Kids’ Favorites : Crispy Baked Crumb Chicken : Finger-licking Good!! :)

And I’m back again today with another quick and tasty dish which is sure to be on your menu every week starting today. I have been happy these past few days. The reason being my sister and her two lovely kids are in India on vacation and will be coming to Bangalore in a few days. (her hubby couldn’t make it though, “we miss you terribly Acha”) We haven’t met in almost four years!!! I am thrilled. I am just looking forward to getting together and chilling out as a family.

Today’s post is dedicated to them. “This one’s for you Sharon, Sam and Josh. And Chitta is so making this for you Sam and Josh. You sure are going to love it.”

Moving on to the recipe, this is one dish I haven been wanting to share with all of you for so long. A classic example of how junk can be made healthy too!

Crispy Fried Chicken – a classic kids’ favorite. We have all had it at some point of our lives. (leave alone my vegetarian friends of course) So many fast food chains sell these like hotcakes. However what I do not like is all that oil that goes into deep frying. And also these frozen stuff coated in something that is supposed to be breadcrumbs. There certainly is a way to optimize this favorite to a healthier meal. So how did I do that? I BAKED the crumb coated chicken! And the end-result is soft, succulent, flavorful chicken with a lovely golden and crunchy coating on the outside. Yes my friends say good-bye to deep frying and a warm welcome to baking good old crispy chicken! Served with a side of freshly prepared coleslaw, oh this meal is heavenly!!! This recipe is a tweaked version of my good friend's Southern Fried Chicken which is a delicious crispy fried chicken dish. I have made it a healthier dish which can be made very often for the whole family and also have used different herbs and spices to suit our palate.

So, as the season is just perfect to munch away on some crispy chicken I leave you with this amazing recipe of juicy, flavorful and crunchy chicken which is baked and is finger-licking good! Sooooo Good!!! Your kids will absolutely love this dish. My one and a half year old daughter devours this in minutes. :) Enjoy

Ingredients

800 grams Chicken (on the bone); cut into medium size pieces

2 Eggs

3 tablespoons of Milk

Refined oil

Ingredients for the Dry Spice Rub

1 tablespoon Paprika or Kashmiri Chili powder (adjust as per spice tolerance)

1 teaspoon Cracked Pepper (adjust as per spice tolerance)

1 tablespoon Garlic powder or 6 to 7 cloves of freshly crushed Garlic

1 tablespoon Onion powder (optional)

Salt; to taste

Ingredients for the Seasoned Crumbs

1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups of Plain Flour

1 cup Breadcrumbs

1 cup Corn Flakes; coarsely crushed

1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of Garlic powder (if you don’t have garlic powder leave out this ingredient)

1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of Onion powder (optional)

1 tablespoon Paprika or Kashmiri Chili powder (add more if you like it nice and spicy)

1 teaspoon Pepper (adjust as per spice tolerance)

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of Dried Rosemary

Salt; to taste

Method

Wash and clean the chicken and pat dry with a kitchen towel to absorb all moisture. Make deep gashes on each piece and marinate it with the ingredients listed under “Ingredients for the Dry Spice Rub”. Keep aside for at least an hour.

Take a large mixing bowl and mix together all ingredients listed under “Ingredients for the Seasoned Crumbs”. Make sure to mix through well so that all the ingredients are combined evenly. Keep aside.

Take another bowl and beat together the eggs and milk. Keep aside.

Preheat oven at 180 degree Celsius.

Drench the marinated chicken pieces one by one in the egg and milk mixture and coat well with seasoned crumb mix. Give it a little pat and a shake to hold the crust together and repeat the same procedure (dipping and coating with seasoned crumb mix) a second time. Arrange the crumb coated chicken pieces on a greased baking tray.

Drizzle a little oil on each piece of chicken and bake in the oven. Bake for five to seven minutes at 200 degree Celsius and then turn down the heat back to 180 degree Celsius and bake for fifteen minutes.

After fifteen minutes, take out the baking tray with the chicken and drizzle some more oil on each piece. This step is crucial to avoid drying of the chicken. It helps to keep the chicken moist and succulent. Once some more oil has gone onto each piece of chicken, place the tray back in the oven and bake till you get a nice golden crispy crust on the outside and the meat is juicy and cooked through.

Serve this Crispy Baked Crumb Chicken which has rested for a minute or two with some deliciously Creamy Cabbage and Carrot Coleslaw.

