Meal Plan 33 - Restaurant Knock Offs

Meal Plan 33 - Restaurant Knock Offs

This week I have some excellent recipes to share with you, one being a recreation of delicious Chinese take-out. I've also posted one of the most popular pasta dishes on this blog, which also happens to be a recreation a restaurant favorite from East Side Marios. I can never hold myself back from eating my weight in those spicy bowties!

Cheers to a great week and happy belly's everyone.

Day 1: Beef and Bean Chimichangas with Tossed Salad
After making Shredded Chicken Flautas I couldn't get the idea of a crispy burrito out of my head so I had to create these bad boys. They were so good I have created many more variations on the recipe so I'm excited to show you the method.

Day 2: Sweet and Savory Beef Stew with Whole Grain Buns
This stew is a must-try.

Day 3: Firecracker Shrimp Bowties with Ceasar Salad and Baguette dipped in Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
This is one of my all-time favorite pasta dishes and is definitely also one of the most popular on this blog.

Day 4: Teriyaki Pork Burgers with Cucumber Salad and Potato Wedges
The teriyaki flavor runs all through the burger and is topped with cucumber and pickled ginger. Can you say EPIC?


Day 5: Creamy Summer Vegetable Soup with Cheddar Biscuits
Warm and comforting, this creamy soup will warm you up and the sweet vegetables will remind you of summer.


Day 6: Chinese Orange Chicken with Broccoli and Rice
Karen from Thoughts From a Wanderer recommended this recipe to me almost 6 months ago and I finally made it. This is definitely better than takeout!


For more great meal plans, check out my complete list of meal plans or the Menu Plan Monday links at Orgjunkie.

OneJetOne to Launch Flights in August,No Frills

OneJetOne to Launch Flights in August,No Frills

Kenya's International budget airline is set to launch flights in August.The airline was to launch inaugural flights in March this year but Kenyans will have to wait a little bit longer.

The airline has secured Chinese financing to the tune of Ksh.3.2billion($30million) to help finance its operations.

OneJetOne has had lots of controversy regarding the tendering process but the airline has been quick in managing its PR on Kenyan,African traditional media and various social media.OneJetOne was supposed to launch low cost flight to Johannesburg and London thereby giving Kenya Airways direct competition;a prospect that did not go well with KQ CEO Dr. Titus Naikuni.

OneJetOne seems keen on pursuing a pure low cost model,as CEO Arjun Ruzaik once said ,"We don't pretend to be an airline per se,customer service is far more important to us and its experience,our core strategy is price but we want to create fun out of it" Fun costs money,but OneJetOne promises to provide a no-frills business model;pure low cost."Why should a person flying minus luggage pay the same as another with over 20 kilogrammes of luggage?"says Ruzaik.

Other airlines like Fly540 might be caught in a pincer movement as flyers opt for either a pure legacy flight like Kenya Airways or pure low cost flight like OneJetOne.

The airline will now launch flights to Kisumu and Mombasa.It's rumored that inaugural flights to Mombasa will cost Ksh.1500($20)all inclusive.

Here is a video of a past interview OneJetOne CEO Arjun Ruzaik had with Terry Anne Chebet of CNBC Africa

Social Media Travels Well:African Airlines on Social Media

Social Media Travels Well:African Airlines on Social Media

Airlines and Social Media in 2008 and 2009

The big story of the last fifteen months has been the airline industry's vigorous embrace of the social media.In 2007,no one thought that Twitter would come to dominate the airline customer relations in such an intense manner.

The early birds SouthWest Airlines,JetBlue and Alaska Airlines have been abundantly rewarded,SWA and JetBlue now commanding over a million followers on Twitter.Airlines have been the most innovative and efficient users of social media.The aviation industry has always been known for great innovation;from reduction in noise to e-ticketing,e-freight and bar-coded boarding pass!Even IATA is now encouraging airlines to use social media as a customer service tool.

Social media tools have provided the airlines with a new platform to innovate and revolutionize customer interaction and engagement;from sleek corporate branded blogs to Twitter ,Facebook pages and Flickr.Some airlines like Emirates have been quite innovative in using social media in developing unique web applications for their fans.Whoever remembers Emirates Cloudmaker application or Nonstop Fernando!They were quite fun!

Fiesr,let me give credit where it's due to the finest social media evangelists in airline industry Shashank Nigam,Steven Fritschling,Addison Schonland and Paula Berg!

 Social Media in African Airlines

How have African Airlines fared on social media? It is not that good but Africa is still a continent of mobile web.There are about 350 million mobile phone users in Africa,anyone who wants to reach clients must exploit the opportunities offered by the mobile web.According to the Opera State of the Mobile Web Report,Africa saw triple-digit percentage growth in mobile Web usage in just one year,2009.

 You can follow the proceeding on Mobile Web East Africa Conference and know the the Mobile World of Africa.

