Chicken Sausage masala stir fry

Let's make a desi dish out of chicken sausage.

Ingredients

Chicken sausage / Frank - 6
Onion - 1, chopped fine
Tomato - 1 small, blanched and pureed
Ginger garlic paste - 1 TSP
Red chilly powder - 1 TSP
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Saunf/ fennel seeds 3/4 TSP
Curry leaves - a sprig
Lemon juice - 1 or 2 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt as needed

Preparation

1. Cut the sausage into rounds and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in pan and splutter the sauf. Add in onions and saute till soft
3. Add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes.
4. Add red chilly, turmeric and coriander powders and mix well.. Take care not to burn them.
5. Add in tomato puree and combine well. Saute for few minutes.
6. Add sausage rounds and curry leaves. Combine well and cover and cook for 5 mins. You can sprinkle a little water if it gets too dry.
7. Add the lemon juice and stir fry on high for a few minutes until the dish is dry as in the picture. You may add some chopped coriander leaves to garnish.

Enjoy as a side dish with roti or rice.

Varutharacha Kozhi curry / Chicken in roasted coconut gravy - Easter special

Happy Easter, dear friends...This traditional kerala style chicken curry is my mother's recipe. It goes well with rice, appam, puttu, pathiri, dosa, chappathi, malabar paratha etc...

Ingredients:

For marination

Chicken - 1 kg, cut to medium size pieces

Chilly powder - 2 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Yoghurt/Curd - 2 tbsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Onions - 3, sliced fine

Ginger chopped - 1 tbsp

Garlic chopped - 1 tbsp

Green chilies - 3 or 4, slit

Tomato - 2, chopped

Potatoes - 2, peeled and cubed

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

To roast and grind

Oil -1 tbsp

Fennel seeds - 2 tsp

Cinnamon - a 3 inch stick

Cloves - 4

Green cardamom - 2

Black pepper - 1 tsp

Dry red chillies - 4

Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp or Coriander powder - 4 to 5 tsp

Sambar onions/Shallots - 5, peeled and sliced

Curry leaves - 6 to 8

Grated coconut - 1 cup

For tempering/tadka

Oil - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Dry red chillies - 2 or 3

Curry leaves - a sprig

Note: I use only coconut oil for this curry for an authentic taste.

Preparation:

1. Combine the marination ingredients well and keep aside for 30 mins.

2. Heat oil in an earthern/clay pot/large pan and saute the onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies. When onions become soft, add tomatoes and saute for a few minutes.

3. Add potatoes and the marinated chicken. Combine well and add some water. Cover and cook.

4. Meanwhile, heat oil in a nonstick pan and add fennel, cinnamon,cloves,cardamom and black pepper. Saute for a minute and add dry red chillies, coriander seeds and shallots. Add grated coconut and curry leaves and roast till the ingredients are a dark brown in colour. Take care not to burn it. Perfeclty brown roasted coconut is the secret for the yummy colour of the curry. If you are using coriander powder instead of seeds, add it after the coconut turns brown so that it doesnt get burnt.Let this mixture cool.

5. Add a little water to the roasted coconut mix and grind it to a smooth paste.

6. When the chicken is almost cooked, add this ground masala and bring to a boil. Check for salt and add at this stage. Simmer for about 10 minutes.

7. In a small tadka pan, add oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add dry chillies and curry leaves. Pour this seasoning on the chicken curry.

This curry tastes best after a few hours.. 

Events:

The Kerala Kitchen - April 2012 hosted by me

Chicken yum yum

What's in a name ? This is a basic chicken recipe that you can have as a starter, a filling for wraps and sandwiches, shred and use for samosa/spring roll filling, cutlets...the possibilities are endless. And the best part is you just need to marinate and cook it. No need to slice onion, tomato etc...isn't this perfect for a lazy day?

Ingredients:

Boneless chicken breast - 2 (weighing about 400 gms)

Yoghurt - 2 tbsp

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Chilly powder - 1 tsp

Crushed pepper - 1/2 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Preparation:

1. Cut the chicken breast to bite size pieces or strips. Marinate with all the other ingredients except oil for 15-20 mins.

