everything couple of times during this period
         5.  Add boiled rice and mix it well. Cover and cook for 5 more minutes

          6. Transfer fried rice on a plate and garnish with cilantro

          7. MMM!! Literally, make this sound while you eat ;)

Chicken Choila (Requested Recipe)

Choila is a very popular dish in Nepal. It is mainly served as an appetizer course and is admired if served with local booze. Choila is served in almost every restaurant and is prepared in many households. I never was fond of choila until I discovered this way of making it. Back in Nepal, choila usually is made from boiled meat (at least what I have seen). And that is why it used to be my least favorite dish, however nowadays, it is one of my favorites :) I am very picky when it comes to meat. Those who are like me will enjoy this recipe and of course those who love meat whatsoever will love it as well :) Also, click here for Vegertarian Choila recipe. Here you go:

Voila! Choila Perfection <:-p 

Prep time: 30 min(s) Cook time: 10 min(s) Total time: 40 min(s)

Things you will need:

• Fresh chicken breast (2.5 lbs)
• Ginger-Garlic Paste (3 table spoons)
• Cumin-Corriander powder (2 table spoons)
• Chicken Curry Masala (1 table spoon)
• Turmeric powder (2 tea spoons)
• Red chili powder (1 table spoon)
• Salt (according to your taste)
• Oil (2-3 table spoons)
• Szechuan pepper (3 table spoons)
• Medium sized ginger (finely sliced)
• Garlic (9-10 cloves, finely sliced)
• 1 medium sized onion
• 1 Serrano pepper
• Tomatoes (4 medium sized, boiled or microwaved)

Directions:

1. Grill chicken breast; OR:  Slightly boil chicken breast until it becomes white. Cut breast in long slices and slide it inside the oven. Make sure to preheat the oven for 20 minutes at 450 degrees. Bake chicken for 20 minutes and after this, broil it for 10 minutes. By this time, chicken should be ready for choila.
2. Cut chicken breast or you can simply tear them in sizes you like and put it in a big bowl to make the mixture
3. Add all of the above mentioned ingredients except tomatoes and oil
4. Add tomatoes (after peeling) and oil on top of other ingredients and give everything a good mix
5. DONE! Simple as that :D