Author: Ankitha Gadag

Recipe Curator & Tastemaker behind AnkithaGadagRecipes!

Oil-Free Arugula salad with Mandarin oranges

A healthy easy week night dinner salad with oil-free dressing!

Welcome to Ankitha Gadag recipes. I am your “host” Ankitha Gadag. Ankitha is the recipe curator behind all of the original recipes found here on Ankitha Gadag’s Recipes. 

ankitha-gadag-salmon

This light and refreshing salad is fantastic when paired with a nice fresh piece of salmon. Most people feel the need to pair a vinegar with an oil. What’s great about this salad is that it’s able to achieve great flavor & texture through champagne vinegar with no added oil! Have you guys tried champagne vinegar yet? I am new to this phenomenon but a definite fan 🙂

To get started, you will need:

  • 1 mandarin orange

ankitha-gadag-orang

  • 1/4th cup crushed walnutsankitha-gadag-walnuts
  • 1 cup arugula salad
  • 1/4 th cup shaved Parmesan cheese
  • drizzle of champagne vinegar
  • handful of raisins
  • S & P to taste

Directions:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and serve!  Easy Peezy!

ankitha-gadag-salad

 

Hope you guys enjoy this delicious salad. Let me know how it tastes!

-Ankitha

Homemade Coconut Milk From Fresh Coconut

A lot of my dishes on Ankitha Gadag’s Recipes feature coconut milk. I have always bought canned coconut milk from the store which essentially presents two problems.

1) I don’t like anything out of a can. The idea of the remnants of tin/metal in my food is enough to give your girl nightmares.

2) Preservatives/Artificial ingredients. Avoid them as much as possible!!

Here is a great recipe for making your own coconut milk! Who knew it was so easy 🙂

Coconut milk is one of my favorite ingredients. I usually buy coconut milk cans in bulk and use it in everything from smoothies, desserts to savory recipes like curry or soups. Even though I use it…

Source: Homemade Coconut Milk From Fresh Coconut

Fresh Roasted Coffee Returns To Key West

Ankitha Gadag is a Fan of great coffee and the brewing methods that help bring out the flavors of the best coffee beans. Hey, if you’re going to invest in well sourced, great roasted coffee… why not perfect the brewing methods as well?!? Previously I posted about the drip method (How to brew the perfect cup of coffee (using coconut!)), today, I am sharing this link which is perfecting the french press method. Check it out guys!

Absolutely no greater foodie pleasure for me is a cup of perfectly brewed French-Pressed coffee from quality beans that are fresh and expertly roasted (local, didn’t sit on the grocer’s…

Source: Fresh Roasted Coffee Returns To Key West

Hyderabadi Achari Murgh Recipe – (Pickled Chicken Curry)

Spicy Hyderabadi Chicken Curry with tangy pickling spices

Okay guys, so this curry is truly a GEM and an Ankitha Gadag original recipe. I promise you, reactions will be nothing short of jaws-dropping if you decide to put in the work to give this a try!

For one, this recipe has taken a few weeks to perfect. I was first inspired to re-create this curry after tasting the most amazing Achari Chicken Curry at a local Hyderabadi restaurant. It was unlike anything I ever tried before – it was tangy, it was spicy, truly tantalizing your taste buds in every way. Of course I had to dig further and put my skills to the test.

Turns out Achari (Pickle) Murgh (Chicken) Curry actually originated in the Northern region of India (Punjab). Pickling of mangoes, limes and other vegetables would require a variety of spices all batched together for pickling. So, what do you do with the leftover spices? Make curry,  of course!

This curry has now been modified to fit South Indian taste buds (a.k.a – made spicier). Don’t fear, the heat is so well balanced with the unique flavors from the kalonji (onion seeds), fenugreek, and yogurt 🙂

ankitha-gadag-marinade-achari

On to the recipe!

You will need:

  • 1 cup curry leaves
  • 4 lbs chicken thighs
  • 10 thai chillies
  • 3-4 dried red chillies
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 onions chopped
  • Ginger-garlic paste (4 tbsp)
  • Kalonji (onion seeds)- 1 tbsp
  • Methi (fenugreek) seeds- 1 tbsp
  • Jeera (cumin seeds)- 1 tbsp
  • Saunf (fennel) seeds- 1/2 tbsp
  • Tomatoes- 2 (finely chopped)
  • Yogurt- 1/2 cup
  • Lemon juice- 2tbsp
  • Turmeric powder- 1tsp
  • Red chilli powder- 1 tbsp
  • Mustard seed oil – 1/4th cup
  • Pickling spices  – (you can get a pre-packaged packet of this) – 4 tbsp
  • Mango Pickles – (1 tbsp)

Phew, that’s a handful, yea?

