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Showing posts with label chicken recipe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chicken recipe. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Biryani Arancini with Burrani Dip ( Indo-Intalian fusion )

IMP - This i an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on Oriyarasoi. 

The crafty Italians make Arancini from any leftover risotto. Makes complete sense given that the risotto itself is a labor of one's love. Throwing away such deliciousness is sheer criminal offence. So, shouldn't we take a cue from these people and give a makeover to one of India's most loved dishes. The biryani is something that takes much time and effort so there is no reason why any excess should be disposed off in an disrespectful fashion.

Hence was born the 'Biryani arancini'! A dish so delicious that it would win the approval of the Italians itself. After the superb success of the savory Panna cotta in three typical Indian flavors, I have added yet another signature dish to my name. Mama mia !! I should have been born an Italian . Or at least married one. On second thoughts, I am happy that the second option did not materialize. Coz the Italian MIL could purportedly given a run to her Indian counterpart when it comes to the 'saas-bahu' melodrama bit. Gawd !!!

But coming back to the recipe, the Biryani arancini is simple to prepare. Since it is already loaded with beautifully aromatic spices, it does not require any additional spices. It is just needs to be shaped into balls, dipped in egg wash and rolled in bread crumbs before being dunked into hot oil. And instead of serving it with Arrabiata that usually goes with the crunchy Arancini balls, just whip up a pretty elementary but incredibly flavorsome Burrani dip ( inspired by the Burrani raita ofcourse ).  A win-win situation !!

Read on for the recipe -















Preparation Time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients -

For the arancini -

  • 2 cups chicken biryani
  • 1 egg 
  • 1 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 cup grated mozarella 
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 pinch salt 
  • 8-10 peppercorns ( freshly ground )
  • oil for deep frying


For the Burani Dip -

  • 1 cup greek yogurt
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 pinch roasted cumin
  • 2 pinch red chili powder (optional)
  • black salt 
  • 1/2 tsp sugar

Preparation - Remove any bones from the chicken pieces and shred them into smaller bits. 

If any whole spices (like cardamom, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, etc) are present in the rice, they too need to be removed.

Break the egg into a bowl, add the salt and beat it gently.

Take the rice in a mixing bowl. Add the mozzarella and half of the beaten egg. Mix together. 

Scoop out small amounts of the rice mixture, press into a compact mass and shape into balls. 

Roll each ball in the flour, then dunk into the egg wash ( add the powdered peppercorn to it before doing so ) and finally roll over the bread crumbs to form a uniform layer.

Repeat the same process with the remaining rice mixture.

To make the dip, take all the ingredients in a small bowl and mix together. Let it stand for 15-20 mins for the garlic flavor to infuse into the yogurt. 

Pass the yogurt through a sieve to make a smooth creamy dip.

Cooking - Heat the oil and gently place 2-3 arancini balls in it at a time to prevent overcrowding and to allow the balls to cook uniformly.

Cook on medium flame for about 4 minutes each. A crunchy brown layer should form all over.

Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.







































Serve immediately with the Bhoorani dip.



Thursday, March 30, 2017

Zero Butter/Oil Butter Chicken

Call it the ultimate contradiction, an oxymoron or even a paradox, the Zero Butter Butter Chicken is here to stay !! Yes, you read it right the first time. A butter chicken without the butter, oil or even the cream. Difficult to imagine. Yes, I grant that but not entirely inconceivable. The trick lies in replacing the bad fat with a small amount of good fat and replicating the creamy texture of the gravy minus the cream.

Of course I had my doubts about tinkering with this dish classic which is one of the most popular Chicken recipes. I made a mental list of all those who love Butter Chicken and imagined their reactions to a zero grease version. Thankfully I have a vivid imagination and I realized that it would not be an easy task to win their approval. It took me a few trial runs to perfect this recipe but I have now nailed the formula for a Zero butter butter chicken that has been embraced happily by my family.

The oil + butter + cream has been replaced with milk and some extra almonds ( I always put almonds in my gravy as they contain a generous amount of good fat ). Read on for the recipe -

























Preparation Time - 40 mins

Ingredients -

For the marinade -

  • 500 gm Boneless chicken pieces
  • 1/2 cup thick yogurt
  • 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
  • 10 almonds
  • 2 nos green cardamon
  • 3 nos cloves
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 1 no bay leaf
  • 2 dry red chilli
  • 2 medium sized tomatoes
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • salt 

For the gravy  -


  • 4-5 crushed garlic flakes
  • 1 large onion (roughly chopped)
  • 1/2 tsp chilli powder (adjust as per taste)
  • 1 1/3 cup skimmed milk
  • 2 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves
  • 1/5 tsp garam masala
  • 1 1/2 tsp honey 
  • 1 tsp kasuri methi
  • salt to taste


Preparation: Rub salt and turmeric on the chicken pieces and keep aside for 10 mins.

Grind the whole spices, almonds (blanched and peeled) and tomatoes into a smooth paste. Add yogurt, ginger-garlic paste and blend for 5 secs.

Transfer the chicken pieces to a large bowl. Pour the paste into the bowl and mix well. Keep aside for 1-2 hours.

Cooking: Heat a non-stick wok. Add the chopped onions and crushed garlic .Fry for a few minutes on a low to medium till the onions start turning brown. Remove and keep aside till it cools down.

Grind into a smooth paste along with 2-3 tsp of milk.

Transfer this paste back to the wok and cook for a few minutes on a low flame.

Add the contents of the marination bowl. Stir fry for 10-12 mins or till the chicken starts to acquire a glaze. Add the milk and simmer for 8-9 mins.

Rub the kasuri methi between the palms and add to the wok. Also stir in the honey. Simmer for 5 mins.

Sprinkle garam masala and coriander leaves, and remove from the stove. Serve hot with steamed rice or Laccha paratha .






Saturday, March 18, 2017

Zero Oil Methi Murg ( Guilt Free Indulgence for Real )

 IMP - Zero Oil Methi Murg is an original recipe created by the blogger and has been published for the first time on oriyarasoi.com.


How does one measure success ? Is it in terms of money alone or is it metered in terms of fame ? Or maybe both in balanced measure. While this hypothesis may hold true for the majority, a few people will always believe that true success is synonymous with bringing about a change. However small it may be.