Social media penetration in Africa is still low though it's rising at a super high rate.Facebook is the most visited site on mobile web in Africa.South Africa has some 2 million Facebook users and is the 10th largest Twitter user in the world according to Sysomos.With the exciting news about potential growth in social media and mobile web,some African Airlines have been reasonably quick and effective in deploying social media to great use.Have a look at our list of African Airlines top Social Media Performers:

Kenya Airways:The Pride of Africa is definitely the leader of the pack when it comes to the use of Social Media.Kenya Airways was the first African Airline to use Twitter and adopt an official social media stream.With about 2500 followers,KQ Twitter profile is now a one stop shop for information on new routes,special offers,flight delay information,On Time Performances and solving client problems in real time.Kenya Airways even has a 'voice',a staff member who monitors tweets and responds to clients with useful information.
You can also find Kenya Airways on other social media channels like YouTube,Facebook and Flickr.Their Flickr profile will give you a really great inside look into the airline,something you have never seen like staff events.
Kenya Airways has also integrated their social media channels with their Corporate website giving clients who visit the website  chance to interact and engage the airline.

Kulula.com :South Africa's colorful low cost airline has always been known for taking this flight business with a light touch.With such humor as "We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal",Kulula has always connected with its passengers even without social media but the airline has embraced the new media quite enthusiastically.Kulula's Twitter profile is quite interactive and offers really useful travel information to flyers.Kulula even offers Podcasts of South African humor and satire to travellers as IFE(the first IFE Podcasts) that they can easily download on the Kulula Website

OneJetOne :Kenya's International Low Cost Carrier is yet to take off but it has already scored a social media coup.OneJetOne has been having problems with the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority and Kenyan Airline bosses but on social media OneJetOne is winning the branding and opinion war,engaging Facebook users;promising fans a luxury heavenly flying experience and at a very low cost.OneJetOne CEO Arjun Ruzaik is on Facebook and so are other senior airline officials.This is an airline that truly understands the power of social media!It is therefore Third on Our list of African Airline Social Media Champions.

Rwandair:After its rebranding,Rwandair has embraced Facebook in one of the most exemplary uses of Facebook for an airline.The airline has also integrated Facebook into its Corporate website with a "My Rwandair" link that takes you  to the Rwandair Facebook Page .Now,on Facebook or onboard,you can Fly Your Dream to the heart of Africa with Rwandair!

Arik Air :With just over 600 followers,Nigeria's leading airline Arik Air has put Twitter into great use providing unique and valuable information to followers.You can pay Arik Air a visit on Twitter

Air Uganda:Although its website was launched quite recently,late last year,Air Uganda has been quick on exploring the opportunities offered by social media,specifically Twitter and Facebook.Given East Africa's embrace of social media,the airline seems to be on the path to success in customer interaction using social media.Its profiles are still tiny but the content is great and dedicated.
The airline has integrated its social media profiles into its corporate website thus enabling it to target the 'right' followers and fans on its Twitter and Facebook profiles.
Traffic to Air Uganda website is mostly driven by Italian keyword phrases and social media channels like Twitter would greatly boost its online reputation with English Speakers.Pay them a visit:Air Uganda on Facebook and Air Uganda on Twiter.

Fly540:Africa's Low Cost Airline has a great Facebook Page and has integrated its Facebook Page into the Corporate website although the link is not clickable.I hope they repair the link so that they can engage the right fans and attract them to their social media channels.

Where are the African Airline Blogs?

This is the big vacuum in African Airlines social media branding strategies.No African Airline has embraced a corporate blog as a branding tool.The use of corporate blogs and the advantages that come with it such as search engine optimization,podcasting,communal participation and guestblogging can give an airline an edge in client interaction.We hope African Airlines will build sleek Corporate blogs in 2010!

South Africa:Missing an Opportunity?

Given South Africa's social media reach,South African Airlines like South African Airways could easily become social media powerhouses not only on the African continent but in the world;giving clients a unique personal flight experience!Always remember that social media travels well!

Airlines in Africa blame woes on poor politics

Airlines in Africa blame woes on poor politics

African airlines have always blamed politicians for the woes bedeviling the airline industry in the continent.They accuse politicians of doing little to help them thrive and compete with foreign carriers during the current global financial crisis and the tough times in the aviation industry.



African airlines chief executive officers last year attended the African Airlines Association (AFRAA) annual general assembly in Maputo, Mozambique.They said politicians enter into pacts with foreign airlines and nations(Bilateral Service Agreements) without consulting the country’s civil aviation authority yet they seek to enforce the same through airlines.


"Leasing firms work with politicians and not airlines," said Ghana Airways CEO Ms Gifty Annan-Myers. "Woe unto you if you do not implement the agreement."Myers said politicians hardly look into the airlines’ business plans when sign such agreements.

