non veg recipe - mutton pulao

Ingredients:

1. 500g basmathi rice
2. 500g mutton
3. 100g onions,thinly sliced
4. ½ tsp cumin seeds
5. 1 stick cinnamon
6. 2 bay leaves
7. 4 green cardamoms crushed
8. 4 cloves
9. 2 black cardamoms crushed
10. 6-8 peppercorns
11. 1tsp red chilli powder
12. 1tsp garam masala powder
13. ¼ tsp turmeric powder
14. 650 ml water
15. 2 tbsp oil
16. salt to taste
    

Method:

1. Wash and soak the rice for half an hour. Drain the rice and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a 2 litre deep dish on 100%power for 40 secs. Add the whole spices and microwave on 100% power for 35 sec.
3. add onions & microwave on 100%power for 3:30 mins
4. Add the rice salt spices mutton pcs and water. Mix and microwave partially covered, on 100%power for 15 mins.
5. Allow to stand, covered for 8 mins before serving. Garnish with tomato pieces and coriander leaves.

Cake recipe - Chocolate sponge cake

Ingredients:

1. 170g plain flour
2. 170g castor sugar
3. 175g white butter.
4. 1.5 tsp baking powder
5. 1 tsp chocolate/vanilla essence
6. 3 eggs
7. 30g cocoa powder
8. 50 ml milk
9. 1 tbsp dark rum (if reqd)

Method:

1. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs 1 at a time.

2. Beat it well after each addition

3. Sieve together the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder. Gently fold in the flour mixture, rum and milk alternately. Add the essence and fold gently.

4. Pour the batter into a 1 litre medium dish lined with butter paper and microwave on 100% power for 4:35 min. till the top feels jus firm.

5. Allow the cake to stand for 9-10 min in the oven before turning onto a wire rack to cool.

6. Cool the cake completely, before cutting into slices. Store in an airtight container to prevent it from drying up.

sweet recipe - Basundi

Ingredients:

1. 500ml full cream milk.
2. 150g khoya
3. 150g castor sugar
4. 1 tsp green cardamom powder
5. ½ tsp kewra essence
6. 15 almonds chopped
7. 15 cashew nuts, chopped
8. a pinch of saffron

Method:

1. Boil milk in a 1.5 litre dish at 100%power for 3 mins. Reduce power level to 80% and microwave further for 10:00 mins. Stir it twice during cooking.

2. Add khoya and microwave at 80% for 5:25 mins.

3. Stir 3 times during cooking.

4. Add sugar, cardamom powder, kewra essence and saffron dissolved in a little lukewarm milk. Stir it till sugar is completely dissolved.

5. Garnish with the chopped nuts. Serve chilled.

The forbidden kingdom - movie i enjoyed

Jackie chan and jet li have joined together to make the forbidden kingdom a success. The movie had a great opening in china as well as the international market. The story is about a kid who is interested in Chinese martial arts, is selected to return the staff and release the monkey king. The characterization of the monkey king(jet li) is different and enjoyable. The most important plus of the movie is the stunts! A dual between jet li and jackie is appreciable. Both the kung fu kings have exhibited their talents with ease.

Considering the minuses of the movie, there isn't strong storyline to think about. The movie is purely to enjoy and there is not much details to keep up with the story. The background score also does not go well with the scenes.
On the whole movie is to enjoy with even emotions to play.

SEVEN - the movie review

The most favorite movie i have ever seen is Seven! Brad pitt has done an excellent job. Not to leave out the performance of morgan freeman, the veteran actor has shown all the diagonals of acting. The story is about tracking a serial killer who wants to show the society the negligence of sins made by the people.Kevin spacey plays the role of the serial killer (john doe). The killer chooses his victims based on the seven deadly sins - greed,gluttony,sloth,wrath,pride,envy and lust. The appearance of the killer at the end of the story is a completely different move by the director,David fincher. Morgan freeman guides the new officer brad pitt and the conversations between the both are appreciable. The background score of the movie is quite supporting to the story line and is limited. Darius khondji,the director of photography has done a splendid job with his camera and it is a feast to the audience. Gary wissner the art director is an added advantage to the movie. Even the names chosen were attractive like david mills, somerset, john doe. On the whole this movie showed a new dimension of cinema.

sri

veg recipe - palak paneer

Ingredients

Spinach - 500 gms

Onions - 5 medium sized

Garlic - 2-3 flakes

Cooking oil - 6-7 tbsps

Cummin seeds - 1 tbsp

Paneer - 150-200 gms

Salt to taste

Garam Masala, Geera Powder, Chilli Powder

Method

1.Cook the spinach in water.

2.Drain the water and then make puree of the spinach leaves.

3.Cut 4 of the onions finely and saute them till transparent.

4.Grind the other onion and the garlic flakes to a fine paste.

5.Add this paste to the sauted onions. Also add the puree and the spice

powders. Add some water if necessary.

6.Let boil for a minute or two.

7.Cut the paneer to cubes of desired size (preferably not too small). Fry

this in oil till golden brown,

8.Add this paneer to the prepared palak.

9.Serve hot with rice or rotis.

veg recipe - Mix veg curry

Ingredients

1 cup mixed vegetables sliced, boiled

(use carrot, cauliflower, beans, peas, potato, etc.)

1 tomato sliced

1/2 coconut grated

1/2 tsp. ginger grated

1/2 tsp. garlic crushed

3 green chillies

1 tbsp. sesame seeds

1/2 tsp. each cumin, mustard seeds

1/2 tsp. red chilli powder

salt to taste

1 tsp.lemon juice

2 cloves

1" piece cinnamon

2 tbsp. butter

Method

1.Drain the boiled vegetables, keep stock aside.

2.Blend together, coconut, chillies, sesame seeds, cinnamon, cloves in mixie.

3.Heat butter, add seeds, allow to splutter.

4.Add ginger, garlic and paste.

5.Stir fry for 3-4 minutes.

6.Add vegetables except tomatoes.

7.Add 1/2 cup stock. Cover, simmer for 5 minutes.

8.Add salt, chilli powder,tomatoes and cook till gravy is thick.

9.Serve hot with parathas or chappatis