Method:

  1. Start by marinating the chicken, you can marinate as long as 12 hrs or as short as 2. Add lemon juice, chillies, half of curry leaves, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, half of pickling spices, salt, yogurt, and mustard seed oil  to the chicken. Mix and set aside.achari-chicken-curry
  2. In some oil (about half cup), add the onions and fry until they are translucent. Add in curry leaves, dried red chilies, bay leaves, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, kalonji, and ginger garlic paste.ankitha-gadag-achari-chicken.jpg
  3. Add in the tomatoes and any remaining spices. Mix into the spices until soft.
  4. Add in the marinated chicken and cover on low-medium heat for about 30 mins
  5. The water from the chicken and yogurt should have formed a gravy. At this point add in the mango pickle.
  6. Stir and cover for an additional 30 mins
  7. Warm up some hot naan or some basmati rice and Serve!!ankitha-gadag-achari-chicken-curry-meal

Thanks for checking out my recipe. Let me know how you liked it!

-Ankitha Gadag

Corn and Tomato Sweet Chutney

This chutney is the perfect blend of sweet and spicy! With flavorful Indian spices and light muscovado sugar – it’s guaranteed to hit every part of your palette. I love that this chutney includes corn instead of the typical coconut used in South Indian chutneys.

Check out the rest of it below!

-Ankitha Gadag

Source: Corn and Tomato Sweet Chutney

Chewy German Chocolate Chunk Brownies

This recipe looks absolutely delicious. Love the mix of chocolate and coconut, the pecans give it a lovely crunch to make it a richer, fuller bite. IN. LOVE.
-Ankitha Gadag

Linda's avatarFabulous Fare Sisters

Chewy German Chocolate Chunk Brownies

My Mom Mom made the best German Chocolate Cake…perhaps it was because of her German heritage or perhaps it was because her coconut pecan frosting was absolutely delicious…and a pure sugar rush! For today’s recipe I’ve made some chewy chocolate chunk brownies and topped them with her signature frosting…

View original post 241 more words

Balsamic Ginger-Marmalade Glaze for Salmon

How to make a quick and easy sauce for seared salmon

Ever wondered what to do when cooking your favorite fish, other than add good old salt and pepper? This glaze is your answer.

It’s easy and fast to make with ingredients you have at home. I used this recipe for salmon, but it is versatile and will go great with any  fish. I used ginger jam for this recipe since ginger offers great health benefits. Ginger has well known  anti-inflammatory and  anti-oxidant properties that make it ideal for incorporating in everyday recipes. The combination of the gingery spice with the sweetness from the jam, make your taste buds want to dance with joy. However, you can substitute any fruit jam/preserves/marmalade when making this recipe yours (look for all natural ingredients, minus the high fructose corn syrup when choosing your jam)!

Let’s get started!

ginger-salmon-sauce

Ingredients

(for the sauce)

  • 3 Tbsp of ginger jam
  • 1.5 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp dried basil
  • 1 tbsp dried chives
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • salt and pepper to taste

(for the fish)

  • skin-on wild salmon ( 6-7 inches)
  • salt and pepper
  • oil for searing

Preparation:

  1. Start by adding salt and pepper on your fishwild-salmon
  1. Next, sear your fish on a heavy skillet with a drizzle of oil. You will be using the remnants to make the sauce .

  2. Take out your fish after a quick, high heat sear (about 2 mins each side), and bake the remainder in the oven for a 5-7 mins. Total cook time of sear and bake should be less than 10 mins.

  3. Use the searing pan for the sauce. Scrape up all the remnants.

  4. On low heat, add all the ingredients for the sauce

  5. Whisk until desired consistency is achievedIMG_4944-01

Thanks for reading and following!

-Ankitha Gadag

Lemon-lime pound cake with vodka drizzle

Learn how to make easy, step by step pound cake from scratch !

lemon-lime-pound-cake“Cake, Cake, Cake Cake….”

