I have eaten different versions of Spanish Omelet and what I had in Seattle was not exactly what I had in London. Since I haven’t had the chance to visit Spain, I am sure the recipe served there would be the authentic one. Well when I wanted to prepare one at home, I surfed the internet and found plenty of recipes. I think the original one uses only eggs and potatoes. But I decided to come up with my version using the common ingredients.

Ingredients: (Serves 3-4)

6 eggs,

2 large potatoes; washed, peeled and thinly sliced,

2 onions; cut into halves and thinly sliced,

1-2 tomatoes; cut into halves and thinly sliced,

Salt to taste,

Butter or Olive oil.

Method:

Heat a pan and heat generous amount of oil. Add sliced potatoes and cook them from both the sides until they begin to brown. Season with some salt. Drain and transfer to a dish.

In the same pan add onions and sauté on medium flame until they begin to soften. Remove from flame.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and whisk until frothy. Season with salt. Add sautéed onions, fried potatoes and sliced tomatoes to the whisked egg. Give it a nice stir till the mixture is well combined.

You can prepare the omelet on a heavy-bottomed pan or in a Microwave oven. I prepared this recipe in the Microwave oven, but I will explain both the methods.

Pan fried omelet – Heat a heavy-bottomed pan and smear it with butter to coat the entire pan properly. Pour the egg mixture slowly into the pan. Tilt the pan to spread the mixture all over evenly. Remember the Spanish omelet is thicker than our regular omelet. So the pan should be medium sized. Let the omelet cook on a low-medium flame. You can also cover the pan with a lid for some time. We are not flipping the omelet, so make sure it cooks from the top as well.

Microwave method – Smear Olive oil/melted butter to a microwave safe dish. Pour the egg mixture slowly into the dish. Place it in the oven and bake it for 8-10 minutes on MEDIUM setting of your microwave. Let it stand in the microwave for a while before you take it out.

Later cut into slices and serve hot.

TIPS:

You can add mushrooms and peppers to your omelet and season it with some herbs too.

Ingredients:

150gm apples; peeled and finely chopped,

25gm orange zest,

300gm flour,

150gm granulated sugar,

200ml milk,

3 eggs,

15gm baking powder,

150gm vegetable oil,

75gm buttermilk,

15gm orange/vanilla extract (essence),

A pinch of salt.

Method:

Sift flour with baking powder. Beat the eggs and whisk along with sugar until frothy. Slowly add the flour and baking powder to the egg and sugar mixture. Whisk in milk, oil, buttermilk, orange/vanilla extract and salt. Mix until the batter is even. Then stir in apples and orange zest. Drop the batter into greased molds and bake in a preheated oven at 200 degree C for around 15-20 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana; pureed,

1/2 cup whole wheat flour,

1/2 cup plain flour (maida),

1/3 cup salted butter; softened,

1 egg; beaten until fluffy,

1/3 cup milk,

3/4 cup granulated sugar,

3/4 tsp baking powder,

1 tsp vanilla essence,

1/4 cup chocolate chips,

Cake tin.

Method:
Grease the cake tin. Preheat the oven at 180 degree C.
Sift the flours along with baking powder. In a bowl, beat together, butter and sugar until even and smooth. Add banana puree, beaten egg and vanilla essence and beat until even. Add flour and fold gently so that lumps are not formed and you get a dropping consistency. Fold in chocolate pieces or chips. Pour the batter into the tin. Bake at 180 degree C for 20-25 minutes. Let it cool down before you demold it.

TIPS:

1. You can use the same batter to create muffins.

2. Prepare banana strawberry or blueberry cake/muffin by adding 1/4 cup of strawberry or blueberry jam instead of chocolate chips.

Wish you all a Merry Christmas!!!

I prepared this Cheesy Garlic Chicken with nice flavors of herbs, grilled to perfection, this Christmas. Here’s the recipe.

Ingredients:

500gms (2-4) Chicken breasts without bones,

8-10 cloves of garlic, crushed,

3/4 cup bread crumbs,

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese,

1/4 cup grated Parmesan or Mozzarella cheese,

1/2 tsp oregano,

1/2 tsp rosemary,

Salt and black pepper to taste,

1/2 cup butter.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F). Lightly prick the chicken breasts. Melt butter in a pan and add garlic to it. Roast on low-medium flame until it is fragrant and lightly brown (do not burn). Put off the flame and add the chicken to it. Coat all the chicken pieces with butter and garlic. In a shallow dish, mix other ingredients. Take each piece and dip it into the cheese-bread crumb mixture to coat well. Place into a greased baking tray and grill/bake them for 5 minutes from each side.

Ingredients:
15 large spinach leaves,
1 cup wheat flour,
1 1/2 cup milk,
1 cup sweet corn kernels; blanched,
2 tsp butter,
1 tsp finely chopped garlic,
1 tsp chilli flakes,
1/2 tsp mixed herbs,
Mozzarella cheese as per taste, grated,
Salt to taste.

Method:
To prepare white sauce, roast wheat flour till it turns light brown in color and is fragrant. Then remove it from flame, slowly add milk to get a thick but pouring consistency, mix well so that no lumps are left. Then put on the flame and mix thoroughly and continously using a whisk so that no lumps are formed. Then add salt and remove from flame.

Heat butter in another pan, add garlic, blanched corn, salt, chilli flakes, mixed herbs, 2 tbsp of white sauce and mix well. Remove from flame and let it cool. Grease a baking dish. Arrange spinach leaves on a dish, place little stuffing in each spinach leaf and roll it, place in the baking dish, pour white sauce over them, sprinkle some mozzarella cheese and place in the oven for 200 degrees for 8-10 minutes or till the topping has turned reddish brown.

TIP:
If the sauce thickens add more milk to get a pouring consistency.