Recipe adapted from : The Perfect Southern Fried Chicken by Amritha Shivakumar of Cucumbertown

Savory Loaf Cakes: Cheese, Cashewnut and Bell Pepper Cake

Ever since I started watching Rachel Khoo’s television show, I have been going somewhat mad on trying out a few of her recipes. This particular recipe really stuck in my head and I just had to make it the next day. This loaf cake is really nice and what really gets me all zinged are the various savory variations.

Savory cakes are very popular in France, they appear in boulangeries and with a side salad on lunch menus in chic cafés, but they’re most likely to appear at a picnic.

Of course the original recipe makes use of different fillings, but I used whatever left-overs I had in my refrigerator and it turned out just fine. It was a spontaneous decision that became really good. Yummy savory cake filled with cheese, cashewnuts, caramelized onions and bell peppers. It tasted incredible.

The result is an explosion that takes place in my mouth, when I taste this creation. It turned out moist and if made the right way will be nice and fluffy.

I picked this one because it was the perfect Summer like loaf, perfect for the weather right now in Bangalore.

This cake is super simple to make and you can always make a scrumptious loaf cake using all the fresh produce available in the current season. I find this so clever.

I made changes to the fillings using up whatever I had with me. But other than that I kept to the directions. I present to you a wonderful loaf cake adapted from Rachel Khoo’s “The Little Paris Kitchen: Cooking with Rachel Khoo”

I love this cake for two reasons. One it is savory which makes it rather unique. Second, the innovative flavor combinations you can try with whatever that’s left-over in your pantry.

Serve these tasty slices of cake warm (when warm, the cheese will be all melted and delicious) with ham; or a spicy frittata on the side; or some spicy fried chicken; or sautéed spicy sausages; steak and gravy…. anything. Or just munch away just as it is. A definite winner with your kids, serve these up at birthday parties, picnics, kitties or potlucks and you will be a star!

The dish is simple and elegant and can be prepared as a mid-morning meal, evening snack or a part of nice continental dinner.

We are all down with a bad cold, throat pain and what not; but I made this cake nonetheless and served it with some delicious hot Tomato Soup with croutons and spicy fried chicken. We enjoyed it.

Oh and the best news, it tastes better the next day! So bake and store in your refrigerator and cut a few slices when you are hungry!

Ingredients

250 grams Plain Flour

1 tablespoon Baking Powder

150 grams Cheese, cut into small pieces (refer notes)

80 grams Cashewnuts; roughly chopped

100 grams Red and Yellow Bell Peppers; finely chopped (refer notes)

3 to 4 Red Onions; finely sliced

4 Eggs

150 ml Olive oil

100 ml Milk

50 grams Plain Yoghurt

1 teaspoon Salt

Freshly-ground/milled Black Pepper (as per spice tolerance)

Coriander leaves; finely chopped

Method

Caramelize the sliced onions and keep aside. (please refer to the my Pizza recipe for more details on caramelizing onions)

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/ and line a loaf tin measuring 22x11cm/8½x4¼inch across the top and 6cm/2½inch deep with baking paper.

In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, cheese, cashewnuts, bell peppers and caramelized onions.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until fluffy and pale in color. Then gradually whisk in the oil, milk and yoghurt. Season with the salt and black pepper.

Fold the flour mixture into the whisked eggs. Try not to overbeat the mixture as this will make the end result tough. (it is better to undermix)

Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Sprinkle on top with fresh coriander leaves.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a metal skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. (when I say clean knife, please ignore if melted cheese comes on it, that does not mean it is not cooked. If uncooked batter appears on the knife, it needs further cooking.)

Leave to cool in the tin.

Notes:

1. You can use any kind of cheese. I used a mixture of grated cheddar, mozzarella and normal cheese cubes. Also I added a little lesser than mentioned in the recipe. You can even goat’s cheese to make it healthier.

2. If you do not have red and yellow bell pepper, you can always use green bell peppers. The original recipe uses a combination of cheese, pistachios and prunes. So be creative when it comes to the filling.

3. Use a rubber spatula rather than a whisk to prevent overbeating the flour.

Recipe Source: Rachel Khoo’s “The Little Paris Kitchen: Cooking with Rachel Khoo”

Creamy Cabbage and Carrot Coleslaw

Oh today is a happy happy day. My best friend Gaya gave birth to a healthy baby boy. So excited and can't wait to hold the cute little bub in my arms. Rajiv and Gaya, a big hug to all of you and special kissies to the honey bunch. Today's post is dedicated to you guys. May your bundle of joy bring you lots and lots of happiness always.

