The.Kari.Tales

Spicy Chicken Patties

Patties take my back to my childhood summer holidays and those good old days with my cousins when we used to buy these from a nearby bakery, every single day. A good chunk of our little pocket moneis used to be reserved for these Patties

I have been missing home and my family for quite sometime now and decided to take a trip down the memory lane. So without any ado, I baked these beautiful chicken patties with my favorite @tenderflakepie Puff pastry stuffed with a Spicy, Flavourful Chicken Masala served with a side of Yogurt Mint Dip!

Let’s dive into making these delicious chicken parcels. Makes 3-4 parcels

For the filling you’ll need:

2 tbsp ghee – use as required

2 tbsp oil

1 medium chicken breast/ 2 chicken thighs boneless – cut into small chunks

1 tsp each of salt, pepper, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric, red chilli powder and chicken masala – adjust as per taste

1 medium yellow onion finely chopped

3 cloves of minced garlic

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp table cream

For the pastry you’ll need:

Puff pastry sheets – I use the ones from Tenderflake – you can find these in the freezer section of you grocery store

1 tbsp melted butter/Eggwash

1 tsp sesame seeds – options

Instructions:

To make the filling let’s start by marinating the chicken chunks in 1/2 tsp each of salt and the spices for atleast 30 mins

In a pan, on medium heat, add 2 tbsp oil/ghee. Once hot add the onion and minced garlic. Add ½ tsp salt. Sautee till the onion turns tender and golden

Now add the spices and cook for another minute till the mixture gets aromatic

Add the tomato paste and ¼th cup hot water and cover cook on low for 3-4 mins and then remove from the heat. Set aside

In another pan/griddle, add 2 tbsp oil on medium high heat and cook the marinated chicken chunks, regularly flipping over

Add the cooked chicken chunks in the thick gravy base, along with its resting juices and add 1 tbsp cream, mix well. Remember this mixing is happening off flame as we want to avoid over cooking the chicken. Cool completely

Now let’s prep our pastry sheets and preheat the oven to 350F

On a working surface, roll out your puff pastry into a square using a rolling pin. If you have the pre-rolled out ones, you can skip the rolling process

Divide your pastry sheet into 3 equal portions and then halve each portion into two

Now using a spoon add the chicken filling in the middle of the sheet, leaving atleast 1 inch on the border. Cover it with another sheet and press close the sides using a fork

Repeat for all pastries

Place them on a lined baking tray and refrigerate for 10 mins

After 10 mins, brush the top with melted butter/eggwash and pat over the sesame seeds

Bake in the oven for 20-22 mins and then broil for 1-2 mins for that perfectly golden crust

Enjoy as a side or as an evening snack. You can also use a chicken mince filling even some egg filling can also be really fun!

If you end up trying these do tag us on our insta handle @the.kari.tales

Keto/Low Carb Chocolate Coffee Mug Cake

Nothing hits you like a Chocolate Cake craving, but when you’re eating low carb, what do you do??

You make a super easy super quick 1 min microwave Chocolate Mug Cake which is just 3 gms net carbs per serving and you can also portion control. Sounds like a win?? Yes, coz it sure is!

Made this decadent Chocolate Mug Cake in 1 min, added a wee bit of coffee (coz, why not?) and topped it with a Dark Chocolate Ganache, garnished with Fresh Peaches and mint.. Mmmmmm Divine

Now, you can have your cake and eat it too, guilt free! Let’s get going

Makes 1 mug or 2 ramekin cakes

You’ll need:

Dry Ingredients:

2 tbsp Almond Flour

2 tsp Coconut Flour -teaspoon

2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp low carb sweetener – I use Erythritol

1/2 tsp coffee – optional

Wet Ingredients:

2 tbsp melted butter

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

In a mug, mix all the dry ingredients with the help of a fork

Now in another bowl mix the wet ingredients, butter, egg and vanilla extract

Pour the wet ingredients to the mug that has dry ingredients and mix well until combined

Let sit for 2-3 mins and then microwave for 60 secs/1 min

Dark chocolate Ganache- Optional but recommended

In a microwaveable bowl, add 1 square of Lindt dark chocolate (break into small pieces) and 1 tbsp heavy cream. Microwave for 30-35 secs and mix well together