2. Heat oil in a non-stick pan and add the marinated chicken. Combine well. Cover and cook till chicken is done. Stir in between. No need to add water, chicken gets cooked in its own juices.

3. After chicken is cooked, add curry leaves or chopped coriander leaves(optional). Roast for a few mins till the chicken is dry.Drizzle a little oil along the sides of the pan for a perfectly brown colour.

Recipe coming soon...Chicken wrap made with this recipe

Events:

Kerala Kitchen - March 2011 hosted by Prathibha, an event series started by Ria and Rose 
Hot and Spicy treats hosted by Amy

Spotlight:Colourful holi hosted by Chandrani

Healthy morsels - pregnancy

Chettinad Chicken roast

Spicy and finger licking good chicken roast that leaves you craving for more. The aroma of freshly ground masalas is the speciality of this dish.

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 kg, cut to medium pieces

For marination
Chilly powder - 1.5 tablespoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Lemon juice - 2 tbsp
Salt as needed

For masala
Oil - 2 tbsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Fennel seeds - 2 tsp
Onion - 1 large, chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
Tomatoes - 2, chopped

For tempering/seasoning
Oil - 1 tbsp
Dry red chillies - 2 or 3
Curry leaves - a sprig
Onion - 1 small, sliced very thin
Coarsely crushed pepper - 1 tsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp (Use freshly made garam masala. Check here for the recipe)

Preparation:

1. Wash and drain the chicken. Combine all the marination ingredients in a bowl and add the chicken pieces and marinate for a minimum of 30 minutes.
2. In a pan, heat oil and add fennel and cumin seeds. Add onions and saute till soft. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a few minutes. Add tomatoes and saute till oil starts oozing. Add the marinated chicken and cover and cook till chicken is done. As this is a dry preparation, no need to add water as chicken gets cooked in its own juice.
3. In  another pan, heat oil and add red chillies, followed by curry leaves and onion. Fry till onion turns brown. Add crushed pepper and garam masala and saute till you get a nice aroma. Add this mix to the cooked chicken and combine well.

Serve hot with rice, appam, parotta, roti etc...

Sending this over to Hot & Spicy treats

Pepper Chicken with gravy

I have already posted a Pepper chicken recipe which is a dry preparation and can be used as a starter. Today's version has a thick gravy and is best paired with some fried rice, pulav, roti or naan. Check the other recipe HERE

Ingredients:

For marination

Chicken - 1 kg, cut to small pieces

Whole Pepper corns - 1 tbsp

Green chillies - 3 or 4

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Onion - 2 large, sliced thin

Freshly ground ginger garlic paste - 1 to 2 tbsp

Tomato - 1, pureed

Bellpepper/Capsicum - 1, seeded and diced

Soy sauce - 1 tbsp

Corn flour - 1 tsp mixed in 1/4 cup water

Pepper powder - as needed to adjust the spice level

Oil - 2 + 1 tbsp

Preparation:

1.Grind together pepper corns and green chillies. Marinate the chicken with this ground mix, turmeric powder and salt for half an hour.

2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pan and saute the onions till they start browning. Add ginger garlic paste and tomato puree and combine well. Add the marinated chicken and mix well. Cover and cook till chicken is done. Add water if you need more gravy.

3. In another pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil and saute the bell pepper and soy sauce for 2-3 minutes. Add this to the cooked chicken and combine well. Add the corn flour mix and bring to boil. Check and add more pepper powder if required. 

Curry tastes best after a few hours. Best enjoyed on cold winter days :-)

Sending this over to Hot & Spicy treats

Veg Noodles and Chilly Chicken

A perfect weekend meal combo for us - Sweetcorn Chicken soup, Veggie Noodles and Chilly Chicken. Can it get any better for someone who loves Indo-Chinese food !

  

Recipe for Veg Noodles

Chinese Noodles - 3 nests

Carrot - 1, peeled and cut to thin strips

Capsicum - 1, cut to thin strips after discarding the seeds

Onion - 1, sliced fine

Minced garlic - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 to 2 tbsp

Chinese 5 spice shake - 1/4 tsp (optional)

Pepper powder - 3/4 tsp or more to suit your taste

Soy sauce - 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

1. Cook the noodles as per the pack instructions and drain to a colander. Keep it under running water for a few seconds and let it cool.