Arbitrary decisions by African Goverments Concerning Aviation Industry

She urged politicians to consult local airlines and aviation industry when negotiating on issues that are likely to affect them."Politicians should not blindly pry into the airline business. The day this happens, there will be a great change in the business," said Mr Inati Ntshanga, the chief operating officer of  South Africa Airways
.
Ntshanga noted that politicians also interfere with their countries civil aviations decisions, which negatively affects the airline business.A great example is the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority where political influence and corruption has led to the mismanagement of Africa's fourth largest airport.Night operations were suspended last year at the JKIA in Nairobi due faulty lighting!


The continent has also failed to fully implement the Yamoussoukro declaration, — meant to open the African airspace to African carriers.African governments protect their skies in order to protect their national airlines and head off fierce competition from foreign airlines.There is also a lot of egos involved in the African Skies leading to fierce competition amongst African Airlines.This has forestalled any chance of consolidation of African carriers at a time when European and American carriers are consolidating while Middle Eastern carriers like Emirates and Qatar Airways are shifting their greedy gaze to the African markets!An Alliance between Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines,fierce rivals,is inconceivable given the two airlines ambitions!Ethiopian Airlines is also wholly owned by the Ethiopian government and political interference would make the process of privatization slow and painful!


"We have failed to unite. Middle East carriers have taken over our air space and that is why Africans should learn to trust one another," said Captain David Savvy of Air Seychelles.Africa governments should  fully implement the Yamoussoukro declaration to facilitate the integration of the African air transport system.


"Our airlines and indeed air transport system may collapse if the declaration is not implemented immediately," warned.
He lamented at instances where one has to travel from African cities to Europe to get connections to other African cities Sawwy."The declaration was intended to facilitate the liberalisation of access to air transport markets in Africa and to promote and protect the African air transport system," he noted.


While giving his annual report to the CEOs, AFRAA the former secretary general Mr Christian Folly-Kossi called on African airlines to establish strategic partnerships, joint ventures or co-operation between the more resource-endowed carriers with their smaller counterparts. He said co-operations would ensure enhanced airline safety and security levels.


Folly-Kossi said last year that the blacklisting of some African airlines by some European countries has adversely affected the image of the continent."African airlines have presented a united voice to the European Union highlighting the unfairness of the procedures used against certain African carriers," he noted.
He contended that Africa’s aviation industry was also being hit by brain drain with highly trained and experienced professionals taking up jobs out of the continent.

Mitigating Brain Drain in African Aviation

In mitigation, Folly-Kossi said airlines should make use of the world class training facilities on the continent such as Kenya Airways’ Pride Centre, Ethiopia Airlines Training Academy, Egypt Air and Royal Air Maroc Training Centre.
 AFRAA is currently discussing with airlines on how to exploit opportunities created by the World Cup to be held in South Africa next year."Airlines have been discussing with each other how to take advantage of these opportunities," he said. "Airlines can collaborate through network planning, development and promotion of joint tour packages and product price bundling."


Some airlines have planned to increase flight frequencies between their countries and Johannesburg in time for the World Cup 2010


Among the African carriers that made profits in 2009 include Ethiopian Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Lam Mozambique Airlines, Air Seychelles, South African Express and Precision Air.

What's your Favorite African Airline Livery,Past or Present?

What's your Favorite African Airline Livery,Past or Present?

African airlines have always had a simple professional and elegant look but South African designers changed that with some really revolutionary livery;I still love staring  at Flickr or airliners.net photos of Mango Airlines or Kulula.

Mango Airline photo with full courtesy of jodyodea


I have always thought Kenya Airways had a very beautiful color scheme,sort of elegant look.Now with Kulula's now famous and revolutionary livery,am curious to hear from the airline fraternity;which airline livery in Africa just do you love most?

From Shashank Nigam: Six Brand Leadership Lessons from Air New Zealand, and the flatbed seat in Economy Class

From Shashank Nigam: Six Brand Leadership Lessons from Air New Zealand, and the flatbed seat in Economy Class

 

 You will love this article by Shashank Nigam .

Shashank Nigam, a well respected airline marketing and branding strategist referred to by branding gurus as “a future business leader to watch”

Read along:
Six Brand Leadership Lessons from Air New Zealand, and the flatbed seat in Economy Class, Best Regards,Sam

Rachel Levy: 5 Ways to Incorporate Social Media Into the Flying Experience, and leverage on your “followers”

Rachel Levy: 5 Ways to Incorporate Social Media Into the Flying Experience, and leverage on your “followers”

I recently wrote  a blog how African Airlines are using social media to communicate in a new way in this new decade.I found this great post on Shashank Nigam's  famous blog about using social media to enhance customer inflight experience.This is an article for the airline social media manager.

So you and your team have been driving social media strategy at your airline or airport for over six months. You’ve managed to get over 5,000 fans on Facebook, you Tweet regularly, may be even have an iPhone app and have a ton of proposals already in mind to implement. Awesome! Now, what?Rachel Levy, 5 Ways to Incorporate Social Media Into the Flying Experience, and leverage on your “followers”, Feb 2010

You should read the whole article.