Pour over your mug cake and garnish with choice of fruits

Enjoy! It doesn’t get better than this

Cheesy Butter Garlic Dough Balls

I have always been a fan of these cute little dough balls from @pizzaexpress

Giving into my cravings I decided to bake some at home but with my own spin on them by making them 100% Whole Wheat, Stuffing them with mozzarella cheese and Topping them up with Herb Chilli Garlic Butter

Enjoyed these with a side of Spicy Tomato Basil Soup.. Mmmmmm, Slurpp! Lets dive into making these warm little bundles of deliciousness

For the dough you’ll need:

1.5 cups Whole Wheat Flour/Atta – I use the fine milled whole wheat flour which is not very coarse

1 tsp Active Dry Yeast

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

¾ th cup warm water – warm not hot

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup mozzarella cheese in cubes

For Herb Chilli Garlic Butter you’ll need:

2 tbsp melted butter

3 cloves minced garlic

1 tbsp chilli flakes

1 tsp Italian seasoning/Rosemary

½ tsp Salt

1 tsp sesame seeds – optional

Instructions:

Let’s start by proofing the yeast. Mix yeast and sugar in warm water and let rest for 10 mins. Do not use hot water as it can kill your yeast

For the dough mix, whole wheat flour, salt and olive oil together. Now add the proofed yeast to the dry mixture and using a spatula form a dough. Add more water if needed to make a soft sticky dough. Add 1 tsp olive oil to grease the dough

Cover and let it rest in a warm place for 1 hour or till the size doubles

Now on a working surface, sprinkle some flour and knead your dough with outward stretch and fold movements. Keep adding flour gradually as you need

Knead for about 4-5 mins till it gets easier to handle and less sticky

Divide the dough into small equal portions and using oiled palms flatten out each portion and add the cheese cube in the middle, fold it inwards to make a dough ball

In a baking tray greased with oil, place your doughballs, cover with a cloth and rest for 15 mins

Preheat your oven to 425 F. Combine all the Herb chilli butter ingredients to make the topping

After 15 mins your doughballs will proof again and will look like this

Now using a silicon brush add the Herb chilli butter on top of your doughballs

Bake in the oven for 15-20 mins till you see them golden crusty on top

Remove from the oven and enjoy with a side of soup or salad!

Indian Style Oven Roasted Potatoes

If you know me, you know I love my potatoes and I love Indian Food. So here I’ve created a delicious recipe that combines both, Potatoes and Indian spices

Little Potatoes with skin, halved and marinated in a spiced yogurt base, then baked to golden crusty perfection, sprinkled with chopped cilantro, mint powder and a dash of lemon juice

Oh these were so good, that we’re still in Potato Coma (Trust me, its a thing!)

For this I used Boomer Gold Little Potatoes from @littlepotatoco and absolutely loved them. Now let’s dive into making these simple yet delicious Oven Roasted Potatoes with an Indian twist

You’ll Need:

15-20 baby potatoes with skin (washed and dried)

2 tbsp Greek yogurt

2 tbsp olive oil/ghee

Spices: 1 tsp each of salt, red chilli powder, coriander powder, garam masala, turmeric, pepper, cumin powder

6-7 cloves of garlic

4 thin wedges of lemon

2 tbsp finely chopped coriander

1 tsp mint powder – Optional but recommended

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 425F

Cut your baby potatoes into halves and rest them in a bowl full of cold water

In another bowl, add Greek yogurt, spices, olive oil/ghee and mix thoroughly

Now drain your potatoes well and add to the marination. (Do not rest the marination)

In a baking tray lined with parchment paper, place your potatoes cut side down along with garlic cloves and lemon wedges

Toss into the oven for 20 mins

Remove from the oven and FLIP it over to bottom side down and brush the top with some olive oil/ghee

Toss it in the oven for 7-10 mins till they get golden brown. Keep a close eye

Remove from the oven, garnish with chopped coriander, mint powder, dash of lemon juice and serve immediately. You can serve these with a side of Tzatziki or serve as a side with your roast dinners!!