2. Heat oil in a wok or wide pan and add garlic followed by onion, carrots and capsicum. Saute for a couple of minutes, till they are crunchy.Add salt and pepper and mix well. Add soy sauce and spice shake and combine. 

3. Keep the stove on high, add the cooked noodles to the wok and toss well for a few minutes . 

Notes:  Use more veggies like green beans, cabbage and green peas.

Recipe for Chilly Chicken

For marination

Boneless Chicken - 500 gms, cut to strips or bite size pieces

Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Corn flour - 2 tbsp

Soy sauce - 1.5 tbsp

Egg white (beaten) - of 1 egg

Chopped ginger and garlic - 1.5 tbsp each

Green chillies - 3 or 4

Salt to taste

For the sauce

Onions - 2, chopped

Green Capsicum - 1, diced

Finely chopped ginger and garlic - 1 tsp each

Kashmiri chilly powder or Paprika - 2 tsp mixed in a cup of water

Soy sauce - 1 tbsp

Tomato ketchup - 1 to 2 tbsp

Salt for the sauce

Oil for deep frying

Spring onions sliced - for garnishing

1. Grind together ginger garlic and green chillies with a little water to a smooth paste. Add all other ingredients for the marination to this paste and keep aside for minimum 1 hour.

2. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Fry the chicken pieces till golden brown, do not fry more as chicken gets dry and hard. Drain and keep aside.

3. Take 1 to 2 tbsp of oil used for frying and heat it in another pan. Add onions, capsicum and salt and saute for a couple of minutes. Add ginger and garlic and saute again for 2-3 mins. Pour the chilly powder mixed it water. If you have a little marinade left over, add it too.When it starts boiling add, soy sauce and tomato ketchup. Combine well and add the fried chicken. Simmer for few minutes, till gravy thickens and chicken is coated well with sauce. Garnish with spring onions. Serve hot.

Recipe source: Chilly chicken from Maria's Menu

Sending this to What's For Friday dinner

Chicken Sukka

Chicken Sukka is my favourite dish along with Neer Dosa. This is a delicious combination in Mangalorean Cuisine. When we were in Bangalore, we used to have it from the restaurants there. After coming to UK, I started missing this a lot and was hunting for an authentic recipe. One morning I was pleasantly surprised when Shireen posted it at her blog Ruchik Randhap. Her blog has a collection of authentic Mangalore dishes and the pictures make me drool always. Yesterday I made Chicken Sukka and Neer dosa for dinner and it was fantastic. My husband said that it is the most authentic one he ever had. I had followed every bit of her recipe, except for the 2 varieties of chillies she used. I get only one type of dry chilly here which is kind of mildly spicy and this made my curry look brownish. 

Coming to the recipe...The preparation is a little time consuming, but the final dish is worth all the effort.

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 kg cut to medium pieces

Onion - 1, chopped

Salt to taste

For the roasted masala

Poppy seeds / khus-khus - 1/2 tsp

Cinnamon - 1 inch piece

Cloves - 3 or 4

Onion - 1 medium size, finely sliced

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Crushed garlic with skin - 3 cloves

Dry red chillies - 15 to 18 (adjust based on spiciness)

Coriander seeds - 1.5 tbsp

Whole black peppercorns - 10

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp 

Cumin seeds/jeera - a pinch

Tamarind - marble sized or Tamarind paste - 1 tbsp

For garnishing

Grated coconut - 1 cup 

Garlic with skin - 3 cloves

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp 

For the seasoning/tadka

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Onion - 1 medium size finely sliced

Cinnamon - 1/2 inch stick

Preparation:

1. Heat a pan and dry roast the poppy seeds, cinnamon, cloves, sliced onion, garlic and turmeric powder. I added a little oil as the turmeric was about to get burnt. Saute till the onions turn pale. Add dry red chillies, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, peppercorns and tamarind one by one and saute. Let it cool and then grind to a fine paste.
2. Wash and drain the chicken peices. In a pan, add the chicken, chopped onion, salt and 3/4th portion of the ground masala. Reserve the remaining 1/4th to be added in next step. Cook without adding any water as  this is a kind of dry preparation and chicken cooks in its own juices.
3. In the same pan used for the first roasting, dry roast the coconut, 3 cloves of garlic and cumin on a slow flame for about 2-3 minutes till you get a nice aroma of roasted coconut. No need to wait till coconut turns brown. Let it cool and grind it along with the masala that was reserved previously(the 1/4th portion) to a coarse consistency. When the chicken is almost cooked, add this ground mix and combine well and cook for few more minutes till chicken is done.
4. Heat a tadka/seasoning pan and add ghee followed by onion. Saute till onion turns golder brown, add cinnamon now and pour this seasoning to the cooked chicken. This seasoning gives a great taste to the Sukka.

Serve with Neer Dosa/Rice/Roti.

Thanks again Shireen for this delicious recipe..

Chicken Jalfrezi

Chicken Jalfrezi is Britain's favourite Indian curry now. Recently it replaced the Chicken Tikka Masala  which was the most popular Indian curry says Times of India. I had this dish a couple of times after coming to UK, and this is our favourite now. The Indian restaurants here serve mildly spicy curries and so we always order it to be extra spicy. Extra spicy as per their standards is the normal spice level that we use at home. 

Coming to the recipe, I spotted it at 1 MB from Meena's Kitchen. The picture of her dish looked so attractive and delicious and I decided to try it. This is a very yummy dish with a different flavour and a lovely light brown colour. But in this photo, it looks very yellow as my kitchen lights are yellowish. I made it for dinner and missed the opportunity to take the picture in day light.

Ingredients:

1. Boneless chicken breast - 2, cut to bite sized pieces

Yoghurt/Curd - 3 tbsp

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

2. For cooking the chicken

Oil - 2 tbsp

Green chillies - 2, chopped fine

Garlic - 4 large cloves

Tomatoes - 2, chopped

Chilly powder - 1.5 tsp

Coriander powder - 1.5 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp

Salt to taste

3. For second saute

Oil - 1 tbsp

Jeera - 1 tsp

Onion - 1 large, thinly sliced

Green Bell Pepper - 1, diced

Garam masala - 1/2 to 1 tsp

Preparation:

1. Combine all ingredients in item 1 and marinate for 10 mins.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add green chillies followed by garlic and saute well. Add tomatoes and saute well till mushy.

3. Add chilly, coriander and pepper powders and salt and combine well.

4. Add the marinated chicken and cover and cook till chicken is done. As this is a dry side dish, no need to add water. 

5. In another pan heat oil and add jeera. Add onions and saute till they are golden brown. Add the diced bell peppers and saute for a minute. Add garam masala and mix well. Add the contents of this pan to the cooked chicken and combine well. Chicken Jalfrezi is ready. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves(optional).

Serve with roti, paratha, naan or fried rice.

Linking this to Iftar Nights

Oven roasted Chicken

It was the first time I roasted a chicken breast and it was finger licking good. As a trial I used only 1 fillet, which I regret. Both of us were literally attacking it with our knives. It is a very easy recipe and requires minimal ingredients. I am going to make this again very soon.

Ingredients:

Boneless chicken breast fillet - 1
Paprika - 1 tsp (You may use regula chilly powder, but Paprika gives a nice red colour)
Pepper powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Onion - 1, sliced fine
Lemon juice - a few drops
Oil - to grease the tray and for basting

You also need...

Roasting tray preferably glass
Spatula for turning the chicken
A pair of oven gloves

Note: You may also try this with fish like Salmon fillet or Kingfish slices. Fish takes lesser time to cook.

Preparation:

1. In a bowl, mix together paprika, pepper powder,salt and garlic paste. Coat the chicken pieces with this paste and rub well. Keep aside for half an hour or more.
2. Preheat oven to 200 C. Grease the roasting tray with a little  oil. Place the marinated breast fillet and brush the top with a little oil. Rub the sliced onion with a pinch of salt and a few drops of lemon juice. Spread this onion on top of the chicken and in the tray.
3. Bake in the oven for 10 - 15 mins and then turn it over. Bake again for 10-15 mins. Total baking time will be around 25-35 mins. It may vary in different ovens. Do not overcook as the chicken will lose the juices and get hard.

