Vegetarian: Nepali Style Tofu Fried Rice Recipe!!

Whenever there is a leftover rice, I think of fried rice. I love Chicken Fried Rice (Recipe Here) but had never tried making a vegetarian version. I had bought tofu to make a curry out of it but decided to incorporate it in the fried rice. I just mixed basic mixed vegetables, tofu, and some spices to create this dish. Here you go guys, below is the step by step process to make Nepali Style Tofu Fried Rice :)

Fantastic :x

Prep time: 10min(s) Cook time: 10min(s) Total time: 20min(s)

Things you will need:

• Extra Firm Tofu (1 cup, cut in small cube size)
• Onion (1 medium, finely sliced)
• Red Chilies (2-3)
• Green Peas (1/2 cup)
• Corn (1/2 cup)
• Carrot (1, cleaned and finely chopped)
• Garlic Cloves (3-5)
• Cumin Seeds (1 tea spoon)
• Black Mustard Seeds (1 tea spoon)
• Oil (2 table spoons)
• Ghee/ Butter (1 table spoon)
• Cumin-Coriander Powder (1 table spoon)
• Soy Sauce (1 table Spoon)
• Chili Paste (1 table spoon)
• Timur Powder (1/2 table spoon, optional)
• Steamed Rice (2 cups)
• Salt (3-4 pinches)

Directions:

• Heat oil and fry cumin and mustard seeds until brownish black.
• Add onion, garlic cloves, and red chilies. Fry until golden brown.
• Add all of the remaining ingredients above Except rice and ghee. Give everything a good mix. Make sure to be extremely light handed since Tofu tend to break very easily.
• On a heat between medium to high, fry vegetables for 5-6 minutes. Stir periodically.
• Add rice and ghee. Stir and again be very light handed.
• Cook everything for 4-5 minutes.
• Done!! Serve hot and Enjoy :D

Back to Basics: Nepali Style Okra (Bhindi) Fry Recipe!!

A week ago, I got an email from a reader asking me to post recipe for Nepali Style Okra (Bhindi) Fry. My ultimate goal is to help people and make them realize that cooking is actually fun and anyone can do it. Also, since these days most of us come to foreign land at very young age, there is a minimal chance for us to know recipes of every single dish we crave for. When I was going through the email from my reader who requested this recipe, I felt so glad and at same time was super excited to share this with you all. Here you go guys, below is the recipe for the very basic Nepali Style Okra (Bhindi) Fry :)

Authenticity >:D<

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

Things you will need:

• Okra (1 packet or 10-15 (washed and chopped one inch apart)
• Oil (3 table spoons)
• Cumin seeds (2 tea spoons)
• Ginger-garlic paste (1 table spoon)
• Red Chilies (2-3)
• Turmeric Powder (1 tea spoon)
• Cumin-Coriander Powder (1 table spoons)
• Salt (according to taste but be careful as size of okra tend to reduce when cooked)
• Lime juice (2 table spoons, lime juice helps in removing starch easily)

Directions:

1. Heat oil and fry cumin seeds until brownish black.
2. Add ginger-garlic paste and red chilies. Stir couple of times.
3. Add chopped okra and all of the remaining ingredients above. Stir, cover and cook for 10 minutes. Heat should be in between medium to high and do not forget to stir periodically. 
4. Done. Serve with rice or chapati.

Banana Heart-Potato (Kera ko Bungo) Salad Recipe!!

Banana Heart or Kera ko Bungo is very famous in my hometown in Nepal. I always wondered and admired the taste whenever my mother used to make Achar (salad) out of this. When I saw it on a banana tree for the first time, I was amazed that it was edible. Kera ko Bungo ko Achar is authentic and definitely is one of my favorites. Follow the step by step process to make this delicacy and do not forget to comment below if this recipe reminds you of home >:D<

Authentic :x

Prep time: 10min(s) Cook time: 10min(s) Total time: 20min(s)

Things you will need:

• Banana Heart (1 small size)
• Potato (1 large, boiled, cleaned, peeled and cut in cube size)
• Serrano Pepper/ Green Chilies (3-4, finely chopped)
• Seasame Powder (1 cup)
• Yellow peas (1 and 1/2 cup, soaked overnight)
• Onion (1 medium, finely sliced)
• Fenugreek seeds (2 tea spoons)
• Salt (according to taste)
• Turmeric Powder (1 tea spoon)
• Cumin-Coriander Powder (1 table spoon)
• Red Chili Powder (1 table spoon)
• Oil (5 table spoons)
• Lime Juice (4 table spoons)
• Schezwan Pepper/Timur Powder (1 table spoon, OPTIONAL)
• Water (half cup)

Directions:

1. Put water to boil and in the meantime, peel Banana Heart. Throw away 2-3 outside layers. Separate flowers in between covers (refer to the picture above). Pull out white and longer looking stem from each flower and throw it away as they are harder and difficult to eat (refer to the third picture from top).
2. As you reach to the point where the cover is white, stop peeling and finely slice the banana heart.
3. Add banana heart and 2 pinches of salt to the boiling water. On a heat between medium to high cook banana heart until it breaks easily when touched. 
4. Pan roast soaked yellow peas until it is cooked properly. Taste to verify.
5. On a large bowl, add cooked banana heart, salt, roasted yellow peas, potato, sliced onion, green chilies, timur, sesame, cumin-coriander, red chili, and turmeric powder.
6. Heat oil and fry fenugreek seeds until brownish black. Pour it over to the mixture in step 5.
7. Add lime juice, water and give everything a good mix.
8. Done. Simple yet so delicious :) Also, click links for the recipes of: Cabbage Potato Salad (Achar) and Mixed Vegetable Salad (Achar)

The Luxury: Chicken Burger Recipe :)

These days I have been really busy in moving, packing and getting my new place set up. Therefore, most of the time either I eat out or just cook something that is easy and less time consuming. Last week I made Paneer Lettuce Wrap (Recipe Here), which was so yummy and addictively delicious. And this week something similar when it comes to effort, I made a Chicken Burger :) As I was incorporating various ingredients I ended up with this yummiest burger I have ever ate. Better than the restaurant burgers for sure :D Here you go guys, another episode of easy fixing.

Fantastic =D>

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

Things you will need:

• Buns (2-3, Any kind)
• Chicken Breast Strips (4-8, depends on how many burgers you are making. I used 4 strips per burger)
• Shredded Cheese (Any, 3 table spoons)
• Mustard Sauce (1 tea spoon)
• Avocado (2, cleaned and pealed)
• Tomato (1 medium sized, finely chopped)
• Green Chilies (2-3, finely chopped)
• Onion (1 large, half finely chopped and the other half finely sliced)
• Portobello Mushrooms (9-10, cleaned and finely sliced)
• Soy sauce (2 table spoons)
• Salt (2 pinches)
• Lime juice (2 table spoons)
• Oil (1 table spoon)
• Frisee Greens (9-10 strands, cleaned and halved. Note: Lettuce can be a substitute)

Directions:

1. Heat oil and add mushrooms, onion, soy sauce. Fry on a high heat until water from the vegetables dry completely. Make sure to stir periodically.
2. On a larger bowl, combine avocado, chopped onion, green chilies, chopped tomatoes, salt, and lime juice. Mix well and Guacamole is ready.
3. On another large bowl add frisee and mustard. Mix well.
4. Place buns on a plate and sprinkle cheese on inner side of both top and bottom part. Microwave for 2 minutes until cheese melt slightly.
5. On top of the bun after step 4, add  chicken stripes, vegetables from step 1, frisee salad from step 3, and lastly guacamole from step 2.
6. Close the lid and enjoy the deliciousness @-)

Food Experiment: Paneer (Cottage Cheese) Lettuce Wrap Recipe!!

Today I tried something different in my kitchen. I was basically experimenting new recipe. I love regular Chicken Lettuce Wrap (Recipe Here), and wanted to create a Vegetarian version as well. I could not think anything better than Paneer (Cottage Cheese). I included random vegetables available in my freezer as well as topped everything with yummy and spicy tomato-onion salsa. The outcome was amazing and I am definitely going to make this dish always. Here you go guys, enjoy this easy yet extremely yummy Paneer Lettuce Wrap :)

Dancing Tummy \:D/

Prep time: 10min(s) Cook time: 10min(s) Total time: 20min(s)

Things you will need:

• Lettuce (any kind, one small, cleaned and leaves seperated)
• Paneer/Cottage Cheese (14 oz packet, nicely minced)
• Corn (2 cups)
• Green Peas (2 cups)
• Onion (1 large size,  half finely chopped and half finely sliced)
• Tomatoes (2 small finely chopped)
• Serrano Pepper/ Green Chilies (2-3, finely chopped)
• Cilantro (9-10 strands, finely chopped)
• Portobello Mushrooms (7-10, finely sliced)
• Salt (according to taste)
• Oil (3 table spoons)
• Soy sauce (2 table spoons)
• Cumin-Coriander powder (2 tea spoons)
• Sriracha Sauce (2 table spoons)
• Lime juice (3 table spoons)
• Cucumber (1/2, finely chopped)

Directions:

1. Heat 1 table spoon of  oil and add minced paneer and cumin-coriander powder. Fry until slightly red and crispy. Take out fried minced paneer and put it aside.
2. After step 1, heat another table spoon of oil and add mushroom-sliced onion and soy sauce. Fry until golden brown. Take out mushroom-onion and put it aside.
3. Now on the same pan heat oil and add corn and green peas.  Sprinkle salt. On a high heat fry until red and crispy.
4. On a large bowl, add chopped onion, tomato, cilantro, lime juice, green chilies, and sriracha sauce. Mix well.
5. On a lettuce leaf, add fried paneer first, add corn-green peas, mushroom-onion, and tomato-onion salad at the end. I also added some chopped cucumber.
6. Wrap it up and enjoy the deliciousness :-"