Buttermilk Chicken With Spiced Onions >> Knockout Stuff!

This one comes from Ruma ma originally, via Moon. Both, established cooks, and in the family :-). I totally love this recipe, simply because of its sheer simplicity. What a modest recipe!! No really, it has a kickass and a totally knockout taste and yet sooo simple to make.

Don’t believe me? The see for yourself!

 

You’ll need:

500 gms chicken- with bones are better.

1 1/2 cups of buttermilk (I used the Dairy farmer’s one and it was fantastic)

1-11/2 onions- thinly sliced

Oil – 4-5 tbsps (yu’ll need a wee bit more for this recipe)

1 tsp- red chilly powder

For seasoning- 1/4 spoon methi/fenugreek seeds, 1/2 spoon mustard seeds, 2 –3 pinches of asafetida/hing, 4-5 cloves) – the seasoning is Very important. Do not miss out on any of these. (I also added whole pepper corns and saunf/Aniseed. You may or may not add)

Sugar- 1/2 teaspoon (must)

Salt to taste

Method

Fry the sliced onions in 2 tbsp oil until brown.  Add the red chilly powder to this. Drain on a tissue, keep aside.

Add the rest of the oil to the pan and once hot, add the seasoning. Add chicken to the seasoning and fry well, until semi cooked. This should take about 6 –7 minutes. Now pour the buttermilk over the chicken, cover with lid and simmer for 6 minutes. Take off lid and let the buttermilk evaporate completely on medium flame. Once the buttermilk evaporates, add the spiced onions set aside to the chicken and mix well. Add salt and sugar. Serve hot with steamed rice and Dal! Aweeeeesome. I swear!

A BIG hug to Moon for this one.

Spice is the only variety of my life

Raj’s 32nd birthday and the long weekend coincided, so we took off to Port Stephens. I love the little getaways in Australia, especially the beach towns, and Port Stephens was a lovely getaway. But one thing that I really really miss in these holidays is a variety in food. The sea food available is brilliant, but after a while the regular breaded fish, grilled fish and chips fare kind of gets to me. The picture here is that of grilled Fish with greens and some sauce- I forget, and it was phenomenal, but we did want fish in a hot, spicy sauce. Or may be even a Goan version of this.  But then, we did enjoy what we got to eat, missed spice a little bit, but were happy nevertheless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, the minute I got back yesterday, Raj suggested we order in. Oh, no! How can that be. Order in more Pizza? No way! I had to have my spicy fare! So in  I went to the kitchen to make my favorite – jhatpat spicy Chicken pulao. Thought I’ll share this with you all.

You’ll need:

Chicken thighs and breast pieces – 500 gms

1/2 cup curd

Onions- 2 large- thinly sliced

Basmati Rice Soaked half an hour before preparation: 1 1/2 cup

Ginger and garlic Paste-2 spoons

Green Chilies- 8 (i like it SPICY)

Coriander chopped- 1 cup

1 spoon red chilly powder

Mint – fresh or dried flakes (I suggest you buy a bottle of the dried mint flakes- they are handy and very very good on flavor)

Tomatoes- 2 large

Whole garam masalas- a few of whatever you have- i had only cinnamon and cloves.

salt to taste

Dhania/Coriander Powder- 2 teaspoons

Ghee – 2 tbsp

 

Method:

In a non stick vessel (ideally deep and wide mouthed), melt the Ghee and add garam masalas. Add green chilies and onions and sauté till it browns. Add ginger garlic paste and sauté some more. Add chopped tomatoes, coriander chopped , 1/2 spoon of mint flakes or a 1/2 cup of fresh mint  chopped, and mix well. Add Dhania Powder, chilli powder, salt and curd and mix. let the tomatoes soften. Now add the chicken to this and mix well. Cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Now add the soaked Basmati Rice and mix. Add 3 cups of hot water, stir well, and cover with lid. In low flame let it cook. Else, just pressure cook it, if you are in a tearing hurry!

This is heaven. I am home.

Munni’s and my all time favourite, Ginger Chicken

  I have always been a great lover of Indo-Chinese food. The fusion of Chinese flavours with Indian masala, always gives an exotic result. When in Hyderabad, a friend (Munni) and I frequented Nanking, and always ordered Ginger chicken, with fried rice. And it was such a treat! We both love spicy food, the hotter the better! Ginger Chicken is a classic example of Indo-Chinese cuisine – it takes the best of both worlds, and the result is a spicy, aromatic dish, that will melt your heart. I always wondered how it is made, and found the best method on my favourite website- Vahrevah dot com. And below is the video of this really sweet chef, who has made my life so wonderful with his most soulful recipes. His South Indian dishes are especially awesome.