I too believe strongly in making a difference in the lives of the people whom I come across in my everyday life. And my blog readers are one such group. It all started when I started putting up the recipes for 'zero oil matar paneer' and 'Bachelor's egg curry'. So many of you have written to me that you loved them and would love to try out more such low calorie recipes. Now I am all excited to experiment with regular recipes and bring out a zero oil (or atleast low calorie) version so that people can get to enjoy their favorite food but at a lower cost to their health.

While I still believe that diet is only one aspect of one's fitness goals and there is no substitute for regular exercise, a gradual realization has began to set in that some of us may not be able to workout given certain restrictions. Plus a busy schedule also prevents people from working out regularly. Hence, it becomes important to adopt healthy cooking methods and recipes that utilize less oil and provide maximum nutrition.

This 'Zero Oil Methi Murg' recipe has been adopted from www.cookingwithsukhi.com recipe 'Methi Murg' which he claims to be his family's favorite. It turned out to be one amazing dish when I tried it out. And I decided to experiment a bit with it and transform it into one 'guilt-free' recipe. It took two trials to get it right but I finally nailed it.

Read on for the recipe - 

















Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients - 

  • 200 gm chicken pieces
  • 1 medium sized onion (roughly chopped)
  • 2-3 garlic flakes
  • 1/2 inch ginger 
  • 1 medium sized tomato
  • 3-4 tbsp thick yogurt
  • 1/2 cup fenugreek leaves (tighly packed)
  • 2 pinch cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp coriander powder
  • 2 pinch garam masala
  • a pinch of turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp kasuri methi
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp sugar

Preparation - Heat a wok. Add the cumin seeds and allow to splutter a bit.

Add the roughly chopped onion to the wok, sprinkle a little bit of salt and cook on low flame till the onions get caramelized.

Cook the tomato, ginger and garlic in a pressure cooker along with 1/2 cup of water. Keep aside till it cools down.

Strain the solids and grind into a paste along with the caramelized onions. Retain the water as it will be utilized later while cooking.

Wash the fenugreek leaves and grind it coarsely in a mixer.

Wash the chicken. Marinate with salt and turmeric. Let it stand aside for 30 mins.

Cooking - Heat another wok. Add the paste and cook for a few minutes to get rid if the raw smell.

Switch off the flame and add the beaten yogurt. Stir it for 2-3 mins before returning to a low flame. 

Add the red chili powder and coriander powder. Cook for 2 mins.

Add the fenugreek leaves and chicken pieces. Turn up the flame a tad bit and cook till the chicken stops giving out excess water.

Now add the retained water to the wok and cover with a lid till the chicken is cooked through.

Rub the kasuri methi between your palms and add to the wok along with the garam masala and the sugar. Adjust salt if required.

Mix and remove from the flame.

Serve hot with roti or steamed rice and dal. 






















Thursday, October 13, 2016

Desi Kukuda Jholo ( Country Style Chicken Curry )

Ok. I am done with the ranting and raving. Accompanied with a generous amount of head smacking, banging my head on the walls and tearing out my hair, it has left me looking like something that has been dragged out of the dumpster by a bunch of notorious canines. After all, it is India and every stone you throw is bound to finds it mark on an obnoxious canine or an even more obnoxious chauvinist.

If I ever had any inkling of doubt about the total chauvinist leanings of our society , those have been effectively squashed by the Supreme court and Delhi High Court verdicts. 'Hindu son can divorce wife if she tries to separate him from aged parents' sermonizes the first one, only to be backed by an equally regressive and undoubtedly fawning subordinate which rules 'Denying sex to husband for long period ground for divorce'. If it had been a fair world, all these words like 'son', 'wife', 'husband', etc would have been ditched in favour of the all encompassing 'spouse', thus giving equal rights to both parties in a marriage.

Now some may cry hoarse that there are many women-centric laws and evil women use those to harass hapless in-laws. Some of them even get helpless men arrested on charges of rape, harassment, stalking and so on. But I have rarely come across any cases of 'groom burning' nor have I seen lascivious groups of women stalking/teasing the poor guys in bus stands, metro stations or even as they avail public transport. So, I do not care much about laws that protect the endangered male species. And with that I rest my case.

Coming back to business as usual ( do I even have a choice ? ), today's recipe is a simple but amazing Country style chicken curry from Odisha. Since country chicken has a texture that mimics mutton and also take quite longer to cook as compared to farmed 'broiler' chicken, it's preparation is similar to that of a mutton curry. It is pan cooked for a long time till the chicken gives up some juice and takes on a shiny texture. We called the process 'kasha' in Odia and that is usually the key to the final taste of the curry. Too less 'kasha' means that one can make out the rawness of the ingredients while too much 'kasha' gives a blackish color to the curry and changes the aroma for the worse.

Read on for the recipe -


















Preparation Time - 1 hour 20 mins

Ingredients -


250 gm country chicken (desi kukuda)
1 medium sized potato
1 large onion + 1/2 of a medium onion ( the chopped onion should be equal in volume to the mutton pieces )
1 1/2 tbsp coarse garlic paste
1 1/2 tbsp coarsely chopped ginger
3-4 dry red chillis
1 big cardamom
1 bay leaf
2 2" cinnamon sticks
1/4 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
6 tsp mustard oil + 1 tsp for the marination

Preparation - Wash the chicken pieces and drain away all the water. Add salt, turmeric and 1 tsp mustard oil. Mix well and keep aside.

Cut the onions into medium sized pieces. Crush lightly using a mortar and pestle. Keep aside.

Also crush the ginger and garlic in the same way but just a little more fine.

Cut the potatoes into big chunks.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a pressure cooker.

Add the potatoes and fry till golden brown. Remove and keep aside.

Add the red chillis followed by the cardamom, bay leaf and cinnamon sticks to the hot oil. Fry till they turn fragrant.

Add the onions, ginger and garlic. Fry them on low flame till they turn quite red in color. (This is a sign that the onions have started turning sweet due to the caramelization process)

Next add the chicken pieces. Fry them till they stop oozing water. You do not have to stir continuously. Keep the lid on the cooker without completely closing it. Stir once every few minutes. This process takes a long time so keep patience ( grab a snack/drink something if all that heavenly smell is making you hungry ).

Once you see that the chicken pieces start leaving oil ( a sure sign that the water had dried up ) and take on a shiny coat, add 1 1/2 - 2 cups of boiling water along with the fried potato pieces. Adjust salt. Close the lid and cook for 1-2 whistles. Remove from flame.