Aunty and her Owner

Aunty and her Owner

Around 7 this morning a mason who works on the construction of a house on our street showed up at our gate  and asked me if the owner was in.

Now this conversation took place in our garage where I was standing next to the car with Zoozoo the puppy.  Legally, I am the sole owner of the house and the car. As for Zoozoo’s ownership, the other residents of this house would have no hesitation in telling you that I am the mother, guardian and sole person responsible for Zoozoo and all her actions. And that I guess would effectively make me her owner although Zoozoo certainly thinks she owns me. 

So I said ‘yes, I am the owner’. The guy laughed and said, ‘I want Saar, the owner’ and he stressed on the word ‘owner’ just in case I did not get it. That is when it dawned on me that ‘owner’ is a translation of ‘the Kannada word yajamanaru’ which means master, owner, husband et al. dating back to a time when the patriarch owned everything in the house including wife, farmhands etc.

What irked me was the fact that he laughed when I said I was the owner. Made me realize that my legal rights and status were of no concern to him. In his thinking, my husband would be the yajamana, the owner.

I am not a great fan of politically correct expressions but occasions like this make me wonder if such expressions might actually help in sensitising people to social changes and in changing stereotypes.

Stereotypes tend to get deeply rooted in our psyche and surprise us by showing up most unexpectedly. Bollywood stars are generally known for playing safe and being very correct in their statements . But on Saturday Abhishek Bachchan sprang a surprise by calling a lady who could not be much older than his wife as ‘aunty-ji’ on a game show hosted by him. The lady looked like someone in her late thirties. Even if she was in her late forties there is no need for a 35 year-old guy to refer to her as ‘aunty’.  I feel that it is all this aunty- ing that makes most women in this country ‘feel’ old by the time they hit their forties. Our society even has norms for the activities considered ‘appropriate’ for women of that age. Some people say that it is a cultural thing. We are not supposed to call elders by name.  I don’t know about that but I guess I speak for my entire generation of urban Indian women, that we would much rather be called by our names than be called aunty by anyone older than twenty-five unless they happen to be our own nephews or nieces or friends of our children.

Most of the time when people in their mid thirties call me as aunty I know that it springs more from their inner urge to feel younger than any respect for my age. And in any case, why respect someone just because they have been in this world for so many years? I guess getting rid of this respect-for-age concept would help us look for some genuine qualifications to respect a person rather than just a few gray hairs or a walking stick. The hypocrisy about all this ‘respecting elders’ thingy was pretty glaring while watching Mahabharatha on television. Duryodhan and his siblings would unfailingly –ji and –shree all the elders  like Thathshree, Kakashree and Brathashree while showing  gross disespect  and sometimes even contempt towards them. It would have made no difference had he called them ‘hey Bhishm’ or ‘yo Yudhishtr.’  Respect manifests through one’s demeanour and attitude and not merely by mouthing some words that are supposed to denote respect. I wonder how many women reading this feel very respected when they are 'auntyji'ed.

Are their similar words in your language or in English that irritate you?

Steamed Chicken

Steamed Chicken

Steamed chicken is a very simple dish. It can be cooked in less than an hour. You can eat together with any dish. The chicken meat is tender and juicy.

Ingredients:

1 chicken

Seasoning:

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp light soy sauce

Method:

1. Clean the chicken and rub with the seasoning.

2. Steam the chicken for about 1/2 an hour or till cook.

3. When cooked, chopped into pieces and garnish with chinese celery.

Note: You can use kampong chicken too. You need to cook a little longer for it to be tender.

Steamed Pumpkin with Chicken Meat

Steamed Pumpkin with Chicken Meat

Pumpkins have a lot of antioxidants and beta-carotene. Antioxidants help strengthen our immune system. Pumpkins by themselves are also very low in fat and calories, and high in potassium. They also possess a fair amount of Vitamin C and other nutrients, such as Niacin, Vitamin E, Calcium and Iron.

The above dish is quite simple to cook. Get a medium pumpkin will do. The pumpkin should have a uniform orange color, should stand upright on a flat bottom and have a strong stem.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium pumpkin
• 200 g chicken meat
• 1 big onion (sliced)
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tbsp oil

Method:

1. Wash pumpkin and cut crossway from the top about 5 cm.

2. Remove the seeds.

3. Cut chicken meat into small pieces.

4. Marinate with oyster sauce, sugar and pepper.

5. Heat up the kuali with some oil. Fry the onions till fragrant. Add in the marinated chicken and fry till half cook. Dish out and put into the prepared pumpkin.

6. Steam the pumpkin for 20 minutes.

7. Serve it hot.

Note: You can replace chicken meat with pork rib or whatever meat you like but make sure that you half cook them before steaming.This is to ensure that the meat will be fully cooked.