Gourmet Cranberry Crackers

Have you noticed these beautiful crackers at your nearest grocery store? I have been loving them lately and as healthy and as delicious as they are, they are at a very steep price of almost $7 for a small pack of crackers

So I decided to bake these at home. It is a long yet joyful process but Boy, are these Wonderful !! Costs less than 1/5th of what you end up paying at the store, SO worth it

The dough is a mix of All Purpose and Whole Wheat flour with Dried Cranberries, seeds, nuts, spices, rosemary and sugar, baked to a perfect tea cake, then thinly sliced to crackers and double baked. These crackers are just Perfect with your Cheeseboards, your morning/evening cuppa or as your mid morning snack

As I go back to obsessing over how amazing these turned out, I highly recommend you try them and surprise yourself. So without further ado, let’s dive into making these gorgeous crisp crackers

You’ll need:

Dry ingredients:

½ cup plain/all purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

¾ th cup dried cranberries

¼ th cup sunflower seeds

¼ th cup pumpkin seeds/ any nuts of your choice walnuts/pecans/almonds/cashews

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

Spices: 1 tsp each of salt, pepper, dry rosemary, cinnamon, turmeric

Wet ingredients:

1 cup milk

¼ th cup sugar

¼ th cup plain Greek yogurt

Instructions:

Let’s start by preheating the oven to 350F

Now in a bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients and spices thoroughly

Mix dry ingredients together with spices

In another bowl, mix all the wet ingredients, Milk, Yog and Sugar

Now pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients bowl to form a batter

In a loaf tin, greased and lined with parchment paper, pour the mixture in

Bake for 30-35 mins. To make sure its cooked through insert a skewer in the middle and make sure it comes out clean else bake for a couple more mins

Now cool the loaf on a cooling rack completely. Takes about 30-40 mins

Cool the loaf completely before freezing

Now wrap the loaf entirely in a cling wrap and freeze for atleast 2 hours

After 2 hours, start by preheating your oven to 275F and using a serrated knife, thinly slice the loaf into ½ inch crackers

Place the thins on a baking tray, making sure these do not overlap each other. I used 2 medium trays for an entire batch of 3 dozen crackers

Now baked the crackers at 275F for 25 minutes and then bring them out and flip

Bake the other side for another 20 mins and you’ll see them turn golden brown

Once out, let cool so that they can develop a perfect crisp/snap

Enjoy with a hot cup of espresso or with some Brie cheese and wine

Chicken Coconut Stew

This mildly spiced, creamy, delicate chicken stew with the simplest flavours is your doorway to classic food that’s beyond comforting!

Boneless chicken thighs, marinated in salt and pepper, simmer cooked in a simple yet rich coconut gravy and served with some fluffy buttered bread slices

As comforting as it gets, this bowl of utter goodness is packed with flavor, deliciousness and follows a super simple recipe. Let’s dive into it:

You’ll need:

3 medium boneless chicken thighs – I recommend not using chicken breast for this recipe as it tends to get very hard

200 ml Coconut milk

3 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp olive oil

5-6 curry leaves

1 green chilly sliced

1 dry red chilly sliced

1 medium yellow onion finely chopped

1 medium tomato finely chopped

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp turmeric powder, Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Start by marinating the chicken in salt and pepper for atleast 30 mins

In a pan, heat the coconut oil and olive oil on medium flame. Once hot, add the finely chopped onion, saute for 3-4 mins till tender and add the ginger garlic paste

Saute for about a minute and add in the marinated chicken, mix well and cover cook on medium low for 5-6 mins or till the chicken releases its juices

Now add the chopped tomatoes, curry leaves, turmeric, salt and pepper. Mix well and cover cook on medium low for 3-4 mins or till the tomatoes turn mushy

Now add coconut milk and stir well

Turn the flame to low, and cover cook for 10-15 mins till the oil surfaces

Turn the heat off and add a dash of lemon juice. Serve hot!

Enjoy with a side of rice or fluffy bread slices

Veggie Pizza – Low Carb and Thin Crust

Guess what? You can have now your Pizza, and eat it too!!

This pizza, made with hand rolled low carb thin crust, homemade 2 min microwave pizza sauce, veggies and oodles of mozzarella cheese, is right out of your LOW CARB DREAMS

The crust is eggless, takes only 20 mins from scratch and is only only only 3 gm carbs per slice!! Told ya, right out of your dreams

So let’s dive into making this insanely easy and insanely delicious Pizza!