Allow steam to escape before opening lid. Check if the chicken is done. Else add another half cup water and cook for another 1 whistle or two.

Serve hot with rice/rotis.

Note - If you do not want to use pressure cooker, use a thick bottomed copper vessel for best results.




Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Chicken Do Pyaza ( My Low Calorie Version )

Chicken do pyaza is one of those delicious sides that has been 'off radar' for quite sometime. Not because it lacks in flavor but because we had had an overdose of it. That coupled with the fact that food is turning increasingly exotic. [And may I add 'outright outlandish' ? After all I am gonna eat it and not frame it up in my living room . There are better ways to appreciate art rather than eating it.]

Coming back to me and my lazy ways with food. It was yet sluggish day (what else do you expect when the sun stubbornly refuses to put in an appearance ?) and I just wanted something light and tangy to go with my rotis. I was reminded of my carefree PG days when I rarely ventured into the kitchen. And most importantly, when 'takeaway' dinner was either Chicken do pyaza or Hyderabadi Chicken with chapattis. That feeling of nostalgia inspired me to try out a easier and lighter version of the 'do pyaza'. And I loved the results.

So, here is the simple and low calorie version of this restaurant favorite -


















Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -
  • 500 gm chicken ( with bones )
  • 2 large onions
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 1/2 tsp GG paste
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/4 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala
  • 1/2 cup curd
  • 3-4 green chilis
  • whole spices ( 1 green cardamom, 3-4 cloves, 2 inch cinnamon, 1 bay leaf )
  • 4 tsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • cilantro for garnishing

Preparation - Grind 1 onion into a smooth paste.

Wash the chicken and marinate with onion paste, GG paste, powdered masalas (except garam masala), 1 tsp oil and salt.

Peel the tomato and chop into fine bits.

Peel and chop the remaining onion into big chunks. Put small slits into the green chilis.

Beat the curd with 3-4 tsp water, sugar and a little salt.

Cooking - Heat oil in a non-stick wok. Add the whole spices. 

Once they release fragrance, add the marinated chicken and toss on high flame.

Once the chicken starts to change color, reduce the flame and cover the wok. 

Remove cover after 3-4 mins and add the finely chopped tomato. Sprinkle a little salt.

Cook covered while stirring at regular intervals. Once the chicken is almost done, add the beaten yogurt and the onion chunks. Also, throw in the green chilis. 

Stir continuously till the yogurt forms a nice thick gravy and coats the chicken pieces. Sprinkle garam masala powder and mix.

Garnish with cilantro and remove from the flame.


















Note - Check out more chicken recipes HERE .

Friday, July 8, 2016

Malabar Parotta Roll with Chicken Kasa stuffing

My love affair with Kerala cuisine dates back to my school days. Having a best friend who could trace her roots to the backwaters was the beginning of a life long tryst with one of the most aromatic cuisines that India can boast of. I have come across cuisines that rate much higher on the visual appeal but the aromas that waft out of a Mallu kitchen are nothing less than orgasmic. But more than the noteworthy non-vegetarian recipes that you can find at any decent restaurant, I am sold on the simple vegetarian fare that is consumed in most Kerala households. The simplicity of a thoran, the sharpness of Puli-inji , the sweetness of Erissery and even the yummy richness of a Ulli Sambar makes me go ballistic. Maybe it has got something to do with the fact that my friend's family was a strict vegetarian (Nambiars to be precise ).

Growing up together during all those years, we had our share of group studies, pimples, body image issues and not to forget the crushes ( often the same guy ). Ok, this is no secret but most girls in a class will have a crush on the class topper ( undoubtedly a nerd but one with a measure of cuteness thrown in ) at some point of time. The guy who bags most of the sports prizes comes a close second while the third position is generally reserved for the resident 'Tansen'. And going by my interactions with the kids in our society, the status quo still continues.

But getting back to our group study sessions, the finger-licking Mallu food was definitely an added attraction. No wonder most of the studies (and gossip) happened at her place. So, when it was time to experiment with a fusion dish that spanned '2 states', I just had to pick up something that belonged to God's own country and marry it with one of Odisha's culinary gems. Hence, the decision to bring together the flaky and crisp Malabar Parotta and the deceivingly simple Chicken Kasa to make a sumptuous evening snack ( something like the Kathi rolls but very different in taste and texture). A word of caution though. Getting it done is definitely a labor of love but one that will be definitely worth it !

Read on for the recipe -


















Preparation Time - 1 hour 15 mins

Ingredients -

For the Malabar Parotta -

  • 2 cups maida
  • 1 cup of milk ( room temp)
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 3-4 teaspoon oil
  • water as required
  • salt to taste
  • more ghee/oil for frying

For the Chicken Kasa - 

  • 600 gm Chicken (with bones)
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 inch ginger
  • 10-12 garlic cloves
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 2 green cardamom
  • 2 cloves
  • 2-3 dry red chilis
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/5 tsp garam masala
  • 3-4 tsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • cilantro for garnishing

Extras -

  • Onion rings ( soaked in water and vinegar in 1:1 ratio )
  • tomato sauce
  • a dash of lemon juice

Cooking

For the Malabar Parotta - Break the egg into a bowl. Add the salt and sugar to it. Beat lightly. Add to the flour along with the milk and a little water. Mix gently till you get a slightly sticky dough. Cover and keep aside for 15-20 mins.

Start kneading the dough once again. Add some flour or a little oil if it seems too sticky. Knead for 5 mins till the stickiness reduces to a large extent. Spread some oil over the dough. Cover with a towel and keep aside for another 10 mins.

Rub oil generously all over your hands and start kneading the dough. Knead for 5-7 mins till most of the moisture is absorbed and the dough looks smooth and even. Divide into 4-5 portions and shape each one into a ball. Rub oil all over the dough balls and keep aside for half hour.

Sprinkle flour over the working surface and roll out each ball. Brush a little oil all over the roti and sprinkle flour evenly over the surface. Take hold of one edge of the roti and fold it like you would fold a paper to make a fan. Once it is folded into a long shape, twist it into a coil around of the ends. Brush more oil over the coil and keep aside for another 5-10 mins. Repeat for the remaining dough balls.

Finally, take each coil and roll out into a parotta. 