Coming back to today’s post, a quick dinner is now the norm in most homes with both husband and wife working and busy through the day. And though I am a SAHM (Stay At Home Mom), mommy of a very active 11 month old, I always feel completely drained by the end of a day. I really think the role of a SAHM is highly underestimated! What do you think fellow mommies?

So talking about simple dinners, when it comes to making chapathis, I truly am a lazy bum! (though the real secret is my chapathis are lousy ....but ..... ssshhhh ...) So I make chapathis every other day and do exciting and easy meals on other days. Today's dinner was Crumb Coated Baked Chicken, Cabbage and Carrot Coleslaw and bread. Deliciousness!!!! Of course Garlic bread should have made it to the table, I didn't have the time or energy to do that. :( So we settled for bread.

I will be sharing the recipe for the Crumb Coated Baked Chicken soon, so watch out.

Today's recipe is the creamy coleslaw I made as a sidekick to the baked chicken.

Although this dish calls for simple ingredients, the final creation was incredibly sublime. This recipe for the ever popular coleslaw offers layers of flavor. The creamy mayonnaise clubbed with the sharpness of vinegar, good tasting mustard and sweetness of sugar provides a wonderful base for the dressing, which permeates through the entire salad. This is a sure hit with the kids if served interestingly.

Here are a few options (for kids and adults) : Coleslaw doesn't necessarily have to be eaten only with baked/fried chicken. Chuck a generous bit of slaw into your sandwiches, serve them as dips with your chips/fries/chicken nuggets, drop them into warm bread cups, or just stick your hands right into it, gobble as it is and of course don't forget to lick your fingers :)

Ingredients for the Coleslaw

Half a head of Cabbage (White, green or Purple or a mix of everything); shredded or thinly sliced

1 large Carrot; shredded or thinly sliced

1 medium size Big Onion; thinly sliced

Ingredients for the Dressing

1 & 1/2 to 2 tablespoon of Mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon good quality Mustard

A dash of White Vinegar or Rice Vinegar

1 or 2 teaspoon granulated Sugar (optional)

Salt; to taste

Cracked Pepper; to taste

Method to prepare the Dressing

Take a large bowl and add the ingredients listed under "Ingredients for Dressing" into it. Add just enough water to get a runny dressing. Mix well.

Method to prepare the Coleslaw

Pour the dressing into the shredded veggies and toss till everything is combined well. Adjust seasoning if necessary. Place in the refrigerator till cold.

Serve chilled.

Enjoy!

Notes:

You can also make this coleslaw healthier by not adding any mayonnaise. For the non-mayo version:

Mix together vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Add the shredded veggies and toss till all the ingredients are combined well. Serve immediately.

Daring Bakers, Say Cheeeese :) Delicious Home-made Pizza

This pizza is heartfelt. It is all about a salute to finding the balance between indulgence and healthy and along the making it as made from scratch as possible. A homemade thin crust pizza topped with shredded spiced chicken, caramelized onions, mozzarella and cheddar cheese and bell peppers is just the perfect, yummylicious weekend dinner or even breakfast, I say!

Who doesn’t love pizza! But, alas, things so good are hardly ever good for you. Now, exactly what about the pizza is bad? Oh, the gallons of grease, and piles of cheese, you say; all good tasting but sadly artery clogging stuff. But, what if you could actually control all that to the normal and acceptable levels? If you could with some extra effort ensure that a pizza slice is as good-for-you a meal as any other that you make at home, would you do it? Of course, without compromising on the flavor etc. etc....

If you are willing to go that extra bit, then you are in for a happy, happy surprise! I made pizza at home. Yes, from scratch. What else did you expect from me?! The base, the sauce, the toppings, the whole nine yards. I really would not have even considered making the pizza base at home if not for browsing some of my favorite food blogs, in particular Sanaa’s ‘Easy Pizza Dough’ recipe on Cucumbertown. She makes bread-making sound so easy that I decided to give it a chance. And it was worth it! Thanks a ton Sanaa. My other inspiration to try out this delish pizza was a fab baking tray gifted by our loving aunt, Mommy. Mommy is an excellent cook (though I haven’t tasted her food yet, maybe the next time you visit us Mommy?) and a beautiful person. The day she gave us the tray I was determined to cook up something interesting using the same. “Mommy, the tray was lovely, thanks to you the pizza turned out extremely well”.