Creamy Lemon Basil Chicken & Pasta

Creamy Lemon Basil Chicken & Pasta

Moving into a new house with two babies and no heat in the beginning of winter (don't ask) is serious chaos. I scraped by with dinners each night by grabbing things from my pantry cupboard or freezer. One of our favorite pantry meals to throw together is Chicken al Diavlo Penne. Using the shortcut of jarred pesto and alfredo sauce creates a fast, flavorful and creamy pasta sauce.

I set out to make this meal for my family, only to discover there were no chicken breasts, penne or mushrooms, but instead bone-in chicken thighs, spaghetti and broccoli. I was excited for a new twist on our family's favorite and I tied all the flavors together with fresh lemon. The pungency of the lemon juice really brightens up the creamy sauce and pairs well with the vibrant, crisp vegetables.


Recipe by Meal Planning 101
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Serves 4-6
8 chicken thighs
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp lemon pepper
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp seasoning salt

1 lb spaghetti
1 head of broccoli, cut into small florets
1 red pepper, cut into strips
1 jar alfredo sauce
2 heaping tbsp pesto
1 lemon, zest and juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil.

In a large oven proof skillet over medium-high heat add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. Add the flour, lemon pepper, basil and seasoning salt into a bag and shake it up. Add the chicken thighs and shake to coat in the seasoned flour. Add the chicken to the pan and sear sear until golden about 3-4 minutes per side. You don't have to worry about cooking them all the way through, just let it get a beautiful golden color. Transfer the chicken in the skillet to the oven and let bake for 15-20 minutes. If you don't have an oven proof skillet, transfer the chicken to a baking sheet.

Once the water boils add the spaghetti and cook until al dente following the package directions.

In another skillet, heat up 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli and peppers and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the zest of 1/2 the lemon as well as the juice of 1/2 the lemon. Stir in the pesto and alredo sauce. Turn the heat to low and simmer 1-2 minutes just to heat through. If you simmer the mixture for a long time you will lose the crunch and vibrant color of the vegetables. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce and vegetables.

Remove the chicken from the oven and squeeze the juice of the other half of the lemon. Serve a mound of creamy lemon basil spaghetti with the crispy lemon chicken on top.


Click here for printable version of Creamy Lemon Basil Chicken & Pasta
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THE RESULTS?

My daughter and I loved this twist on one of our favorite pasta dishes. Probably my favorite thing about this dish is the contrast of textures between the crispy chicken and the creamy spaghetti. I'm a bit of a carbaholic so this satisfies my mighty craving for all things pasta. My husband really liked it as well, but prefers the original dish this was based on.



For more inexpensive meal ideas check out the $5 Dinner Challenge and Gayle's Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap.

~ Here We Go ~

~ Here We Go ~

Ever since Yelp jumped the shark, I've missed writing reviews of various restaurants I visit. Also, since I pulled the plug on my personal blog, "Geisha in the Grid" last year, I have nowhere to spout off about the various recipes I try out on my unsuspecting victims...I mean, friends. Hence the conception of "A Girl and Her Fork," which combines both--restaurant and recipe reviews. I'll get some new reviews underway soon, but in the meantime enjoy a few of my restaurant ramblings that I've pulled from my old Yelp account from 2006-2009.

Zebra Cake

Zebra Cake

मराठीमध्ये वाचण्यासाठी इथे क्लिक करा

I remember around a year back I had received a mail from a colleague here about tasting the check box cake. She had described a lot about its procedure so when I was looking for something similar yet something where I wont need those card boards etc to make those check box texture. Then I came across the very famous concept of zebra cake. So today I gave it a shot and result was very impressive :)


Ingredients
3 Cup Maida
2 Cup Sugar
4 Eggs
2 Cup Milk
2 cup Oil
1 Spoon Vanilla Essence
8 Spoon Coca Powder
4 Spoon Baking Powder

Method

• In a bowl add eggs and sugar and blend them together till the mixture is fluffy.
• Add in Milk and Oil keeping two spoons of each aside. Blend well
• Sieve in maida gradually in the mixture. Blend well for a smooth batter
• Blend in vanilla essence and baking powder.
• Separate 4.5 cup of batter into other bowl and add in sieved coca powder in the separated batter. Blend well
• In the coca batter, add the remaining milk and oil (2 spoons each) into the batter and blend again
• Preheat oven to 350F/180C
• Grease the baking pan
• Add 1/4 cup of white batter in the center alternating with half cup of coca batter. Keep adding till the pan fills in half in quantity. Repeat same for other pan. The batter would spread on its own in layers
• Bake the cakes in oven at 350F/180C for 40 minutes

Notes
If you are going to make the cake in single big baking pan, then instead of adding 1/4 cup of mixture, add in 1/2 cup to make the correct sized strips. I noticed that if the layers are too thin then after baking they wouldn't be too clear to mark out the layering clearly.

