Easy Summer Dinner Recipes To Prepare

The best season of the year is finally here, it’s summer-time. To make your summer more interesting and fun we have brought to you some of the delicious recipes to prepare at home. Read on to prepare these mouth-watering dishes and have a lovely summer dinner every night.

1. Punjabi Kadhi Pakora

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup besan
• 1.5 cups plain yoghurt
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 6 cups of water
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1/2 teaspoon methi seeds, fenugreek seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida
• 1 small red onion
• 1 green chilli
• 1 tablespoon chopped ginger
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1.25-1.5 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

For the Pakoda:

• 1 cup besan
• 1 cup thinly sliced onion
• 1 green chilli, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/8 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon ajwain
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons plain yoghurt
• 1/4 cup of water as needed
• 2 pinch baking soda
• Oil, for frying

For the Tadka:

• 1.5 tablespoons ghee
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• Ajwain, a generous pinch
• 2-3 whole dried red chillies
• 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder

Instructions:

1. To a large bowl, add 1/2 cup besan and 1.5 cups of yoghurt. Make sure the yoghurt is at room temperature
2. Now, whisk until besan and yoghurt are well combined
3. Add 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and 1teaspoon coriander powder and whisk until you have a lump-free mixture
4. Next, pour 6 cups of water and mix until it’s well combined
5. In a large and deep pan, add 2 tablespoons of mustard oil on medium-high heat
6. Once the oil is hot add the methi seeds and cumin seeds. Allow them to splutter and then add the hing
7. Add the sliced onion along with chopped green chilli and cook for 2minutes
8. Now, add the chopped ginger and garlic and cook for another 1 minute or so until the ginger and garlic start changing colour
9. Add the prepared besan-yoghurt mixture into the pan
10. Now, with the heat on medium-high, stir continuously until the kadhi comes to a boil
11. Add salt after the kadhi has been cooking for 15 minutes or so. While the kadhi is cooking, make the pakora
12. In a large bowl, add 1 cup besan, along with 1 cup sliced onion, 1chopped green chilli, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, 1/8teaspoon red chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, 1/4 teaspoon ajwain and 1/2 teaspoon salt
13. Now, add 2 tablespoons yoghurt and mix
14. Add 2 pinch of baking soda and mix the batter for a minute using your hands. This will make the pakoras nice and soft
15. Meanwhile, heat oil in a kadhai on medium heat to fry the pakoras
16. Once the oil is hot, mix the batter again for a minute using your hands and then start dropping the batter into the hot oil
17. Let it cook and turn golden brown from one side and then flip and cook the other side
18. Make sure to cook on medium-low heat so that the pakoras cook nicely from inside too
19. Cook until pakoras are golden brown from both sides. Drain on a paper towel
20. After 30 minutes or so, kadhi would have considerably thickened and completely cooked
21. Now, add in the cilantro. You can add little extra water here if kadhi looks too thick.
22. Serve in a dish with some steamed rice!

2. Lemon Chicken

Ingredients:

• 3 to 4 pounds of chicken breast
• 4 teaspoons lemon zest
• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped thyme
• 2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• Lemon slices for garnish

Instructions:

1.  Marinate the chicken: Place lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a large, non-reactive bowl, and whisk to combine
2. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut into the underside of each chicken piece one or two times by about 1/2 an inch
3. Place the chicken pieces in the bowl and turn to coat with the marinade
4. Now, place in the refrigerator and marinate for 1 to 2 hours
5. Place chicken in the baking dish, brush with butter: Preheat oven to 425°F. Remove chicken from marinade and place in a single layer in a large baking dish, skin side up
6. Now, use a pastry brush to brush melted butter on each piece of chicken
7. Bake for 20 minutes and baste the chicken pieces generously with the reserved marinade
8. Continue baking for another 15 to 25 minutes, until the skins are crispy brown, and the chicken is cooked through
9.  Pour the juices from the pan into a serving bowl. Use a tablespoon to skim the fat off the top
10. Serve the chicken with the juices on the side or a little poured over the top of the chicken.

Looking for more dinner ideas? Check out Quick and Delicious Organic Dinner Recipes