I have not attempted to make any yeast-bread at home at all. Until now... Once I set about it, I was really surprised to see how easy it was. It’s quick to prepare and an excellent on-the-go-meal option and I assure you it is worth every minute. It made me wonder why I thought all this was a painful process in the first place. But, well, happily I have been corrected of my faulty notion. And, from this day forward, I swear to give any other yeast bread more than a passing shot in my kitchen!

So, once the dough was all set, I rolled it out into an oval shaped base, topped it up with some delicious stuff and used very less cheese and hence no grease making it healthy! Simple, rustic and absolutely divine…so what are you waiting for, go ahead and make this scrumptious pizza for your family.

Simple, clean flavors… that's the way I like it...

It was delicious! So, I can really have it more often than before and with my own choice of toppings! Yippee! :)

Ingredients for the Pizza Base

2 cups All Purpose Flour

2 1/4 teaspoon Dry Yeast (refer notes)

1 teaspoon Sugar

1 teaspoon Salt

1/4 cup Water

2 tablespoon Olive oil

Ingredients for the Pizza Sauce

4 large Tomatoes; diced

4 cloves of Garlic; finely chopped

1 small/medium size Big Onion; finely chopped

1 tablespoon Tomato paste

2 teaspoon Oregano; fresh or dried (I used dried)

1 teaspoon Basil; fresh or dried (I used dried)

1/2 teaspoon Pepper; freshly milled (adjust as per spice tolerance)

1 teaspoon Paprika

2 1/2 tablespoon Olive Oil

1/2 to 1 teaspoon Red Chilli flakes (optional)

Salt; to taste

Ingredients for Caramelized Onions

3 to 4 large size Big Onions

1 tablespoon Butter

1 teaspoon Sugar

Salt; to taste

Apple Cider Vinegar or Water; just enough to soften the onions (refer notes)

Ingredients for the Topping

I used 250 grams of shredded chicken sautéed with a few spices like paprika; freshly sliced bell peppers and of course cheese. (a mixture of mozzarella and cheddar) [Please refer notes for more ideas]

Method to prepare the Pizza Base

Dissolve the dry yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water. Let it rest till slight bubbles form. Now add sugar, stir and keep aside for 4 to 5 minutes or till the mixture turns frothy.

Take a wide mixing bowl and add all the ingredients (including the dissolved yeast) into it. Combine all the ingredients and gently knead with fingertips until a slightly sticky dough forms. You don’t have to work your arm by kneading too much. Just get the dough together. Transfer into an oiled bowl and turn the dough so the oil coats it. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and let it rise for about 25 to 30 minutes or until doubled in volume.

Method to prepare the Pizza Sauce

Heat the oil in wok and add chopped garlic and onion into it. Sauté till the onions turn light brown. Throw in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, herbs, salt, pepper, spice powders and chilli flakes (optional) and sauté till tomatoes turn soft. Cover and cook for a few minutes till tomatoes turn very soft and mushy and water has evaporated. Cool the mixture and blend to a smooth puree.

Method to prepare Caramelized Onions

Heat butter in a broad pan and when the butter melts add the onions into it. Add enough salt and sugar and sauté on high heat till onions turn a lovely golden brown. Stir continuously to avoid onions sticking to pan. At this time pour cider vinegar or water little by little to soften the onions. This process is called deglazing. Repeat this process till onions turn soft and water has completely dried up. (your onions must be a beautiful golden brown and should be soft and sticky)

Method to prepare the Pizza

Punch down the prepared dough and knead lightly until it forms a ball. Transfer to a floured surface.

Roll the dough into a circle, rectangle, oval or any desired shape, flouring it as you go. Once rolled out to desired shape, transfer the base to a greased baking tray lined with parchment/greaseproof paper (optional). Slather on some pizza sauce and throw in the shredded chicken, caramelized onions, bell peppers and grated cheese.

Preheat oven at 100 degree Celsius for 10 minutes. Bake the pizza in the preheated oven at 200 degree Celsius for about 15 minutes. The base will turn a lovely golden brown.

Sprinkle a pinch of chilli flakes and oregano on top and serve them hot or warm. Yum yum yum…

Notes:

1. If you are using instant yeast in place of dry yeast, just throw it directly into the pizza dough while preparing it, so that makes the process easier. But please don’t go hunting for instant yeast because dry yeast works out just fine and is not difficult at all. Just takes a few extra minutes, that’s all.