Peanut Sauce

Peanut Sauce

मराठीमध्ये वाचण्यासाठी इथे क्लिक करा

A must have dip for Chicken Satay, I had to make this. Especially for Ajoy as he is such a fan of this sauce that he sometimes asks for it in Chinese restaurant too :) forgetting that he is in Chinese restaurant instead of Thai :)


Ingredients
1 Cup Peanuts
2 Spoon Brown Sugar
1/4 Spoon Red Chilli Powder
2 Spoon Soya Sauce
1 Spoon Oil
1 Garlic Clove
2 Spoon Lemon Juice
Salt to taste

Method

• Dry roast the peanuts and let them cool
• Add peanuts, brown sugar, red chilli powder, soya sauce, oil, garlic clove, lemon juice and salt in a mixie and grind to sticky powder
• Add half cup of water and grind again till smooth paste

Notes
I had used double quantity of red chilli powder but it had become little extra hot so I have suggested only 1/4 spoon for red chilli. If you feel it is too mild for you try adding some more chilli while grinding

Chicken Satay

Chicken Satay

मराठीमध्ये वाचण्यासाठी इथे क्लिक करा

Chicken Satay is one of our favorite stater in Thai cuisine. So this time when we got the chicken from costco, I decided to give this a try. I had made this earlier but it was over even before I could click photo :) So now this time I made sure we click photos before making the strike.


Ingredients
400g Boneless Chicken Breasts
1 Spoon Brown Sugar
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Spoon Corriander Powder
1 Spoon Jeera Powder
1/4 Spoon Turmeric Powder
1 Spoon Black Pepper Powder
2 Spoon Oil
2 Spoon Soya Sauce
2 Spoon Lemon Juice
1/2 Cup Milk
Salt to taste

Method

• Make thin and rectangular slices of the chicken
• Add brown sugar, garlic cloves, corriander powder, jeera powder, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, oil, soya sauce, lemon juice and salt and mix well. Keep aside in refrigerator for 4 hours
• After 4 hours, attach the strips of chicken on to scewer sticks, 2 pieces on one stick.
• Bast the chicken with the milk.
• Heat a non stick pan and cook the chicken with scewers on medium flame by flipping them over continuously every 2-3 minutes till done.

Notes
I read in lot many recipes to add fish sauce to the marination, but I investigated a bit and found that it is some what salty liquid and usually used instead of salt. Hence instead of going to asian shop for fish sauce I used normal table salt instead.

Chilli Prawns

Chilli Prawns

मराठीमध्ये वाचण्यासाठी इथे क्लिक करा

I was looking to make something quick yet something different from the normal preparation (Prawns Masala) and then I came up with this.


Ingredients
300g Cleaned Prawns
1 Spoon Garlic Paste
1 Onion
4 Green Chillies
4 Spoon Dark Soya Sauce
2 Spoon Tomato Ketchup
2 Spoon Corn Flour
Salt to taste
Oil

Method

• Marinate the prawns with garlic paste and salt.
• Deep fry them in oil few at a time for a minute
• In same oil, add halved green chillies, onion and cook them with constant stirring
• Add soya sauce, ketchup and again cook for couple of minute
• Add prawns and stir for another minute
• Mix corn flour in two cups of water and add it to the cooking prawns
• Cook for 3-4 minutes till gravy thickens and prawns become tender

Notes
Well I didn't have spring onions to garnish otherwise I might have added it a bit for garnishing.

Flight Africa Blog: What would a Star Alliance membership mean for Ethiopian Airlines?

Flight Africa Blog: What would a Star Alliance membership mean for Ethiopian Airlines?

Flight Africa Blog: What would a Star Alliance membership mean for Ethiopian Airlines?

Gyoza (Japanese Potstickers)

Gyoza (Japanese Potstickers)

Gyoza (pronounced "gee-oh-za") are Japanese potstickers filled with ground pork and shredded cabbage and flavored with garlic, ginger and sesame oil. The combination is lethal; death by dumpling overload. Every time my husband and I go out for Japanese we order these puppies, only to be left wanting more and more. $5.95 for 6 dumplings split between two people doesn't cut it for me. I found dumpling wrappers at our Asian Supermarket and then I researched and experimented with filling recipes for the last six months so that I could make these at home. The results make my waistline want to scream because I could eat two dozen of these to myself.

Gyoza are prepared by first pan frying to crisp up the bottom and then steamed to finish the cooking. You get both the pillowy softness from being steamed and a nice little crispy edge as well. If you enjoy these at restaurants, you will be surprised how simple they are to make at home. You can find most ingredients in your regular supermarket, but a few you may need to venture to an Asian market to get. Make sure the wrappers are marked specifically "gyoza wrappers" or "dumpling wrappers". It is definitely not the same to substitute these with spring roll, egg roll or won ton wrappers.

