Happily Cooking

Skip to Recipe I can never say no to Chinese food! Whenever I am feeling down in the dumps or just having a bad day, I have one local Chinese takeaway that comes to the rescue and never fails to uplift my mood. One such recipe that I am extremely fond of whenever a craving for Chinese strikes is Kung Pao Chicken. The recipe can easily be recreated at home and you will have a winning dinner that the whole family will love! What is Kung Pao Chicken? Kung Pao Chicken is a famous Chinese dish with stir-fried chicken and crisp vegetables tossed in a delicious sweet and tangy sauce and topped with toasted peanuts for extra crunch. While the dish originated in the Sichuan province of China, it remains a common sight on the menus of all Chinese takeouts in countries around the world. The Kung Pao sauce has a right balance of flavors - sweet, savory with a hint of heat from the dry chillies. You really don’t need a

Skip to Recipe It has been almost a month in our new home and we are still surrounded by towering walls of moving boxes. Daunted by the tasks of unpacking, cleaning, and organizing, I feel physically and emotionally spent and have to keep reminding myself to pause and breathe. Sorry to sound like a whiner, but I think I am not the only one who is going through this phase. I am a very impatient person in life, and as the impatient decorator rises within me, I feel the urge to get the whole house decorated right away. Sounds so unrealistic, isn't it? In reality, a home isn't crafted in a day, and just like the people living inside, it evolves over time. I think the care we put into a home over time makes it all the more beautiful and memorable! This week I have a created a healthier version of the Panda Express Orange Chicken that is a favorite among everyone. You can now savor the flavor of your favorite dish without all t

Skip to Recipe After taking a brief hiatus from blogging, I am glad to be back and have a BIG NEWS to share. It has finally happened. After dreaming about it for years, we haved moved to our new house, a place that we can call our own. The minute we walked in, my mind was racing with a score of immediate tasks that brooked no delay. The last few weeks were massively stressful, and were all about packing and unpacking boxes and scrambling to put things away. But all the hassle of moving was balanced by the joy and elation of embarking on this new journey. With each passing day, we are trying to transform this place into our dream home and I am enjoying every step along the way! Though the sabbatical from blogging afforded me the time to settle into the new environment, I was itching to get to my normal routine and share some interesting recipes from my new kitchen! Salmon is a good source of protein and is rich in omega 3 fatty

Skip to Recipe It has been a very different summer this year. Heavy showers and thunderstorms have been lashing Germany in recent weeks, and with this kind of weather, I have been incessantly craving spicy food of late. It is no secret that nothing can satisfy my soul as much as a good bowl of thick, creamy curry, especially in this brisk weather. Oven-baked, soft, and juicy meatballs dunked in a hot piping, creamy coconut milk sauce, this Thai dish is sure to have you coming back again and again. This is a winning, vibrant, healthy dinner for any night of the week that can be made with minimal effort! Not only are these Thai-inspired meatballs delicious, but they are also dairy-free and Paleo compliant. If you are fond of Thai flavours, don't forget to check my Thai Basil Chicken and Thai Fish Cakes These meatballs are packed full of ginger, garlic, and red curry paste, and that

Skip to Recipe Thailand has always been on my travel bucket list. There is so much in the tropical paradise that I would like to explore-the tranquil beaches, the ancient temples, the amazing landscapes, and most importantly the mouthwatering street food. With the pandemic looming, most of us are currently stuck traveling from our armchairs. But we can always delve into the delights of our favorite dishes by replicating them at home. So this week, I decided to share a recipe that will take you straight to the bustling streets of Thailand. Thai Basil Chicken is one of the most popular street foods in Thailand, that is quick and easy to make in the comfort of your own home! Finely diced chicken tossed in a sweet and savory sauce with bell peppers, cashews, and aromatic fresh basil -this dish is perfect when the hankering for Thai food strikes! This recipe earns major points as it is made with pantry-friendly staples and do