To make an 8 inch low carb crust you’ll need:

1.5 cups shredded Mozzarella, I used @crackerbarrel

2 tbsp cream cheese/high fat Greek yogurt

6 tbsp Almond flour

1 tbsp flax seed powder

1 tsp Italian seasoning

For the toppings:

Choice of veggies, I used onions, cherry tomatoes, chopped fresh basil, canned mushrooms and sweetcorn

½ Cup mozzarella/cheddar/marbled

For the homemade pizza sauce:

3 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp grated/powdered parmesan

1 tbsp butter

½ tbsp olive oil

1 clove minced garlic

1 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp each of salt and pepper

Instructions:

Let’s start by preheating the oven to 390F

To make the base, in a bowl, add 1.5 cups mozzarella and cream cheese. Microwave for 45-60 secs till the cheese melts

Quickly add in the almond flour, flax seed powder and Italian seasoning. Mix together with the help of a spatula and you’ll see it comes together to a dough

Now on a parchment paper, let’s roll it out. You can roll it out between two parchment sheets using a rolling pin or you can also roll it out using wet palms

Toss it into the oven for 12 mins

For the pizza sauce, mix all the listed ingredients together and microwave for 1 min and mix again. Sauce is ready in 2 mins!

After 12 mins, remove the pizza crust and flip it. Very important to flip it to make sure it cooks evenly. Add pizza sauce, toppings and shredded cheese. Go all out with your choice of toppings, the more the merrier!

Broil for 2-3 mins or till the cheese melts! Serve HOT!!

Enjoy this simple yet delicious recipe without worrying about the Carbs

Crispy Panzanella Tuscan Salad

Refurbish your bread loaf into this delicious salad

What do you do with you extra bread loaf that has gone hard and dry?

I practice a strict zero waste policy in my kitchen and this Panzanella salad recipe comes in handy when I want to use an old, forgotten bread loaf. Under 30 mins, super easy and incredibly delicious, this flavourful recipe will be your love at first bite!

Crispy pan toasted bread cubes tossed with a delicious Cherry tomato marination topped with freshly chopped Basil. The technic I used to toast my bread cubes keeps it crispy even after being tossed with the tomatoes and the resting tomato juices. Let’s dive into making this beautiful salad

You’ll need:

Bread loaf -2 slices cut into cubes, recommend using slightly old tough bread
10-12 Cherry tomatoes, halved
3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil @bertollicanada
1 tbsp Butter
½ tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 cloves Minced Garlic

1 tsp each of salt, pepper and sugar
5-7 leaves of Fresh Basil, chopped
1 tbsp each of Feta and grated parmesan

Instructions:

Let’s start by marinating the Cherry tomatoes with salt, pepper, sugar, ACV, minced garlic, chopped basil and 1 tbsp olive oil for 20 mins

Now in a pan on medium heat, toss in the bread cubes. Dry toast for 4-5 mins till edges start browning. Now add 1 tbsp olive oil and grated parmesan, mix well and toast on medium low for 5-7 mins till you see a golden crust. These do not need to be as crispy as croutons, these just need to be crispy on the outside but still a wee bit of softness on the inside

If you press the bread cube with a fork and it shatters, it means you’ve overdone it. Once the bread cubes are done, cool completely. You never want to add in the hot bread to the salad

Once the tomatoes are done marinating, they’ll be now be juicier with all the resting juices

Marinated tomatoes with its resting juices

Toss in the bread cubes with the marinated tomatoes. Garnish with another tbsp of olive oil, chopped basil leaves and feta cheese

Serve as a side dish or as a meal. You can also choose to add peppers, onions, capers, olives etc to your Panzanella but I like mine with simple Ingredients and simple flavours. Enjoy!

Baked Chicken Tenders with Spicy Mango Chutney – Low Carb

It is only sometime back that I discovered that mango and chicken flavours go really well together, and after trying this blissful plate of Chicken Tenders with Mango Chutney I can promise that you’ll agree

Chicken tenders are my absolute favorite and here at home, I decided to bake them with a Low Carb coating, making these healthy and guilt free. Perfectly crispy on the outside and moist succulent, delicious on the inside. Paired it with a Lipsmacking Spicy Mango Chutney which is really the Star of this recipe

So let’s dive into making this drool worthy combination!