Get ready to gorge yourselves my friends.

____________________________________________________________________

Makes 72 dumplings



1 lb ground pork
1 lb bag of coleslaw (or 1 lb cabbage finely shredded)
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil

1 package of gyoza skins (also called Shanghai dumpling wrappers)
1/4 cup water
1 tsp cornstarch


Before you start making the gyoza, prepare your workspace. Get out a large baking sheet and moisten a clean kitchen towel or paper towel until just damp. In a small bowl mix together the water and cornstarch.

In a large mixing bowl mix together the pork, cabbage, ginger, garlic, sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil until well combined.

To begin filling your gyoza, hold a dumpling wrapper in one hand. Dip your finger in the cornstarch water and moisten all around the outside edge of the wrapper.

Place a heaped teaspoon of filling in the middle of the wrapper.

Fold the gyoza wrapper in half and pinch in the middle.

To make a pleat, you'll need to make a small fold to the left of the middle.

Pinch that together.

Make another fold to the left of the pleat you just made and pinch together.

It will look like this.

Make the same pleats pinching them together on the other side until the dumpling is completely sealed.

Your cute little pot sticker is now folded and ready to stand up....

In the palm of your hand or on a hard surface, stand the gyoza up and tap to make a flat bottom.

I've looked at pictures in dumpling cookbooks and they have many more pleats than I do but this works for me, takes less time and this is what ours look like at our local Japanese restaurant. You can get fancy and add more pleats if you like.

When you are all done folding and making the potstickers, you could at this point place your whole baking sheet in the freezer. The gyoza will freeze in about an hour or two and can then be placed in a ziplock bag. This prevents them from freezing into a big potsticker ball. When you are ready to use them, just pull them out of the freezer and add an extra minute or two for cooking time.

Whether cooking these fresh or frozen, get out a large non-stick skillet that has a tight fitting lid. Place a couple teaspoons of oil in the pan and turn the heat up to high. Get a 1/2 cup of water ready and place on the counter beside you. Place the gyoza in the pan on the flat side with their pleats sticking up. Depending on the size of your pan you should be able to fit about 12 or so into the pan (if I'm serving this as a meal for 4, I have two frying pans going at once). After about a minute or two the bottoms of the gyoza will be browned and crispy. Grab the lid to the frying pan in one hand and the 1/2 cup of water in the other. Quickly pour the water into the pan and put the lid on. Turn the heat down to low and set a timer for 10 minutes. The dumplings will finish cooking in the pan by steaming.

After 10 minutes remove the lid of the pan. If not all the water is gone let them sit another minute or two to let the water evaporate and let the bottoms of the gyoza get crispy again. Remove to a serving dish. In the Japanese restaurant, they serve them with crispy side up.

If you want to impress your company they look really pretty pleat side up. You choose.

Serve the gyoza with your choice of dipping sauce:

#1 Soy Sesame Dipping Sauce

2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil

Mix ingredients together in small bowl and serve with gyoza.


#2 Tangy Chili Dipping Sauce

3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp chili oil (Layu chili oil)
Dash of chili pepper (Ichimi togarashi)

Mix ingredients together in small bowl and serve with gyoza.


Sauce #1 is made with easily accessibly ingredients that most people already have in their pantry. Sauce #2 is the same as the one served in our Japanese restaurant and I found the chili oil and chili pepper at our little Asian market. Both are great dipping sauces. I serve both to give my guests choice. My personal favorite is the two sauces mixed together.


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THE RESULTS?

The recipe sounds long and complicated but I assure you it is not. Mayyyyyybe slightly time consuming, but it's the kind of thing that you can make on a Saturday afternoon, throw in the freezer and have a restaurant-worthy meal in 15 minutes on a weeknight. If I could inject this stuff into my veins I would. I can never seem to make a big enough batch. My husband and I inhale them.

Air Asia's timely response to OneJetOne 'Rumors'

Air Asia's timely response to OneJetOne 'Rumors'

After spending  the better part of the day toying with the rumors of OneJetOne's possible ownership by Air Asia,I got a timely response on Twitter  from Malaysia's cool budget airline stating that they are not involved with Kenya's newest international low cost carrier at all.

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I will take Air Asia for their word and since this conversation is now on record,we will continue with our inquiries about who owns OneJetOne.One thing is certain,Air Asia might have its eye on Africa's fledgling low cost market:"we look forward to making Africa possible".Africans want to fly and fly cheap.Flying is no longer something of a novelty.But the big question is:Will OneJetOne Take Off?

Togolese start-up ASKY is born - Rediscover the Sky

Togolese start-up ASKY is born - Rediscover the Sky

The long awaited a dream to create a regional  multinational airline in West Africa has finally come to fruition.ASKY, a newly-formed community airline based in Lome, Togo, launched its Maiden flight on January 15, 2010 from Lome to Abidjan and Banjul.