Heat a tawa. Place the parotta over it, cook for 1-2 mins and then flip it over. After 1 min, add ghee and fry on one side till small brown spots begin to appear. Then it flip over, add more ghee and fry on the other side as well. Take care that you press it down while frying to separate out the layers.

Repeat with the remaining ones.

For the Chicken Kasa - 

Wash and marinate the chicken with the salt and turmeric for 10 mins.

Take the onion, ginger, garlic, red chili and whole spices in a chutney jar. Grind into a smooth paste. Add it to the marinated chicken along with 2 tsp oil. Mix well. Let it stand for 20-30 mins.

Heat the remaining oil in a heavy bottomed vessel. Add the sugar and red chili powder. Just as it starts to smoke, add the marinated chicken. Toss on high for 2-3 mins. Cover it ans cook till half done.

Add the finely chopped tomatoes at this stage. Cover once again and cook till soft ( the meat should be easily separated from the bones). The curry should be dry at this point. Add the garam masala and chopped cilantro. Mix in and remove from flame. 

[ Note - The chicken should get cooked in it's own juice. If at any point, the curry looks too dry, sprinkle a few drops of water to avoid getting it burnt. ]

Once it is bearable to touch, separate the meat from the bones. 

For the finishing touches, take a parotta, add some the chicken pieces and a few onion rings. Drizzle the sauce over the parotta. Add a dash of lemon juice. Wrap it up and dig in !

Important - You have obviously been good !! Reading till the very last line of this post :) . Ok, so here is a suggestion that will make this recipe super easy.

Try this with a Heat & Eat packet of Malabar parottas. They are delish, especially the ones sold by ID . Yes, even I do this when I am in the mood to cheat ;) .


Saturday, June 11, 2016

Kheema Bhindi ( Okra Stuffed with Spicy Chicken Mince ) (Ramadan Special)

The holy month of Ramadan has commenced and the hogging fever has kicked in with full frenzy. Looking at the luscious photographs on social media, I cannot help feeling nostalgic about my Hyderabad days. Haleem and Biryani topped the list as did a plethora of butter/ghee dripping chicken dishes. But having crossed the threshold of thirty, one needs to deal with the stark reality of a slower metabolism. The days of carefree hogging have been left behind and a smart diet is now my prime focus area.

I have always admired the Bengali diet which makes it a point to include veggies and greens even when there is a yummy fish curry or mutton curry on the plate. Since any given person can only eat a certain volume of food, including vegetables reduces the amount of animal protein/fat consumed and hereby the overall calories consumed. Plus one gets a lot of fiber ( it adds bulk and signals the brain that one is full ) and vitamins too. Of course, a lot depends on the preparation method too. For example, lightly sauteing the vegetables or grilling them adds lower calories than what would be added if one curried the same set of vegetables. I will be doing a complete blog post on 'healthy eating' in the near future so watch out this space.

Getting back to the 'Kheema Bhindi' that I prepared as a part of the Ramadan Series, it can be served as a delicious and slightly more healthy starter as compared to the Kheema samosas or the Kheema pops. Okra being a highly fibrous vegetable helps in alleviating constipation, a common complaint when people gorge on oily and meaty dishes. Plus, it is all too easy to cook. For this preparation, pick ones that are tender  and large enough to hold a good portion of the kheema.

Read on for the recipe -



















For the Chicken Kheema -
  • Minced Chicken - 200 gms
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped tomatoes 
  • 1 small onion
  • 4-5 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 inch ginger
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/5 tsp garam masala
  • 3 tsp oil
  • salt to taste


Others -
  • 15-16 nos Okra
  • 4-5 garlic flakes (thinly sliced)
  • onion rings for garnishing
  • lemon wedges for garnishing


Preparation - Grind the onion, garlic and ginger into a coarse paste.


Cooking - Heat 3 tsp oil in a pressure cooker.  Add the onion-ginger garlic  paste and saute till raw smell goes off.

Add the powdered masalas and saute for 1 min.

Add the chicken kheema and turn up the flame for 2-3 mins. Let it brown a bit.

Once it starts to stick to the bottom, add the chopped tomatoes. Stir fry till the tomatoes are somewhat mushy.

Add very little water, sprinkle salt and close the lid. Cook for 1 whistle.

Once steam has escaped, open the lid. Carefully remove 1-2 tsp of the oil that would have separated. This can be used later to pan fry the okra.

Put the kheema back on the flame and cook it a little more till it just dries out. Leave aside to cool down.

Wash the okras and pat dry. Put a slit along the length and remove the seeds. Stuff about 1 - 1 1/2 tsp kheema into each one.

Heat a pan. Add the oil that one had removed earlier from the kheema. Add the garlic flakes and fry till fragrant. Remove the garlic from the pan.

Place the okras carefully on the pan, sprinkle a tiny bit of salt over them and cook on medium to high flame till just done. The okras should retain a slight crunch.


















Remove from the pan. Serve immediately.





Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Sticky Chicken Bites ( New year Special Collaboration with ADollpofthat and Potpourri)

It's new year eve and friends have gathered at your place for a drink. Since everyone is in a mood to party and chill, the focus is generally not on the food. Thus while one can say goodbye to an elaborate menu which can actually prove obstructive to all that partying, finger foods are definitely high on everyone's list. Providing something to munch on along with the drinks and in between while shaking a leg to some peppy chart-busters is what a host should be doing.

But since it is that time of the year when everyone wants a break and long hours in the kitchen seem irksome even for most of the hosts, I am sharing this simple chicken starters recipe that is easy, quick and definitely lick-worthy. Got this recipe from rasamalaysia.com and give it a simple twist. Read on for my version -

(Don't forget to scroll down and check the White Sauce - Chick-o-cheese Croquettes with Tandoori Dipping Sauce and Orange and honey chicken recipes from my very talented blogger friends Parinaaz and Saswati for the New Year's Collaboration !)


















Preparation Time - 25 -30 mins

Ingredients -


  • 1 cup chicken cubes
  • oil for deep frying
  • 1 tsp chili flakes 
  • 2 tsp toasted sesame seeds
  • 1 tsp demerara sugar


For batter -

  • 1 egg white
  • 3 tbsp maida
  • 2 tbsp cornflour
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 2 pinch baking powder
  • salt to taste
  • 1/3 cup cold water to add to the batter
For the sticky sauce -

  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1 tsp cornflour
  • 1 tsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tsp vinegar
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tsp chopped garlic
  • 2 tsp honey

Preparation - Take all the ingredients mentioned under 'for batter' into a mixing bowl. Beat it lightly to get a smooth batter without lumps.