You may either serve it as it is or cut to pieces and use in wraps, pizza, sandwiches, salads or pasta.

This goes to Anyone Can Cook, Joy from Fasting to Feasting - IV, Iftar Nights and What's on your Kebab Platter

I am also sending Chicken Tikka for What's on your Kebab Platter

Sweetcorn Chicken Soup

Hot Soups are a comfort food on cold evenings. Though it is summer here, last few days have been rainy and cold. This is one of the easiest soup and I made it specially for my daughter who loves sweet corn and chicken. This soup is very healthy too as I have not added even a drop of oil, but it still tastes yummy.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken pieces - 1 to 1.5 cups(4-5 medium pieces).
    Garlic - 2 to 3 cloves finely chopped
    Pepper powder - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp
    Water - 2 cups
    Salt to taste

2. Sweet corn - 1 can of 200 gms
    Corn flour/Corn starch - 1 tsp
 
Preparation:

1. Add the ingredients listed as item 1 to a saucepan and cook till chicken is done. I do it in a pressure cooker  to make it easier.  Drain the chicken pieces from the stock and keep aside.
2. Take 3/4 of the sweetcorns from the can and blend  in a food processor/mixer till smooth. Add this to the chicken stock along with the remaining 1/4th portion of sweetcorns and bring it to boil. If you are using creamed corn, there is no need to blend.
3. Meanwhile chop the chicken pieces. If you are using chicken with bones, remove and discard the bones.
4. Add chopped chicken to the stock and simmer for few minutes.
5. Add corn starch to a few tablespoons of water and mix well. Pour this to the boiling soup. The soup starts thickening. Do a taste check and add salt if required.

Serve hot.

Sending this to Souper Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen

This also goes to Iftar Nights at Jabeen's Corner

Also goes to Anyone Can Cook:Series 30

Tomato and Garlic Chicken

I tasted this dish at my friend Mridula's home on her daughter's birthday party and I just loved it. She has a lot of yummy recipes in her Facebook Page - Mila's Kitchen. Do check it out...

If you like tangy and saucy chicken, you are sure to love this recipe.

Ingredients:

1. Boneless chicken - 500 gms cut to bite size pieces

    Chilly powder - 2 tsp

    Soy sauce - 2 tsp

    Finely chopped  garlic - 1 tsp

    Salt

2. Corn flour - 3 tbsp

     Oil for shallow frying chicken

3.  Finely chopped Garlic - 1 tbsp

     Green chillies - 3, finely chopped

     Soy sauce - 1 tbsp

     Tomato sauce - 2 tbsp

     Tomatoes - 2

      Chilly powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp

      Spring onions - to garnish

Preparation:

1. Marinate the ingredients in item 1 for about 1-2 hrs.

2. Add some water and pressure cook the marinated chicken for 1 whistle. When the pressure is released, drain the chicken peices from the stock and coat it with corn flour. Reserve the chicken stock for the gravy.

3. Heat oil in a pan to shallow fry the chicken. Fry till the chicken is cooked, but still soft. Drain and keep aside.

4. In the same pan and oil, add  garlic and saute till you get the aroma. Add green chillies, soy sauce and tomato sauce and combine well. 

5. Blend the tomatoes in a food processor or mixer and  add it to the pan along with chicken stock. Add a little chilly powder. Bring to a boil.

6. Add the left over cornflour used for coating the chicken. Add the chicken pieces and simmer for few minutes. Do a taste check and adjust salt and spiciness and the gravy consistency. Garnish with spring onions.

Tastes great with Fried rice, paratha and naan.