ASKY airlines was formed on November 29, 2007 following the financial collapse of the then multinational carrier  Air Afrique on February 08, 2002 .In June 2008 ,an MOU was signed with Ethiopian Airlines where ET took the commitment to give assistance for the start up and development of the airline and to take an important stake in ASKY's capital.

                                                           ASKY Airlines Logo



The airline is owned by  Ecowas Bank for Investment and Development,the Ecobank Group and Ethiopian Airlines,the West African Bank,Mr.Gervais Djondo(Chairman) and Mr. Mseleku.

ASKY Airlines fleet

 Related story on Flight International Togolese start-up ASKY is born - Airline Business

New Budget Airline in Kenya:When is OneJetOne Airways Kenya Taking Off?

New Budget Airline in Kenya:When is OneJetOne Airways Kenya Taking Off?

Kenya's first International Low Cost Carrier is set for launch March this year.At least that's the information we have so far.

OneJetOne entered the Kenyan market under controversial circumstances last year;it will soon hit the Skies offering cheap flights to Kenya under its banner "Fun to Fly".The airline has finished recruiting the first batch of cabin crews and all that remains is launching its inaugural flights in Kenya.

 There is a rumor in town that OneJetOne is partly owned by Malaysia's Air Asia but I cannot confirm that for now.But it's bold sleek branding is so AirAsia like.

For digital  branding ,I give the airline 100%(I will have to contact Shashank Nigam to verify this!).The brand is so appealing and is likely to attract  young hip Fliers flying from the Nairobi Airport!Of course the fares will also be a determining factor.If they are going to be purely budget,low fares,no frills;then the airline will be popular!There are few Kenyan budget airlines and the Kenyan low cost airlines market is still largely underexploited.If OneJetOne will offer the cheapest flights to Kenya,it will have a great advantage in the East African aviation market.

From its digital branding,the OneJetOne seems focused on reaching the young,upscale Kenyan market segment,the under 35s I think.The airline is already using Facebook and YouTube to manage its PR,engage the public and  communicate its message.

There also seems to be a reliance on friendly sections of Kenyan print media especially the Nairobi Star in the battle to win the heart of minds of Kenyans who view the airline as corrupt enterprise facilitated by Kenya's political and business elite!There is increasing emphasis in these media of Kenya Airways' fear of losing its dominance of the Kenyan market to OneJetOne(which is quite interesting given that Fly540 ,a budget airline has been serving the market for years)

Similar tactics were used by Air Uganda when it launched  the Nairobi-Entebbe route where some business journalists were paid to emphasize Kenya Airways' "rude" staff and expensive fares vis-a-vis Air Uganda's "Ugandan" hospitality onboard on the Nairobi-Entebbe route.

Should it launch its service in Kenya ,OneJetOne Airways Kenya will be judged purely by the quality of its onboard service,fares,ancillary products!As an airline lover ,I am more than enthusiastic to see a new cool carrier hit the Kenyan Skies soon!Kenyan aviation will benefit and mature from increased competition and innovative airline products!

More Info:The airline was recently awarded a tender by the Kenya Airports Authority to refurbish and operate the old Embakasi Airport .Kenya Airways had requested the KAA for use of the old Airport due to congestion at JKIA and feels it deserved to be awarded the tender as the Kenyan National Carrier!

Earning travel rewards with Kenya Airways New Msafiri Gold Credit Card

Earning travel rewards with Kenya Airways New Msafiri Gold Credit Card

Shortly after introducing travel insurance TravelGuard(in conjunction with Chartis Kenya) and mobile ticket purchase via Safaricom's MPESA service  to its clients,Kenya Airways has now launched Msafiri Gold Credit Card,a travel card that earns you travel rewards with Kenya Airways whenever you swipe it at any KQ point of sale.

Kenya Airways seems keen on being an innovator in the African skies and giving its passengers more choice and goodies during their travel.The Msafiri Gold Credit card has been launched in conjunction with CFC Stanbic,a subsidiary of the Standard Bank of South Africa.

Standard Bank of South Africa,through its 'Moving Forward' campaign has been known for introducing innovative financial products for its clients including internet banking,mobile banking and effectively deploying social media to serve its clients in an innovative ,revolutionary way.It's not known whether Kenya Airways will  work out such agreements with other Kenyan banks but CFC Stanbic is an intuitive choice since its parent company,Standard Bank of South Africa has a giant foothold on the African continent,a key core market for Kenya Airways.In fact,partnering with Standard Bank is in sync with Kenya Airways' strategy to spread its wings throughout the African continent.

 
Kenya Airways seems focused on Simplifying the Flying process for its passengers while at the same time offering unique ancillary products to boost its revenues.It's a great strategy in these tough times in the skies.

KQ clients using the card must have an account with CFC Stanbic.You can download the application form for Kenya Airways Msafiri Gold Credit Card here