2. You can always use cider vinegar to deglaze your caramelized onions but I used water and it worked out just fine.

3. You can use any topping of your choice. Some yummy options are sausage (chicken/pork/beef), pepperoni, chicken franks, beef mince, spinach, basil leaves, sundried tomatoes, mushrooms, jalapeno peppers, fresh onions and tomatoes, any kind of grilled or prepared leftover chicken from day before’s dinner or lunch…. Oh the options are too many! Of course cheese goes without a say, anything is ok I guess, mozzarella, cheddar, goat’s cheese, feta, anything really.

Here are a few links that helped me get going to prepare this tasty pizza:

Easy Pizza Dough: http://www.cucumbertown.com/recipes/easy-pizza-dough

How to Quickly Caramelize Onions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yt_0e72fs9M

Experience Your Senses - Chicken a l'Orange

Baked chicken in a delicious orange glaze on a cool breezy evening. Today's dish is exactly just that.

It is a special day for me and I'm in a cheerful way. Today Reju and I celebrate our second wedding anniversary. Glad for the little things in life which brings us happiness. Another anniversary is here and birthdays and anniversaries make me feel very good and I am sure you feel the same. I can't believe Reju and I are celebrating yet another anniversary together. We came together 2 years ago and have been strong ever since. Praying for a wonderful life ahead.

Over the weekend, we all like to have some special food to enjoy family time. And for Reju and me today is all the more special as we celebrate our second anniversary. And this time we have a gift that will soon be unravelled! :) (sometime around the 1st week of December) Together we will soon share a beautiful treasure which will make our relationship all the more wonderful and fulfilling making us almost a complete family. And thus praying we have a very blessed and special year ahead.

Yesterday I decided to bake chicken. I like experimenting with chicken because it beautifully adapts with a myriad of flavors. You add alcohol, citrus or other juices, masala or spices or whatever you can think of, chicken absorbs all these rich flavors to create a wonderful tasting dish.

We have been regular viewers of Masterchef Australia ever since it started airing in India and today's recipe is inspired by this beautiful show. I am amazed at the variety of colourful dishes the contestants put up in every episode. A definite feast for your eyes. While watching one of these episodes, I happened to come across an interesting dish called "Duck a l'Orange". I'm sure many of you (especially those abroad) would have tasted this dish. To me it was all new and was visually very pleasing. French cuisine made it's debut in America thanks in part to this famous Duck a l'Orange recipe for seared duck breast glazed with sweet orange sauce. This sophisticated dish is a wonderful addition to party menus and romantic dinners.

Today's recipe is my take on the very famous Duck a l'Orange. Of course while you browse through the recipe, you can see that it is quite different from the original dish. I have used ingredients that are readily available in the Indian market. The dish is simple but the experience is surely a burst of fresh flavors that takes this dish to another level. Fresh orange and subtle spicing creates an awesome tickle to your taste buds. This dish can be cooked up in minutes and is a wonderful party-time dish that you can proudly serve up to hungry family and friends. As the knife cuts through the chicken, you can see it is cooked to such perfection that it falls off the bone, juicy and sweet chicken meat in a dark rich sauce.

This weekend we wanted to remain in our bubble. It was just so cozy and comfortable. The rain could fall down in sheets and the wind could howl against our windows, we were happy just enjoying each other's company. Over a simple yet soul comforting lunch, I look at Reju and think... Yes - I am looking forward to the next one!

You have a wonderful time until I come back with another recipe for you.

Ingredients

Chicken - 8 to 9 big pieces (refer notes)

Soya Bean Sauce - 2 to 2 and 1/2 tbsp

Garlic Powder - 3/4 tsp (refer notes)

Paprika powder (or chilli powder) - 1 tsp (heaped)

Pepper powder - 1 tsp (heaped)

Oil - 1 to 2 tsp

Salt - to taste (refer notes)

Sugar - 1 tsp

Orange juice (freshly squeezed) - Juice of 1/2 an orange

Orange zest - zest of 1 whole orange

Method

Make deep gashes on the chicken pieces and add all the ingredients except the orange juice and zest into it. Marinate the chicken well and let it rest for atleast 3 hours in the refrigerator. Overnight marination is the best. Pour in the fresh orange juice and zest and combine well just before placing it on the baking dish.