Wash and dry the chicken pieces using a paper towel. 

Take all the ingredients mentioned under sticky sauce (except for garlic) into a cup. Mix well.

Cooking - Heat sufficient oil for deep frying small batches of chicken.

Take each chicken piece, dip into the batter coating it on all sides and add to the hot oil. Fry on medium high flame for 3 mins max till a golden color develops. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Take 2 tsp oil in another skillet. Add the chopped garlic and chili flakes. Fry till garlic is golden. 

Add the sauce and allow it to thicken. Drop in the fried chicken bits. Toss on high for a minute or two.

Finally drizzle with sesame seeds and demerara sugar.

Serve immediately.




























Note - One can also opt for coarsely ground peppercorn instead of chili flakes.

Some more fabulous recipes -

White Sauce - Chick-o-cheese Croquettes with Tandoori Dipping Sauce


















Click here for recipe link !!




Orange and Honey Chicken




















Blog link Here . Recipe link to be updated in a while !!

Saturday, October 10, 2015

Mughlai Paratha ( with chicken bharta stuffing )

There goes the last non-vegetarian post before Navratri kicks off !! A simple yet delectable Muglai paratha mad with whole wheat and stuffed with a deliciously finger-licking chicken stuffing. Most folks usually use maida instead of whole wheat which looks great in terms of presentation, but the best way to do it is to use atta and maida in equal proportion which not only looks great but also tastes much better than the maida variety.

However, I have used only whole wheat which I fortified with some flaxseed powder. For the stuffing, I pressure cooked the chunky chicken pieces with some spices, then shredded it and mixed it up with boiled and mashed eggs, chopped onion, green chili, cilantro and just a tint bit of garam masala (optional). Lower calories without compromising on the taste.

Read on for the recipe -


















Preparation Time - 30-40 mins

Ingredients -

For dough-
1 cup whole wheat atta
4 tbsp warm milk
2 tsp oil
salt to taste
just enough water for kneading into a stiff dough

Rest -
1 cup chicken bharta (chk recipe HERE)
1 egg
2 pinch salt
oil for cooking the paratha


Preparation - Take the atta in a wide plate. Add the oil and salt. Rub it in.

Then add the milk and a little water. Knead into a stiff dough.

Smear more oil on the dough and keep it aside (covered) for 30 mins.

Break the egg into a bowl, add salt and beat it lightly.

Cooking - Take small portions of the dough. Roll it out into rotis.

Heat a flat tawa or frying pan. Place the roti on it. Smear 1 tsp egg mix over it.

Add some of the chicken bharta to the center of the roti. Fold it from all sides into a parcel. Brush more egg on top of it.

Drizzle with oil and cook on both sides. (Usually Mughlai paratha is shallow fried with lots of oil but I prefer to cook it with a few drops of oil in a nonstick skillet )

Serve hot it green chutney, ketchup and onion rings.


Monday, September 14, 2015

Broccoli and Chicken Biryani ( Easy Rice cooker method )

By now most of you would have guessed that I am still trying to get my family to embrace Broccoli ( and they keep running away this superfood which they regard as some green headed Hydra). But not one to give up so easily, I tried incorporating it in salads, pasta, stir fry and then finally the crowd favorite 'Biryani'.

This one is a simple low-calorie and high fiber version that I cooked in that magical appliance called the rice cooker. I have a Panasonic one and it is a life saver when BESCOM is not playing truant. Have to pick up the kid or run down to the nearest kirana for something (yes, I still do that in the age of apps like BigBasket, Grofers and Zopnow coz I am a human and very much susceptible to short term memory outages when compiling those mile long grocery lists) ? No probs. It switches off automatically when the rice /curry is done. Only catch is that, since it does not employ artificial intelligence, the 'done' thing is determined by the water content. So, if you put less water, it switches off rather than burning down the contents of the cooking pan.

Ok. Getting back to my recipe, it is just comprises of throwing in everything (except rice) into one big marinating bowl and then cooking it in the rice cooker. Saves time and effort. And it save Calories too. (I know I am being lazy but I have a stack of books that I badly want to complete)

Read on -























Preparation Time - 25 mins (plus 1 hr for marination)

Ingredients -


  • 1 cup chicken pieces (medium sized)
  • 1 1/2 cup Broccoli pieces
  • 1 1/2 cup Basmati rice
  • 1 medium sized onion (chopped into thin long pieces)
  • 1 1/2 tsp GG paste
  • 1/2 tsp Garlic paste
  • 1/4 cup thick yogurt
  • 1 medium tomato (finely chopped)
  • 4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala
  • 1/4 coriander powder
  • 2 pinch turmeric
  • whole spices ( 1 inch cinnamon, 1 green cardamom, 2 cloves, 1 bay leaves, a small piece of mace )
  • 2 tsp oil
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • salt to taste



Preparation - Wash and cut the broccoli into medium sized florets. Put them under running water to wash away any insects and eggs. Then soak in warm water to which some turmeric has been added.

Wash the chicken pieces. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add the broccoli and all the remaining ingredients except rice, ghee and oil. Keep aside for 1 hour.

Cooking - Switch on the rice cooker. Add the oil and wait for it to heat up. Add the whole spices.

Once they release their fragrance, add the marinated chicken and broccoli. Cook uncovered till the chicken is half done.

Wash the rice and add to the rice cooker. Add 2 cups water. Adjust salt and ghee.

Close the lid. The rice cooker will automatically switch off when it is done.





Thursday, April 23, 2015

Chicken Saagwala ( Chicken in a Spinach Gravy )

Most of us would have come across a green colored chicken curry being served at restaurants. While the green hue looks irresistible to some, others may be hesitant to give it a try. My husband belonged to the latter category. That is, until I introduced him to this wonderful dish. A very interesting thing about this dish is that the taste kind of changes from region to region. I have sampled this curry in Hyderabad, Pune and Bangalore whereas my husband also had a chance to taste it during a trip to Gurgaon.

The variation stems from the local greens that go into this recipe along with the staple palak or spinach. For example, they add fenugreek leaves in Hyderbad . In Pune, it is coriander whereas in the Northern regions they add mustard greens (sarson ka saag). I personally prefer going solo with baby spinach, though I do add a fistful of fresh methi leaves if I have some in stock.