“Lemme get that pound cake”

From Rappers to Pop Singers, everybody loves them some cake. This lime pound cake is the perfect light desert after dinner or for a quick sweet bite with your morning coffee/tea. (I love dipping pound cake into a cup of hot coffee for a slight coffee cake flavor)

What I loved about this cake is all in the drizzle. It incorporates Tito’s Lemon vodka for a sweet yet tart frosting. It’s sweet but not overwhelming, zesty in all the right ways and moist with every bite. Guaranteed to be an intoxicating hit for your next dinner party or an indulging weekend with yourself.

On to the recipe!

For the cake:

  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 5 large eggs, at room temperature
  • Finely grated zest of 1 medium lime (about 1 packed tablespoon)

 

For the frosting:frosting-vodka-lemon

  •  1 cup powdered sugar
  •  1 tablespoon lemon vodka
  •  2 tablespoons lemon juice
  •  zest of 1 lemon.
Method:
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Coat your favorite pan with a spray or butter down.
  2. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to break up any lumps; set aside.lime-zest-pound-cakepound-cake-ingredients
  3. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter at medium speed until creamy and smooth, about 1 minute. Add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes more. (Stop the mixer to scrape down the sides occasionally.) Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
  4. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in two additions, mixing each until just incorporated. (Do not overmix, or your cake will be tough.) With a rubber spatula, fold in lime zest. Spread batter into the prepared pan and place in the oven.
  5. Bake until top of cake is puffed and golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 60 to 70 minutes.
 lime-poundcake-no-frosting
 For the glaze:
  1. Combine the powdered sugar, lemon vodka, lemon juice and lemon zest, until sugar is dissolved.
  2. Remove cake from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes; remove from the pan. Stir lime glaze again, then brush top of cake with glaze (use it all). Cool completely before serving.
  3. Enjoy.

Vitamix Pear-Green Smoothie

Great for a detox after a long weekend or as a juice cleanse! This green smoothie is low sugar, low carb and great for weight loss goals!

healthy-green-smoothie

Green smoothies are a great tasting alternative to get in all your daily vitamins and key nutrients. If taken in the morning they provide a great source of energy and keep you feeling full longer. If you prefer to drink them in the evening they are a great way to end the day with a meal that won’t be too heavy and keep your metabolism working all night. If you live a busy lifestyle, then this recipe is perfect for you. It’s super easy to make and involves little to no prep time (AND if you own a Vitamix – you know how easy clean up is :))

Feel free to mix up this recipe to incorporate your favorite greens. Remember, keeping a variety of deep greens is key to getting all the important nutrients.  You can also switch up the fruit – fruits that I find go well with green smoothies are:  apples, limes, lemons, and pears.

You will need:

pear-green-smoothie

  • 1 leaf rainbow chard (substitute with any green you like, for example: Kale)
  • handful of spinach
  • 1 celery stalk
  • 1 pear
  • 1 small handful of parsley
  • 1/4 th large cucumber

 

Method

  1. Add all your ingredients to the blender
  2. Add about 1 cup of water and a few ice cubes

vitamix-green-smoothie

  1. Blend and Enjoy!

 

Let me know how you like it guys!!

Watermelon Limeade with Beer

A fizzy watermelon beer-rum cocktail that makes a perfect day drink!

watermelon-beer-limeade-cocktail

What’s better than a cocktail? A Beertail!

Another seasonal drink that is perfect for summertime patio weather. Enjoy this gorgeous watermelon beer cocktail while it’s still hot outside. It’s fizzy, light and refreshing. With a boost from the rum, it’s sure to get the job done – quickly and efficiently 🙂

watermelon-beer-rum-orange

You will need:

  • 4 oz of your favorite Rum
  • 1 oz lemon juice
  • 2 watermelon ice cubes
  • 3 mint leaves
  • 1 oz orange juice
  • 4 oz of watermelon beer

 

Method

  1. Muddle the mint leaves in the serving glass
  2. Combine the rum, lemon juice, orange juice and beer with ice cubes in your shaker
  3. Shake and serve in your serving glass. Top with the watermelon ice cubes.

 

As always, love to hear your feedback! Let me know how you made it yours 🙂

-Ankitha