Grease a baking dish with oil/butter and keep aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degree F/180 degree C for 15 minutes. Arrange the marinated chicken pieces on the greased dish. (pour the residual marinade evenly on all the pieces) Bake chicken for 20 to 30 minutes. (time of cooking differs from one oven to the other. So adjust accordingly) 10 to 15 minutes through the cooking time, check the chicken to see if cooked on one side. Take the dish out and baste it with all the luscious juices and oil. Flip the pieces to ensure both sides are equally browned. Continue cooking.

Once the chicken is cooked, remove dish from oven. Arrange on serving dish of your choice. Pour over the residual gravy on top. (the gravy will be a thick reduction of all the sauces and spices. You can add a few drops of freshly squeezed orange juice for that extra zing and for those of you who enjoy that sweet-sour flavour of the orange)

Serve as a starter or make it a full meal by having some creamy mashed potatoes and boiled/cooked veggies on the side. And there you have it, yummylicious Chicken a l'Orange just for you.

Notes:

1. There is no specific cut of chicken I use in this recipe. Feel free to use chicken breasts, thighs, drumsticks or anything that is readily available in your freezer.

2. You can always substitute garlic powder with freshly crushed garlic cloves. I used crushed garlic cloves in my recipe.

3. Be careful while adding salt to the marinade because the recipe calls for quite a big quantity of soya bean sauce which is already quite salty.

4. Feel free to play around with the recipe by adding spices like cumin or coriander and herbs like thyme, rosemary and such. It certainly would enhance the flavour of the dish. Here, I have kept it simple and have avoided any such spices or herbs.

Fish Pie

If you are a lover of fish, today's recipe will thrill you! My mom used to make a lot of bakes and pies at home when we were growing up and this dish is one of them. She used to make it quite often and we used to just devour it in minutes! I'm a complete fan of my Mom's cooking, anything she cooks is yummy! She has a few unique dishes to her credit and I will be posting them soon. I believe in sharing the joy of good food. :) Ma, this dish is dedicated to you. 

I love fish and so for me another dish with fish was just exciting. Reju, on the other hand, is not too pally with fish, but guess what, he loved this fish pie! I was so shocked and happy that he liked it. Now, that's definitely going to be a regular on our menu.

Moist and spicy, this pie is a meal in itself! Enjoy.

Ingredients

Fish - 6 to 7 pcs

Lime - 2 tbsp (or Vinegar - 1 tbsp)

Ginger - a small piece

Salt - to taste

Water - 1/2 to 3/4 cup

Garlic (crushed) - 3 to 4 cloves

Big Onion (chopped fine) - 1

Green chillies - 2 to 3 (as per your spice tolerance)

Tomato (big; chopped fine) - 1

Pepper - 1 tsp (as per your spice tolerance)

For White Sauce

Milk - 1 1/2 cups

All purpose flour (Maida) - 1 1/2 tbsp

Butter - 2 tbsp

Cheese (crumbled) - 1 cube

Egg (Beaten) - 1

Salt - to taste

Pepper - 1 tsp

Method

Cook the fish with Lime juice/vinegar, ginger, salt and water until done. Throw away the piece of ginger and leave to cool. Once cooled, flake the fish pieces into tiny bits and keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok. Add garlic, green chillies and onions and saut'e till onions turn light brown. Then add tomato and saut'e for about 2 minutes. Add the flaked fish pieces along with pepper and salt and combine with the other ingredients. Switch off the flame and keep aside.

For White Sauce

Heat butter in a non-stick pan and once it starts melting, add the flour and toss for 1/2 a minute. Switch off the flame. Add milk and get rid of the lumps with a masher. Now, place it back on the stove, turn it to a low flame and add cheese, pepper and salt. (Check for salt because cheese already contains a good amount of salt) Keep stirring till the sauce starts thickening and begins to boil a little. Switch off the flame. (Do not boil too much)

Pre-heat the oven at 100°C for 15 minutes. Grease an oven proof dish and add the fish mixture into it. Pour a little white sauce into the fish mixture and combine well. Now pour the rest of the white sauce over the fish. Place this dish into the pre-heated oven and turn the temperature to 200°C for 10 minutes approx. and then turn the temperature to 180°C for another 35 to 40 minutes. (Bake till golden brown on top. Check if cooked by inserting a cake tester or knife)

Source: My Master chef Mom!