RECIPE: Chicken Pulao

Many readers tell me that reading BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD makes them hungry, so here's a hearty Indian meal that's quick and easy and oh so delicious.

My mum has cooked a version of chicken pulao for years as a quick, easy meal. 

But I didn't know how easy it actually was until I made it this weekend.

Great for dinner parties, as you can take the entire pot!

I liked this version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_AW0RTKOmc then tweaked it to create my own version.

Here are my ingredients:

-roughly 1kg chicken thigh fillets, chopped into smallish pieces

-5 tablespoons yoghurt

-big handful chopped mint and chopped coriander

-1 tbspn chilli powder

-1 tbspn turmeric

-4cm knob ginger

-4 garlic cloves

-1 tsp salt

(these ingredients form the marinade.)

-8 cloves

-8 cardamom pods

-1 onion

-3 cups basmati rice

-5 cups water

 This shows the herb/spice mix before I put the chicken in.

(Make the ginger/garlic into a paste.)

This shows after I added the chicken and mixed.

METHOD:

Let the chicken marinate for 1 hour in the yoghurt, herbs, spices, salt, garlic, ginger.

Rinse and soak the rice for the same, then drain.

In a pot, heat oil (or ghee), enough to coat the bottom.

Fry cloves and cardamom until fragrant.

Add onion and fry until translucent.

Add chicken and fry for several minutes, stirring constantly. 

Add rice and fry, ensuring every grain is coated with the marinade. (Frying the rice will ensure it's fluffy at the end.)

Add 5 cups of water, cover and simmer on low until cooked (usually 20-30 minutes.)

This is the finished product.

Delish!

Can be served with raita for added zing but yummy on its own.

Vegetarian recipe

I made yummy aloo tikkis (Indian potato patties) over the weekend and have had requests for the recipe.

So here it is.
This is my version, with additions and tweaks from a book.

ALOO TIKKI

4 potatoes
Small piece of pumpkin
1 cup peas
1/2 red onion, diced
3cm piece of ginger, grated
1 tspn tumeric powder
1 tspn cumin powder
1 tspm coriander powder
1 tspn garam masala
3 tbspns besan (chickpea) flour
2 tbspn lemon juice
handful of chopped mint
10 chopped curry leaves
Salt to taste

Steam the potatoes and pumpkin, mash.
Add peas.

Add oil to small pan and fry the onion until tender, add ginger and spices, fry for 1 minute.
Add to potato & peas with besan flour, herbs, lemon juice and salt to taste.

Divide into balls and flatten into patties.

Shallow fry in batches until crisp and golden brown.

Serve hot or cold.

Enjoy!

RECIPE: Peppermint choc slice

This is a firm favourite in my family, for taste and ease of making it!

You can substitute any chocolate block for flavour: I initially made it as a Caramello Slice, but we prefer mint.

It's delish!

INGREDIENTS

1 packet Marie biscuits
1 tin sweetened condensed milk
125mg butter
220g mint chocolate block
1 Peppermint Crisp

METHOD

Crush the Marie biscuits to a rough crumb texture. (My kids enjoy bashing them with a rolling pin or wooden spoon with the biscuits in a large resealable plastic bag.)
Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave, using 30 second bursts.
Mix the biscuit crumbs, condensed milk, butter and melted chocolate.
Press into a rectangular tin lined with baking paper.
Crush the Peppermint Crisp and sprinkle on top.
Refrigerate.

That's it!
Incredibly easy and very, very yummy!
Enjoy.

Christmas recipe

I've had several requests across social media sites for my ice cream pudding recipe, so I'm going to post here.
Wish I had a picture to go with it but once unveiled it usually doesn't last that long!
Though I'm definitely going to take a pic this year.

I've had many variations of this and have experimented myself.
This is the version we seem to like best.

INGREDIENTS:

2 litres good quality vanilla ice cream
1 410g jar fruit mince
2 Violet Crumbles
150g frozen cherries
150g frozen strawberries
Fresh strawberries, cherries, blueberries

METHOD:

Allow the ice cream to soften until a good stirring mix-through is possible.
Add the fruit mince (depending on taste, I add about 390 g, leaving a little in the jar, otherwise the kids find it too strong.)
Crush 1 Violet Crumble and add to ice cream.
Add the frozen strawberries and cherries.
Mix thoroughly.

Line a 2 litre bowl with cling wrap.
Spoon ice cream mixture into bowl and cover.
Freeze.

For serving, remove lid, invert onto serving platter, remove cling wrap.

Crush 1 Violet Crumble and sprinkle on top.
Decorate with a skirt of fresh berries.
(can also add berries on top if desired instead of chocolate. Or both!)

Enjoy!

I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you all a merry Christmas and happy holidays.

Stay safe, healthy and eat lots!

Confessions in Bollywood

For something a little different today, I'm not being interviewed about BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD.
Shari, the main character, is!

Also featuring the last BOLLY-BITE for 2011, delicious vegetable pakoras.
A fantastic party snack and a great way to get kids to eat veggies.