You’ll need:
For the tenders:
1 medium Organic Chicken Breast, halved and sliced into tenders @mapleleaffoods
6 tbsp Almond flour
2 tbsp Flax seed powder
2 tsp each of salt, pepper, oregano and 1 tsp each of garlic powder, paprika
2 tbsp Olive oil @bertollicanada
@bertolli_us
2 tbsp Vegan Mayonnaise @hellmannsmayonnaise and 2 tbsp milk
2 tbsp Butter @gayleafoodscoop

For the chutney:
½ cup Mango pulp
1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp each of Chilli flakes, pepper and ginger garlic paste
3-4 leaves of Freshly chopped Basil
1 tsp salt and 2 tsp sugar

Instructions:

Let’s start by preheating the oven to 425F and lining a tray with parchment paper greased with olive oil

Now in a plate place, the chicken tenderloins (make sure they’re pat dry) and season with 1 tsp each of salt, pepper and 2 tsp oregano

In another plate, mix together almond flour, flax seeds powder, 1 tsp each of salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika

In a bowl mix together mayonnaise and milk. Whisk thoroughly until well combined

Create an assembly line of the seasoned chicken, flour coating mixture and the mayo milk dipping, just like this

Assembly line for chicken tenders’ coating!

Now, dunk the chicken tenders in the mayo milk mixture

Coat each tender in the almond flour mixture, one tender at a time and place on the greased parchment paper. Repeat for all tenders

Using a silicon brush, gently brush the tenders with olive oil and add a small dollop of butter on top for each, then toss them into the oven for 20-25, flipping half way

Till the tenders bake to crispy perfection, lets prep the Spicy Mango Chutney

In a sauce pan, on medium heat, add the mango pulp and stir gently for 2-3 mins

Add ginger garlic paste, salt, sugar and chilly flakes. Lower the heat and cook for 3-4 mins stirring continuously till the sauce thickens

Now add Apple cider vinegar and chopped basil. Mix well and remove into a small bowl, cool completely

Once your chicken tenders are out of the oven, enjoy with a side of this Mango Chutney for a beautiful contrasting flavour explosion!

Spinach Corn Quesadillas

Creamy Spinach Corn fans, put your hand up for another quick, under 30 mins recipe which is a pure corn lovers delight!

Whole wheat tortillas filled with creamy, cheesy, corn spinach filling and roasted to golden perfection on a griddle!

Wholesome, satisfying, rich, delicious and under 30 mins, this quesadilla recipe is sure to be a family favorite

I had very few Ingredients in my pantry today and I kept thinking what we should eat for lunch. Then I saw the can of corn, a box of baby spinach and I instantly knew what I had to do. Served with a side of @tostitos spicy Salsa!

To make these easy peasy Quesadillas you’ll need:

2 Whole wheat tortillas
½ cup Sweet corn ( steamed or canned )
4 tbsp Butter and 2 tbsp olive oil
1.5 cups Baby spinach
2 tsp each of Salt, pepper and 1 tsp each of chilly flakes, Italian seasoning
1/2 cup Shredded Mozzarella
2 cloves Minced Garlic
1/2^th cup Milk
3 tbsp flour

Instructions:

Let’s start by prepping the filling. In a pan on medium heat, add 2 tbsp butter and one tbsp olive oil

Add minced garlic and saute till tender. Now add the spinach, 1 tsp each of salt, pepper, chilly flakes and Italian seasoning. Mix well and cook till the spinach softens, takes about 2-3 mins. Now add the corn, mix well

Remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl

For the sauce, in the same pan, add 2 tbsp butter and one tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Once hot, add the flour and roast for about a minute

Now add milk, 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. Lower the heat and stir continuously for another 2 mins till it has a nice saucy consistency

Remove from the heat and pour into the bowl of sautéed spinach and corn. Mix well with the help of a spoon. Ideally looks like this

Creamy Spinach and Corn Quesadilla Filling

Now that the filling is ready, heat a griddle/tawa

Grease it with oil/butter and place the whole wheat tortilla. Now add the creamy spinach corn filling on one half of the tortilla and top with shredded mozzarella

Cover it with the other half and roast for about 30 secs and FLIP!

Roast the other side for another 30 secs and Done. Repeat for the second tortilla

Cut each whole of the filled tortilla into half and serve with a side of salsa/guacamole/hot sauce etc.

Under 30 mins, healthy, wholesome meal that will keep you full for hours!