Skip to Recipe The year was 2000, and I was ten years old. That was the first time I had visited a Chinese restaurant. I vividly remember the gold-colored dragon featured against a red background, the dim lights, and the ornate sculpture of Buddha paired with the Chinese artifacts. We were waiting for our food to arrive when those plates loaded with crispy spring rolls immediately caught my eye. I tugged my father by the arm, asking him to order some for me. As I bit into the roll, the audible crunch of the pastry was followed by the warm filling that enveloped not just my mouth, but all my senses. The memories remain fresh. Since then, ordering these rolls became customary every time I visited a Chinese restaurant. Packed with ground chicken and vegetables, wrapped up and fried to perfection-these Chinese Spring Rolls are downright delicious! These will rival the ones you order at your favorite local takeaway. The b

Skip to Recipe While growing up, my parents always stressed the importance of food and how we were lucky to have it on our plates in a world where food crisis was a stark reality. At the dining table, my Mom ensured that nothing got wasted. Being a resourceful home cook, she was very good at improvising with whatever she had on hand and could magically transform any leftovers into memorable meals. This trait of being resourceful in the kitchen is something that I have imbibed from her. I keep on scouring the refrigerator every single day, making sure that nothing goes wasted. Whenever I have a random assortment of veggies calling out to be eaten, I make these Vegetable Teriyaki Noodles. A quick and easy vegetarian meal of crisp vegetables and noodles tossed in a simple homemade teriyaki sauce- this is scrumptious. The Teriyaki sauce comes together in minutes with simple ingredients that you already have in your pantry. You can st

Skip to Recipe Although I enjoy my share of refined cuisine and elaborate meals at restaurants, nothing piques my palate as much as street food. As a kid, the crowded street food stall near my house would manage to draw my attention every time I passed through it. It would become nearly impossible to control the urge to dig into the mouthwatering dishes. Years have passed, and my love for street food persists. When I travel to a new country, I make sure that I explore the street foods as it gives me an insight into that culture. This week let us take a virtual stroll through the bustling streets of Thailand and pick up some of the delectable Thai Fish Cakes. Thai Fish Cakes or Tod Mun Pla are a quintessential part of Thailand’s street food. With just a handful of ingredients, it is easy to recreate the same version at home. What makes these unique is their light and fluffy texture. Each bite of the fish cakes is bursting with flavor

Skip to Recipe My love affair with fried rice goes back a long way, and I am unapologetic about it. It's my ultimate comfort food. A warm bowl of fried rice brightens up my day no matter how bad it is. During my university days in Ireland, when I was trying to settle in and embrace the new culture, I had the pleasure of knowing a friend who was born and raised in Thailand. As my friendship with her grew stronger, I got to know more and more about their food, their habits, and their culture. When she introduced me to their classic Pineapple Fried Rice, it inspired me to create a version at home. With fluffy grains of rice,prawns,colorful veggies, and sweet pieces of pineapple all tossed in a sweet and savoury sauce,this Pineapple Fried Rice is hearty enough to be a complete meal in itself.Eating this gorgeous and luscious fried rice will be like taking a trip to Thailand. A key element to achieving t

Skip to Recipe We all love Fridays, and why not? We don't have to think about the next day, can snuggle up with family or friends, watch a movie we have been waiting long to see, or binge on Netflix. Our stomachs grumble for something good, and we reach for the phone to order from our favorite takeaway. I agree that takeout can be a total lifesaver on those nights when you come back home wearied after a long day of work,but it can end up making a dent in your wallet and health. So the next time, when you're craving Chinese food, ditch the takeaway and try making this Honey Sesame Chicken. This is one of my favorite Chicken recipes, and I can never get tired of eating this. Crispy chicken covered in sticky and sweet honey sauce garnished with toasted sesame seeds, this is irresistible! Can't deny it's not the healthiest meal with the honey and the oil to crisp up that chicken, but we al