Sending this to Anyone Can Cook: Series 29 

Also sending to Iftar Nights

Linking to Joy from Fasting to Feasting-IV at Yummy Food

Chicken Stew

Chicken stew is a mildly spicy and creamy dish which is very popular in Kerala. This is a favourite among foreign tourists visiting Kerala. This recipe is originally my father's mutton stew recipe. So you can cook mutton also in the same way. My mother doesn't eat or cook mutton. When we feel like having some mutton at home, my father takes charge of the kitchen and I will be his helper :-) The recipe is very simple and effortless if you are using canned coconut milk. This is also a kid friendly recipe as it is mild in spice level.

This stew goes well with ghee rice, appam, pathiri, kerala porotta,chappathi etc...The famous Paragon restaurant in my hometown Calicut serves delicious chicken/mutton stews. So if you are visiting Calicut, do not miss to dine at Paragon.

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1/2 kg cut into small pieces 

Onion - 1 large, finely chopped

Potato - 1, cubed

Green chillies - 4, slit

Ginger chopped - 1 tbsp

Garlic chopped - 2 tsp

Thick coconut milk - 3/4 cup (I used canned coconut milk)

Thin coconut milk - 1.5 cups (I added 1 cup water to 1/2 cup of thick coconut milk)

Pepper powder - to taste (white pepper powder preferred)

Oil - 2 tsp

Curry leaves - a few

Salt

Whole spices

Green cardamom - 3

Cloves - 3

Cinnamon - 1 inch stick

Whole black pepper corns - 6-8

Notes:

1. Use chicken/mutton with bones. For making mutton stew, buy tender mutton. 

2. Cashew nut paste can also be used to make the gravy rich, creamy and thick. I have not used it. To know how to make cashewnut paste, check Cooking tips. Cashew nut paste should be added at the last stage, while adding the thick coconut milk.

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add the whole spices. When they sizzle, add green chillies, onion, garlic and ginger. Saute till onion becomes soft. Do not let the onion brown, as it would change the colour and taste of the stew. 

2. Add chicken pieces, potato and salt and thin coconut milk.Cover and cook till chicken is done.Now add the thick coconut milk, curry leaves and simmer for a few minutes. You may do a taste check and add a little white pepper powder if you want it to be more spicy. Using black pepper powder changes the colour of the stew. The gravy will be semi-thick and creamy.

The stew tastes best after 1-2 hrs. 

Sending this to Kerala Kitchen July 2011 hosted by Magpie.

Also sending to Iftar moments at Taste of Pearl City and Signature Recipes hosted by Saras

Chicken Tikka

Some dishes we eat at restaurants make us feel that it can never taste so good when we make at home.Chicken Tikka is something that I never imagined trying at home. But, when I tried, I found it to be very simple. So, try it out...and I'm sure you would like it. I found this easy video recipe of Chef Harpal Singh here...

Ingredients:

First Marination
Boneless chicken - 500 gms (preferably chicken breast, cut into bite size cubes)
Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Salt
Lemon juice - 2 tsp

Second Marination
Oil - 2 tbsp
Ajwain seeds - 1 tsp (I did not  use it)
Gram flour/Besan - 1.5 tbsp
Thick curd/yoghurt - 3 tbsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Garam masala - 1/4 to 1/2 tsp
Salt
Oil -1 tbsp

Capsicum/Bell Pepper - Red, green and yellow. This is optional, I added it as I like it :-)

Preparation:

1. Mix all ingredients listed under first marination and keep aside for 20 mins.
2. Meanwhile get the second marinade ready. Heat oil in a pan and ajwain seeds. Add besan and keep stirring for few minutes taking care not to burn it. Turn off stove and pour the besan mix to yoghurt. Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric and chilly powders,garam masala and salt and whisk well till you get a smooth paste. Add 1 tbsp oil and combine well. Add the marinated chicken to the second marinade and keep it marinated for 2-3 hrs.
3. Preheat oven to 220C for 10 mins. You may also do it in microwave convection mode or do a BBQ. Soak wooden skewers in water for 15-20 mins to prevent them from burning in the oven. Line a baking tray with strong kitchen foil suitable for baking. Brush some oil on the foil.
4. Cut the bell peppers to the same  size as chicken pieces and mix in the chicken marinade for 10 mins.  Take a skewer and arrange the chicken and capsicum. Bake for 15-20 mins or till chicken is cooked. In between, after 10 mins, brush some oil on the chicken.