 

Watch the video and make Ginger chicken for a special dinner. I made it today, to make my day special :-). It looks good, no? And trust me, it tastes as good.

 

 

He is a trifle funny, but his recipes are top class and very doable.  Enjoy!

Chicken Skewers

I always go overboard with starters for any party at home. That’s because I believe my guests will appreciate the food most, when they are still sober, and not intoxicated with scotch and wine- and that happens only in the starter stage. By the time they move on to main course, half of them are thinking of a good night’s sleep and the other half can’t tell the difference between chicken and  lamb. So then, if you are entertaining guests over drinks, work on your starters and keep the main course simple. :-)

I make chicken skewers very often, mostly because it is simple, and tastes out of this world.

You’ll need:

500 gms diced chicken

Teriyaki/barbeque/honey chilly/sweet chilly sauce/ ANY sauce :-)

1 –2 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon minced garlic

salt to taste

Preparation:

Mix the chicken pieces with garlic, salt, lemon juice and the sauce of your choice. You can make 3 different portions and make different kinds of sticks for the sake of variety! Dump in the fridge for 3-4 hours. Remember- the more you marinade, the better it is!

Soak wooden skewers in water for about one hour.

Half an hour before the guests arrive, arrange the chicken pieces n skewers and grill it in the oven, ocassionally turning it. I grill it at at about 200 degrees for around 15 minutes.

 

You are now, all set to entertain!

Chinese: Sweet Chilli Chicken with Veggies

Happiness in 15 minutes. I promise. Here’s how.

In a wok, pour oil. Add boneless chicken (breast fillets). Once it browns, add diced ginger, garlic and green chilly – lots of it. Sprinkle some cornflour. Mix well till chicken coats well with the cornstarch. Add soya sauce- about 1-2 teaspoon and 2 spoons of fountain sweet chilli sauce. Stir fry. Add salt to taste. when almost done, add mushrooms, capsicum, broccoli, shallots, baby corn and all the veggies you’d care to consume. Pour cornflour dissolved in water – 1 tsp. Bring it to a boil.  If you don’t want gravy, then, don’t add the cornstarch in the end.

Serve with rice and watch the grin on yours and his face widen.

Sunny’s Dhania Chicken

This chuddy buddy of mine, swears he can cook, and cook well. After much deliberation, he shared his secret Dhaniya Chicken recipe- which I have now made public :D. Good food can’t be kept a secret- no no.

Here goes:

(Mayur's/Sunny’s Spl. Dhaniya Chicken)

Ingredients:

1.> 1/2 Kg Chicken
2.> 1 cup Curd
3.> 2 cups chopped Coriander
4.> 5 or more Green Chillies
5.> Ginger-Garlic Paste
6.> Turmeric
7.> Red Chillli Powder
8.> Coriander Powder
9.> Salt
10.> 1/2 Lemon
11.> 1 cup chopped Onions

Method:

Wash the Chicken and then rub a tsp of salt and half a lime and leave for 10 mins
then drain out all liquid and add 2tsp Turmeric and 2tsp Red Chilli Powder and cup of Curd and mix well. Leave for 1/2 hour.

Make a paste of 2 cups chopped coriander and Green Chillies and little water in a blender.

Take a kadai or preferably a Pressure Cooker and heat some oil/butter/ghee.
add cup of chopped Onions and fry till colorless.
Add Coriander Powder and Ginger-Garlic Paste and fry till oil separates.
Add the paste to kadai/cooker and cook till all ingredients mix well.
add Salt to taste, mix. Then add the marinating Chicken.
If in Pressure Cooker, close and wait for 2 whistles or just mix and cook in kadai till chicken is done.
voila! yummy yumm yum!

When you are tired chicken curry

When I  am tired but still want to have chicken:

 

Take 1/2 cup yoghurt, add 2 tsp dhania powder, lots of red chilli powder (coz that’s how i like mine), 1-2 tspGinger garlic paste, garam masala- whatever you’ve got, 1 tsp mustard oil, salt to taste, sugar- 2 pinches, 1/2 kg chicken,1 diced tomato, diced/grated/ground onion. Mix all. keep aside for an hour or two. Then place the mixture on a non stick pan. Ensure the gas is on very low flame. Cover the pan and go watch a film. Take a break in about 20 minutes- check if chicken is done. If yes, add water as desired, add chopped coriander. Cook it for another five minutes. take off the flame. Devour it with hot rice and a green chilli.

 

Hot tip: Add two big potatoes to your marinade. :) No bong food is complete without potatoes.