Home Style Burritoes

Life is all about making choices and for that matter - the right choices. You choose your area of academics, you choose your career, and most importantly you choose your friends. Choosing friends, however, is an art. Some people are real friends whereas some, over time, prove themselves to be a waste and unworthy of your compassion. They will never be congruent - no matter how long you have kept your hand of friendship extended towards them or how firm that hand and emotion may have been. So treasure the ones who are reciprocal and give you genuine joy. Invest where your love is returned with equality. Because love knows no race or religion. 
Rest all...not of value.

Speaking of choices, food too, is about choices. Some food can be better than others. While some recipes turn out to be a waste of your time and TLC. Invest time and money on the dishes that please your palate, provide you with what your body needs while still fitting your schedule. Everything else is immaterial.

A semi home-made Burrito is one such recipe or choice that fits a busy lifestyle, satiates the hunger, gives you the necessary nutrition yet scores in the taste department. It is perfect for a day when you are feeling tired or just plain busy.

1. Tortillas
2. Salsa
3. Cheese, shredded
4. Sour cream
5. Lettuce, shredded
6. Bell peppers, finely chopped
7. Onions, sliced
8. Oil
9.Chicken strips, cooked (store bought is convenient)


Instructions:
1. Heat a non-stick wok.
2. Add oil.
3. Throw in the onions and caramelize.
4. Add in salsa and bell peppers and cook until al dente (do not over cook)
5. In a plate, lay down a single tortilla and add chicken in the center.
6. Sprinkle cheese in the center of the tortilla and microwave for a minute or so. You can also use an oven.
7. Top with the cooked onion and bell pepper.
8. Sprinkle lettuce and a dollop of sour cream.

Roll up and devour!

This is inspired by the recipe mentioned at the back of my tortilla packet. But more importantly, this dish is inspired by my lovely sister (I first had something like this at her home).

Anda Bhurji (Scrambled eggs )

Egg and I are not friends! For me, Eggs are best when decorated-up and placed in the Easter basket. Putting eggs into my intrinsic human system is another story.

Being a calorie counter and health-conscious freak, it seems natural that I would crave this ingredient. Alas! I failed each time I tried to get my digestive tract to accept this protein-rich ingredient. So now, I have made terms with the war going on between the two. But I manage to still sneak in a bite or two every time I make an egg dish for Mr. Husband. After all, what is better and easy-to-make then eggs for breakfast?

Here goes the recipe:

Ingredients:
1.2 eggs, whisked
2. Red onion, half, finely chopped
3. Tomatoes, 1/4th, finely chopped
4. Salt, a pinch or to taste
5. Red chili powder, a pinch or to taste
6. Oil

Instructions:
1. Heat a non-stick pan.
2. Add a little but of oil and throw in the onions.
3. Stir fry for a few minutes until the onion changes colour.
4. Add in tomatoes then the whisked eggs (combined with salt and pepper)
5. Let the bottom part harden slightly so that you can flip it.
6. Cook evenly on both sides.
7. Cut into small pieces.

Serve with ketchup, toast, and a warm cup of chai.

For a vegetarian version, check this out.

Chinese Fried Rice

As my reader, you must be aware of my love for Asian food. Here's another recipe that is an ubiquitous Chinese dish that will never lose its charm. Eat this one by itself or with a side of Manchurian. Add cooked chicken or only vegetables. This dish can be prepared in many forms. All forms lead to the words - Yummy in my Tummy! :-)

No prep needed. Serves 4.

Ingredients:
1. Eggs, 2, whisked
2. Oil
3.  Steamed white rice, 2 cups
4. Soya sauce, to taste. You can use oyster sauce as an alternative.
5. Red onion, 1/2, finely chopped
6. Spring onion, 4, chopped
7. Broccoli, 5-6 florets, chopped
8. Green pepper (capsicum), 1, finely chopped
9. 1/2 cup appx frozen veg (chopped carrot, corn kernels, green peas)
10. Vinegar, a couple of tablespoons
11. Red chili and garlic sauce about 1.5 tbsp

Instructions:
1. Cook rice with 2 tsp salt and oil. You can also use leftover cooled rice.
2. Set aside and let it cool.
3. Heat a wok.
4. Add oil then red onion.
5. Let it brown. This will take appx 8 mins.
6. Throw in the whisked eggs and mix quickly. This will make something like scrambled eggs in the wok.
7. Then add soya sauce.
8. Add broccoli and other vegetables (green pepper and frozen veg).
9. Cook for about 5 mins.
10. Add vinegar and chili-garlic sauce.
11. Throw in the spring onions and mix.
12. Add the rice and mix again.
13. Check the flavours and add more soya sauce and vinegar as per taste.

Serve warm by itself. This will be a wholesome hearty meal.

Tips:
1. You can add fresh bean sprouts at the end for a nice crunch.
2. Apparently using sesame oil imparts more flavour to the rice (but I have not tried this myself)
3. Cooking the eggs, onion, and vegetables separately and assembling them together at the end with rice is supposedly a better method of cooking this recipe.