Read on for my recipe -




















Preparation Time - 40-45 mins

Ingredients -


  • 400 gm Chicken legs ( one can use regular pieces too )
  • 2 cups shredded baby spinach leaves
  • 1 large onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 1/2 tsp GG paste
  • 3-4 garlic flakes ( chopped )
  • 2 medium sized tomatoes ( finely chopped )
  • 2 green chilis ( finely chopped )
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/3 tsp turmeric
  • 1/5 tsp garam masala
  • 2 green cardamom
  • 2 inch long cinnamon stick
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3-4 peppercorns
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 1/2 tsp lemon juice
  • 3 tsp oil
  • 2-3 tsp butter
  • 1 tbsp kasoori methi
  • salt to taste
  • cilantro for garnishing


Preparation - Clean the chicken pieces. Add a pinch of turmeric, lemon juice and salt. Rub all over the pieces and keeps aside for 20 mins.

Blanch the spinach. Grind into a smooth paste and keep aside.

Cooking - Heat the oil and 1 tsp butter together. Add the whole spices and fry till fragrant. Then add the onion pieces and fry till light brown.

Add the GG paste, garlic slices and green chili. Fry for 2 mins before adding the powdered spices along with the tomatoes. Sprinkle a pinch of salt. Cook till the tomatoes are done and the oil starts to separate.

Add the marinated chicken and fry on a high flame for 2 mins. Then reduce the flame, cover with a lid and allow the chicken to cook till it is 3/4th done.

Add spinach paste/puree, mix together and cook for another 5 mins.

Finally add the kasuri methi ( rub it between your palms before adding ) and the butter just before removing from the flame.

Garnish with onion rings and cilantro. Serve hot.









Friday, April 10, 2015

Kairi ( Raw Mango ) Biriyani ( Chicken Biryani flavored with green mangoes )

If I had to name of thing that makes me nostalgic about summers, it would undoubtedly be 'Mangoes'. Whether they are the tangy green ones or the ripe aromatic ones, I never fail to make them a part of the menu. While the ripe ones go straight from the fridge ( where they are kept soaking in a large bowl of water for 3-4 hours ) to the dining table, the raw ones offer a lot more versatility. And even though I add the green ones to chutney, a variety of curries, mango rice (Andhra style), rasam or enjoy the slices which sprinkled with salt and red chili powder and exposed to the sun for a few hours, I still cannot get enough.

Perhaps that is why when I made Biryani last over weekend, I wanted to flavour it with that indelible stamp of the Indian summers aka the lovely green mangoes or 'kairi' as we call them in Hindi. This is basically an Ambur style biriyani recipe and I have tweaked it a bit. Since these green mangoes are quite tangy, I made it a point to avoid adding any other sour ingredient like tomato or yogurt. The Kairi biriyani turned out to be beautiful and heavenly smelling.

Read on for the recipe -




















Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients -


  • 250 gm Chicken
  • 2 large onions 
  • 1 green chilli
  • whole spices ( 3 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 2 maratti moggu, 2 Kalpasi, 1 bay leaf, 2 mace)
  • 1/3 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • a handful of mint leaves
  • 3-4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
  • 4 tbsp grated green mango (Kairi)
  • oil (2 tbsp)
  • ghee (2tbsp)
  • salt to taste


To be ground into a paste -
  • 1 1/2 inch long ginger
  • 12 garlic cloves
  • 2-4 green chilis


For the biriyani rice -
  • 2 cups Basmati rice 
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 2" long cinnamon stick
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 2 green cardamom (slightly split)
  • 1 mace
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • salt to taste

Preparation - Transfer the ginger, garlic and green chili into a grinder jar and grind into a paste.

Add 3/4 th of the GG paste to the cleaned chicken pieces. Add turmeric and cinnamon powder. Add salt and mix with your hands so that the masala is uniformly distributed. (Do wear gloves as the chilli paste might cause severe burning sensation on your hands)

Keep aside for 2-3 hours.

Finely chop the onions .

Cooking -

For the chicken - Heat the ghee and oil in a pressure cooker. Add the whole spices and fry for 10-15 seconds. Next, add the onions and fry till translucent.

Add half of the mint leaves and half of the coriander leaves. Fry for 2 mins.

Add the marinated chicken along with the marinade. Cook for 15 mins (covered) till 3/4 done. Add the grated green mango and fry for 5-6 mins. Remove from flame and keep aside.

For the rice - Boil 8-10 cup water in large pan. When it gets to a boil, add all the spices and salt.

Wash the Basmati rice and add to the boiling water. Boil on a medium flame for 8-9 mins.

Switch off the flame.  Add the ghee and allow to stand for 30 secs before draining off.

Final assembly - Take a thick bottomed pan. Layer the bottom with rice.

Then layer with chicken, mint leaves, coriander leaves, ghee and few dots of color. ( throw in a few thin slices of green mangoes as well for more aroma..I did just that and loved it!! )

Repeat with another layer of rice. Add more mint leaves, ghee and some more color. Cover tightly with aluminium foil. Place the pan on a tawa/skillet before placing it on a low flame. Keep it on for 15-20 mins. Remove from flame and keep aside for 10 mins before opening.

Serve hot with raita and Coke.





Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Chicken Bharta

Chicken Bharta is one of those easy recipes that taste great even though you do not put too many spices in it. Though it gets a little time consuming as one has to boil the chicken first, carefully shred it once cooled and finally cook it with the spices, tomatoes and egg yolks, the wonderful melt in the mouth texture is worth all that effort. As the meat has been cooked on the bones, it has that wonderful flavour that most boneless chicken recipes lack.

And the best part is that it yields a delicious 'Shorba' or chicken soup as a by-product ( or atleast the stock that you get while boiling the chicken makes the task of preparing a 'Shorba' very easy ). Will get to that recipe soon enough. But first read on the recipe that has been a blockbuster hit with everyone in my house  -




















Preparation Time - 40 mins

Ingredients -

For boiling the chicken -

  • 200 gm chicken (on the bones)
  • 1 small onion (peeled and cut into 4 halves)
  • 3-4 garlic flakes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 4-5 black pepper corns
  • pinch of turmeric
  • salt to taste


For the final dish -

  • 1 small onion (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 tsp GG paste
  • 1/4 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp chicken curry/tandoori chicken masala
  • 2 pinch garam masala powder
  • 1 medium tomato (finely chopped)
  • 2 tbsp yogurt
  • 1 tbsp kasuri methi
  • 1 boiled egg
  • 1 tbsp fresh cream(optional)
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • salt to taste



Preparation - Wash and cook the chicken pieces in a pressure cooker along the the onion, garlic, bay leaf, cinnamon, pepper, turmeric, salt and 2 1/2 cups water.