Serve hot from the oven :-). You may serve it on the skewer itself or on cocktail sticks like I did.

Sending this to Serve it Grilled

Also sending to Iftar moments at Taste of Pearl City

Also goes to What's on your Kabab Platter

Butter Chicken

I am so happy to post this recipe. I personally feel that this is one of the best chicken dishes I ever cooked. The recipe is a tweaked version of my Paneer Butter Masala. The preparation is a little time consuming, but the end result is so rewarding...it's worth all the effort that goes in...and you will be really hungry by the time the dish is ready..

Ingredients:

1. Boneless chicken - 500 gms, I used boneless chicken thighs.
Chilly powder - 2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Thick curd/Yoghurt - 2 tbsp
Lime juice - 2 tsp
Salt

Cashew nuts - 6 to 8

2. Jeera - 1 tsp
Green cardamom - 2
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - a small piece
Onion - 1 large, chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
Tomato - 1, chopped
Chilly powder - 1 tsp (adjust)
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Kasuri methi - 1 tsp
Tomato puree - 2 tbsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp or more
Coriander leaves chopped - for garnishing
Salt
Butter - 1 to 2 tbsp
Oil

Getting ready


1. Clean and cut the chicken into bite size pieces or strips. Marinate all the ingredients listed as item 1 for a minimum of 2 hours. You may even keep it marinated overnight in fridge.
2. Soak the cashewnuts in 1/4 cup of warm water for 15 mins.

Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the marinated chicken. Fry till chicken is cooked. No need to brown the chicken much as it may get dry. Drain and keep aside. I need to give a warning note here :-). The fried chicken is so yummy that it is very hard to resist the temptation to keep munching.
2. In the same pan and oil, add jeera, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon and saute. This oil has all the juices released from the chicken. Add onions and saute till they turn light brown.Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute.
3. Add chilly and coriander powder and the tomatoes. Saute till tomatoes are mushy. Add the cashewnuts along with the water used for soaking. Cover and cook for few minutes till all the ingredients are cooked well.
4. Let it cool and then grind to a smooth paste without adding water.
5. Heat butter in the pan used earlier. Saute this paste for few minutes. Add kasuri methi and tomato puree and enough water for the gravy. Bring to boil and then add the fried chicken pieces and garam masala. Cover and cook for five minutes. You may add fresh cream also, but as the gravy was already rich I did not add it. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve hot with a blob of butter if you like. Best served with roti, naan or rice.

Enjoy!!!

Sending to Iftar moments at Taste of Pearl City and to Signature Recipes hosted by Saras

Also sending to What's everyone having for Iftar? hosted @ Hyderabadi Cuisine Recipes

Chicken Puffs

One of the things I miss most is the Kerala style Puffs. The flaky puffs with a spicy filling makes it a very tasty snack. The filling can be mixed veggies, egg or meat. I had some leftover Kheema and was searching for a recipe to use it. I came across the recipe for Chicken Puffs at Shab's Cuisine and as I had frozen puff pastry sheet in the fridge, decided to try it out. It turned out to be very yummy and easy too...

Ingredients:

1. Minced chicken/Kheema - 1 cup (You may use cooked and shredded chicken instead)
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt
Water

2. Onion - 1, chopped
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Meat masala / Garam masala - 3/4 tsp or more (adjust to suit your taste)
Tomato - 1 small, chopped
Coriander leaves
Oil

3. Puff pastry sheet - 1 pack. I used Jus-rol
Egg - white of 1 egg lightly beaten with a little water(egg wash)

Preparation:

1. Cook the ingredients listed as item 1 till the kheema is cooked well.
2. Heat a little oil in a pan and saute onions till soft. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute. Add chilly powder and meat masala and saute for few seconds.
3. Add the tomatoes and cook till soft. Now add cooked kheema and chopped coriander leaves and combine well.The filling is now ready.
4. Thaw the frozen puff pastry sheet as per instructions on the pack. Cut them into squares and place the filling on one half of each square. Fold it with the other half. Brush the top of the puffs with egg wash.
5. Preheat the oven to 220 C and bake for 15-20 mins or till the top of the puffs is browned well.