Check out CONFESSIONS OF A VI3TBABE for the lowdown.

And it's the last day to win 3 copies of my upcoming release right here on this blog!

Totally Bookalicious

More BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD print copies up for grabs.

Check out my kulfi (amazing Indian icecream!) recipe and fab review at TOTALLY BOOKALICIOUS.

Also another interview and giveaway at SUGARBEAT'S BOOKS.

Don't forget the 3 book giveaway in the blog hop below!

Love, Romance, Passion

Today I'm over at LOVE ROMANCE PASSION with another BOLLY-BITE recipe, for delicious carrot halwa (a rich, decadent sweet that's actually good for you!)

Romance Junkies

Today I'm over at ROMANCE JUNKIES with another delicious Bolly-Bites, Baigan Bharta (spicy, smoked eggplant.)

This dish is so tasty, I defy any non-veg eaters not to like it!

Romance Book Paradise

Today I'm visiting Romance Book Paradise where the BOLLY-BITE of the day is idlis (steamed rice cakes.)

Come visit.

SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY: Busted in Bollywood

It's that time of the week again, SIX SENTENCE SUNDAY.

With BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD now released in print and e-book form, I can divulge Shari and Drew have faced many obstacles to get to this point.

“I like the way you think,” I whispered, as his hands and mouth played me like an instrument. 

A well-used, much-practised, finely tuned instrument that sang the more he played.

I sang—boy, did I sing. Beyonce, Pink, and Lady Gaga had nothing on me.

Drew had me coming back for encore after encore.

All night long.

For more Six Sundays, check here.

(Don't forget my Booklover's Giveaway below.  And today I'm over at Kerrin Hearfield's blog with another fabulous Indian recipe taken from BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD. Easy, delicious masala chai.)

Fresh Fiction, Fresh Food!

Today I continue my BOLLY-BITES over at Fresh Fiction where I give you a recipe for delicious Aloo Tikki.
It's a great finger food for parties and kids will love it too!
(and yes, giving away another copy of BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD)

Also giving away 4 books in the BOOKLOVERS' HOP below.

Lastly, giving away 2 copies of my upcoming release WHO WANTS TO MARRY A MILLIONAIRE? on Goodreads.

Christmas is coming so it's only fair you get the goodies!

BOLLY-BITES recipe 2: lassi

Today I'm all over the place:

SISTERHOOD OF THE JAUNTY QUILLS (thanks to Kristan Higgins for inviting me to blog!) where I share my next Bolly-Bites recipe, for refreshing lassi (best summer drink ever!)

ROMANCE WRITERS OF AUSTRALIA

I AM A READER NOT A WRITER

Come and leave a comment for a chance to win BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD at each stop.

BOLLY-BITES

With the release of BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD two weeks today, I'm giving you a sneak preview at my upcoming blog tour (starting next Tuesday, Nov 29th.)

With 3 weeks of interviews and posts, I wanted to do something a little different...rather than chatting about my book, I'm chatting about the food in my book!

Reviewers who've read BUSTED IN BOLLYWOOD have all commented on the food and as I'm a bit of a foodie fanatic...I'm presenting BOLLY-BITES.

Recipes for dishes taken from the book!

If you love Indian food or just like to experiment with new recipes, this is the blog tour for you!

So to kick it off, here's the recipe for my Lentil Soup (no, it's not in the book but it has distinct Indian flavours...plus my aunt has been regularly hinting on Facebook for the recipe!)
And it's a super easy meal that can be whipped up in less than half an hour, with few ingredients and minimal fuss, win-win!

LENTIL SOUP

INGREDIENTS

few tblspns olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tspn ground cumin
2 tspn ground coriander
1 cup red lentils
400g can diced tomatoes
1 litre vegetable stock
salt to taste
fresh coriander to garnish

METHOD:

Heat oil in large saucepan and fry the onion and garlic over low to medium heat for few minutes. Add cumin and coriander, fry for another minute.
Add the lentils, tomatoes and stock, bring to the boil, then reduce heat and cook until lentils tender (roughly 15 minutes.)
Add salt to taste and coriander to garnish.

This dish is amazingly simple and tastes divine. The consistency of the soup is thick, so if you like it thinner add more water or stock and adjust the seasoning accordingly. Experiment with the amounts of spices (if you like blander, go for 1 tspn cumin and coriander). I love the thickness, it's a meal in itself.
Serve with crunchy bread rolls, yum!
Or as a meal for kiddies spooned over rice.

The next BOLLY-BITE will feature next Tuesday (delicious dahl!) so check back here for tour stops and more recipes.

Ideally, I'd love readers to cook the dishes along with me and post pics on Facebook, Twitter, blogs, wherever, and report back on their culinary success.

So stock up on spices and come cook up a storm!

(and thanks to my fabulous writing buddy and fellow Harlequin Presents author Natalie Anderson for whipping up the Bolly-Bites button for me, love it!)

Special needs kids

This is a great cause so why not grab a cookbook today?

Look out for my spicy scrambled eggs recipe! Best comfort/snack/brunch food ever!