Allow steam to escape before opening the lid. Strain and keep the stock aside. This can be later made into a shorba.

Carefully shred the chicken into thin long strips. Though it takes time, this step is what gives the wonderfully layered texture to the bharta.

Separate the egg yolk from the white portion.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok.

Add the onions and fry till they start to turn slightly red on the edges. Add the GG paste and stir fry for 2 mins.

Add all the powdered masalas along with 2 tsp water at this stage. Fry for a minute before adding the tomato. Cover with a lid for 1 minute to soften the tomatoes. Fry for another 1-2 minutes before adding the beaten yogurt.

Rub the kasuri methi between palms to warm it up before adding to the chicken.

Finally, when the oil starts to separate from the masala, add the shredded chicken and fry for for 2-3 minutes before adding a little of the stock. Adjust the salt and cover it with a lid. Allow to cook for 5-6 minutes.

Add the mashed egg yolk and cook for 2 minutes before adding the cream and taking it off the flame.

Garnish with the egg white and some cilantro. Serve hot with naan or rotis.


Monday, January 19, 2015

Two Step Chicken Curry (An easy chicken recipe)

Sometimes we are too tired to cook up a decent meal and yet are in no mood to order anything from outside. A piping hot chicken curry with some white rice/roti can save the day for the non-veg lovers amongst us. This curry is one of the easiest and tastiest ones that I have ever made. I have christened it as 'Two-step chicken curry' partly due to lack of any imagination and partly because it is a lazy curry that can be made in two steps.

Read on for the recipe -




















Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -

  • 500 gm chicken pieces
  • 1 medium sized onion (roughly chopped)
  • 1 small tomato (roughly chopped)
  • 12-14 garlic flakes
  • 1 1/2 inch ginger (chopped into small pieces)
  • 2 tbsp coriander leaves (finely chopped)
  • 2 inch long cinnamon stick
  • 3 nos green cardamom
  • 2/3 tsp cumin seeds
  • 4-5 dry red chillis ( low to medium heat Kashmiri or Byadgi chilli )
  • 3 tsp oil
  • 1/3 tsp turmeric
  • salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp vinegar

Preparation - De-seed the dry chillis and soak them with vinegar and 2-3 tbsp hot water for 2 hours. Drain off the liquid and grind the chilies with 6-7 garlic flakes.

Grind the onion, ginger, 6-7 garlic flakes, tomato, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin seeds and coriander leaves into a fine paste.

Wash the chicken pieces thoroughly and marinate them with the above paste, salt and turmeric. Allow to rest for 30 mins.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the chicken along with the marinade liquid (if any). Stir on high flame for 2-3 mins. Then reduce the flame and allow it to cook (without lid) till the  chicken is almost done (95 % cooked). 

Finally add the chili-garlic paste and stir fry on high for 1 min. Then add 2/3 - 1 cup boiling water, cover with a lid and allow to boil for 2 mins before switching off.

Serve hot with rotis/white rice/jeera rice.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Chicken Kheema Matar

A few days back I had posted the recipe for soya kheema matar . That had been inspired by the Kheema matar, a delicious recipe of minced mutton cooked along with fresh green peas. But as I have resolved to stay away from red meat this year, I substituted the mutton with chicken. I found it to be easy and quick, and one of the best side-dishes for hot puffed by rotis.

Read on for the easy recipe -







Preparation Time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients -


  • 1 cup chicken kheema/minced chicken
  • 1 cup shelled green peas (fresh ones only)
  • 1 large tomato
  • 1 medium sized onion
  • 1 small boiled potato
  • 1 green chili (finely chopped)
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
  • 1/3 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/5 tsp Garam masala
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 2 inch long cinnamon stick
  • 1-2 green cardamom
  • 1-2 cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 3 tbsp thick curd
  • 3 tsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

Preparation - Wash and drain the chicken kheema to remove excess water.

Chop the onion into medium sized pieces. The tomato can either be finely chopped or grind into a paste.

Peel and cut the potato into small pieces.

Beat the curd lightly with a spoon to break any lumps.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Throw in the whole garam masala. Add the onions and fry for 1-2 minutes before adding the ginger paste, garlic paste and green chili. Fry for 3-4 minutes till the raw smell goes off.

Add the chicken kheema at this point along with the coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder and half of the garam masala. Fry for 4-5 minutes.

Add the tomato pieces and fry for 2-3 mins. Add the beaten curd and cook for another 2-3 mins.

Finally add the green peas, potato pieces, salt and remaining garam masala. Cook for 3-4 mins on low flame before removing from the stove.

Serve hot with rotis or even with some white rice.




















Note - Add some meat masala to add that extra zing to this dish !! If making this dish with mutton kheema or country chicken kheema, add about 1/2 cup hot water while adding green peas and cook it for 2-3 whistles.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Chicken Porcupine Balls ( That's one guilt-free snack )

One of the resolutions that I have made for 2015 is to go easy on the oily/fried stuff. And that takes me on a journey to discover and adopt as many steamed/roasted (read 'low calories') recipes as possible without compromising on my family's taste buds. So when I came across this recipe in a magazine, I just had to try it.

Though these cute looking porcupine balls were at first intended as party snacks for the kids, I added green chili instead of pepper powder to up the heat content. One can also add some finely chopped greens/cabbage/carrots/peppers to the chicken mince to get some fiber into this dish. With a little bit of tinkering, one can tailor this recipe in accordance with one's dietary plans.

Read on for my version of the recipe -







Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -


  • 1 cup chicken mince
  • 1/2 of a small onion (finely chopped)
  • 2 garlic cloves (grated)
  • 1/2 inch ginger (grated)
  • 1 green chili (finely chopped)
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • few drops of light soy sauce
  • one egg white
  • 1/4 cup rice (preferably the thin and long variety)
  • few drops oil for greasing
  • salt to taste


Preparation - Wash and soak the rice for 2-3 hours.

Take the chicken mince in a mixing bowl and add all the remaining ingredients (except oil & rice).
Mix well and divide into 12-14 portions. Shape each portion into a ball.