For detailed and step by step instructions please visit Shab's Cuisine. The filling I made is slightly different from her version.

Kheema Spaghetti

Kheema Spaghetti is a fusion of the Italian origin Spaghetti and our desi Kheema. Vegetarians may use soya chunks minced instead of kheema. I wanted something quick and easy for dinner and this recipe was just perfect.

Ingredients:

1. Minced chicken/Kheema - 250 gms
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Meat masala / Garam masala - 1 tsp (adjust to suit your taste)
Ginger garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Salt

2. Onion - 1, diced
Capsicum/Bell Pepper - 1/2 of a medium size, cubed
Tomato ketchup - 2 tbsp (adjust to suit your taste)
Oil

3. Spaghetti - 200 gms
Salt
Water
Oil

Preparation:

1. Cook the ingredients listed as item 1 till the kheema is cooked well.
2. Heat a little oil in a pan and saute onions and bell pepper for a few minutes. Add the cooked kheema and tomato ketchup to this and combine well.The kheema mix is now ready.
3. Boil water in a large pan and add a little salt. Add spaghetti and 1 tsp of oil and cook for 10-15 mins. For the cooking guidelines, follow the instructions on the spaghetti pack. When spaghetti is cooked, transfer to a colander to drain the water.
4. Mix the spaghetti and kheema just before serving.

Serve hot. The above quantity serves 2-3 people as a main dish.

You may use any other pasta of your choice instead of spaghetti and follow the same recipe.

Linking to Anyone can cook - Series 26

Easy Chicken Fry

I am back to this blog after a break of 4 days :-) We had been on a weekend trip and it took me a day to settle down and come to the cooking and blogging mood. So, here is an easy recipe for a spicy chicken fry. Do adjust the quantity of spices given below to suit your taste buds.

Ingredients:

1. Chicken - 500 gms

2. Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Red chilly flakes - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 to 1 tsp
Corn Flour - 2 tsp
Salt

3. Oil to deep fry
Curry leaves

Preparation:

1. Cut the chicken to small pieces and marinate with ingredients listed as item 2 for a minimum of 30 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the chicken peices till it is cooked and gets a brown colour. Adding curry leaves along with the chicken while frying gives a different aroma to this. You may also fry green chillies along with chicken.

Serve hot. Sprinkle a little lemon juice if you like.

Sending to Signature Recipes hosted by Saras

Lemon Chicken

Lemon chicken is a tangy dish that can be served as a starter like chilly chicken. The only flavours in this are of lemon and green chillies. If you have never tried this before, I recommend that you do it soon. The first time I had this was at a restaurant(hmm..I forgot the name) in Bangalore. It was an indo-chinese style dish and that was the first time I tasted a tangy version of chicken.  I couldn't get the exact recipe from any cooking blog: most of them were the chinese version, but I was looking for an indo-chinese one. I have adapted this recipe from the many recipes I have gone through and modified it to suit the indian taste buds :-)

Ingredients:

Boneless chicken - 500 gms

For marination
Plain Flour - 2 tbsp
Corn flour - 2 tbsp
Green chilly sauce - 1 tsp
Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
Salt

Onion - 1,diced
Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
Green chilly sauce - 1 to 2 tsp (adjust as per spice level)
Lemon juice - 2 to 3 tbsp (adjust to suit your taste)
Spring onions  chopped - for garnishing (I didn't have it then, so used coriander leaves)
Salt
Oil

Preparation:


1. Clean and cut the chicken into strips or bite size pieces. Mix the marination ingredients with the chicken and keep for half an  hour.
2. Heat oil in a pan and fry the marinated chicken till it is cooked and gets a golden colour. Drain and keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a wok or iron skillet and saute onions till soft. Add the soy, green chilly sauce, lemon juice and salt and mix well.
4. Add the fried chicken and combine well. Keep stir frying on high flame, till chicken gets dry.
5. Garnish with spring onions.

Note: Serve hot. It may become a little soggy when it gets cold.