Strain the rice, spread it on a plate and put under the fan for 5-10 mins so that the excess water gets evaporated. Roll each ball over the rice so that the rice grains coat it well.

Cooking - Plug in a steamer. If you do not own one, use an idli stand and spread some banana leaves over the plates. (Or you can even do it in a pressure cooker like we steam dhokla)

Place the balls and close the lid. Steam for 15-18 mins .

Remove from the steamer/idli pot and serve hot with schezuan chutney/sauce.


Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Pepper Garlic Liver Masala !!!

For the daily soap addicts, these are exciting times. Almost every show worth its salt (or TRP) is showing some new development. Whether it is the uncovering of the hijacking plot by Suraj and Sandhya in Diya Aur Bati or the marriage triangle of Jigar, Pari and Radha in long running 'Saathiya', the telly soap fans are lapping it up with glee. While I am no fan of such shows, it is my MIL who keeps me updated about the developments on the telly front.

Is it a mere coincidence that every show has something special going on at the same point of time ? Or is it a very well thought and perfectly timed strategic move ? Something to lure back the viewers after the lull which happened during the festive season. With the TRPs driving so much moolah, things can no longer be left to mere chance. It is yet another example of the application of predictive analytics or forecasting, big sounding terms both, which are not relegated to the world inhabited by geeks alone.

Being on a holiday/break does have its share of hidden perks. On of them being the freedom to introspect on seemingly trivial matters. Sometimes these very moments can give one a very fresh perspective and open up new channel/lines of thought. Coming back to today's recipe, it is a fairly simple and quick one. Read on for the recipe -



















Preparation Time - 15 mins


Ingredients -



  • 100 gm chicken liver (one can include gizzard too)
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 7-8 fat garlic cloves
  • 3-4 tbsp chopped cilantro
  • 2 cloves
  • 1/2 inch cinnamon
  • a small piece of star anise
  • 1 green chili
  • 2 tbsp hung curd
  • 2 tsp oil
  • 1 medium sized onion
  • 2 pinch turmeric
  • salt to taste
  • few drops of vinegar



Preparation - Wash and drain all the pieces. Add the vinegar, salt and turmeric. Mix well and keep aside for 5 mins.

Grind the pepper, garlic, cilantro, cloves, cinnamon, star anise and green chili into a paste. Add to the chicken liver pieces and marinate for 1 hour.

Chop the onion into small pieces

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the onion and fry till translucent.

Throw in the marinated chicken liver along with nay residual marinade. Stir fry for 8-9 mins. (The liver usually gets cooked within this time)

Add the hung curd and cook for another 2-3 mins. Remove from the wok.

Serve hot with rotis.

Note - This recipe tastes great with mutton liver too. But it takes longer to cook. 

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Mangalorean Chicken Ghee Roast

Recently caught an episode of 'Coastal Curries' hosted by the dashing chef Vikas Khanna. He happened to be in Mangalore and was sampling the famous 'Chicken ghee roast'. As usual I was so engrossed in looking at him that I missed whatever he was saying. Soft-spoken with an almost school-boy charm, the guy seems like a total misfit to me. That is till he starts to wield the ladle. I really wonder how much he works out or whether he eats any of the tantalizing dishes that he rustles up. Coming back to the dish itself, I finally had to look up the recipe on the net. I finally settled on this one posted by Ria ( Check her blog ) but made a few subtle changes based on the snatches of conversation that I had caught.

This is one of the few Mangalore dishes that I will be remembering for a long time. Sampled it for the first time at a small eatery in Hampankatta (mangalore) during my stay in the city. This along with the deep fried surmai are my favorites among all the varieties available in Mangalorean cuisine. I would rate it higher than the 'Kori Gassi- Roti' combo preferred by many folks. Ofcourse, the creamy Kori Gassi is in a class of its own but my funda happens to be 'To each his own' . The Chicken ghee roast is traditionally served with the snow white and soft 'Neer dosas' but I enjoy it with white rice, yogurt and rasam too. One word of caution. Do not be thrifty with the ghee. You can always slog it out in the gym over the next week or maybe month.

Read on for the lip-smacking recipe -






Preparation Time - 45 mins

Ingredients -

For the marinade -


  • 600 gm skinless chicken (cut into medium pieces)
  • 1/2 cup hung curd
  • juice from half a lemon
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • salt to taste


For the masala-


  • 1 tsbp coriander seeds
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 4 Kashmiri red chilis
  • 4-5 cloves
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 10-12 peppercorns
  • 10 fat garlic flakes
  • a thumbnail sized tamarind ball


Others -


  • 4 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves


Preparation - Wash the chicken pieces and drain out all the water. Add the other ingredients mentioned under marinade. Rub well all over the chicken pieces. Keep in the fridge for 4-6 hours or even overnight. ( I marinated the chicken for 6 hours )

Cooking - Dry roast the chilis on a pan till you get a faint smell. Remove and keep aside. Add 1/2 tsp ghee to the pan. Add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick and peppercorns. Remove from flame once they start to release their fragrance.

Grind the roasted chillis and spices along with the garlic cloves and tamarind. Add a little water and grind again to get a smooth paste.

Heat the remaining ghee in a wok. Add the marianted chicken and fry on a medium flame till almost done ( 75-80 % ). Remove and keep aside.

Add the masala paste to the same wok and fry till the oil starts to form a separate layer ( 4-5 mins should be enough unless you have added excess water during the grinding process ). Add the fried chicken at this point and stir/toss for 2-3 mins.

Finally add 1/2 cup warm water and cover with a lid. Allow the juices to permeate the chicken. Finally when the water dries up and the chicken pieces are well coated with the masalas, add the curry leaves and corainder. Switch off flame and remove from stove.

Serve hot with Neer dosa.


















Note - I am not too sure about the kind of chilis used in the original dish. I assume that one of them is Byadgi ( a Karnataka staple ) which makes for the striking color. Not sure about the other ( could be the Guntur ones ) but it is sure to be hot as the dish will almost surely set your tongue on fire. I have used the Kashmiri chillis which have a medium heat and give a nice color too. My dish was hot but tolerably so. No point in putting too much chillis and then drinking gallons of water instead of enjoying the dish. I also made a sweetened Ghee rice to go with it!!

Sorry for the bad camera work. My hands feel kinda shaky these days.

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