Corn-Peas pulao with Fried chicken and Apple raita

Cooking Time Required: 30-40 mins
Cost of Preparation: 150-160 rupees
Serves : 2

For the Corn-Peas pulao:

Ingredients: Basmati rice ( 2 cups ), corn ( 1/2 cup ), green peas ( 1/2 cup ), coriander stems ( cut into small pieces, 1 tsp ), jeera ( 1/2 tsp, optional ), jeera-lanka ( roasted cumin-chilli ) powder ( 1/2 tsp ), chilli powder ( 1/3 tsp ), star anise ( 2-3 nos), javitri ( 1-2 flowers ), ghee ( 1-2 tbs ), salt.


Cooking: Boil the basmati rice using sufficient water ( 4-5 times the quantity of rice ) in a open vessel. Add salt, star anise, javitri and 1 tsp ghee to the water.

Cook the rice for 10-12 mins or till it is almost done. Strain all the water and keep aside.

Heat the remaining oil in a wok/pan . Add the jeera, followed by the coriander stems, green peas and corn with a pinch of salt. Stir fry for 2 mins.

Now add the jeera-lanka powder and red chilli powder. Add the strained rice after 30 secs.

Mix well. Add more salt if desired.

Keep covered for 2-3 mins.

For the Fried Chicken:

Ingredients: Chicken legs ( 2 nos ), lemon juice ( 1 tsp ), thick curd ( 1 tsp ), chicken tandoori masala ( 2/3 tsp ), coriander powder ( 1/2 tsp ), cumin powder ( 1/2 tsp ), chilli powder ( 1/3 tsp ), ginger garlic paste ( 1/2 tsp ), turmeric ( 1 pinch ), onion ( 1 no., small ), garam masala ( 1/4 tsp , optional ), salt, oil ( 3-4 tsp ).

Preparation: Mix all the ingredients into a thick paste except for the chicken legs, onion and oil.

Make small cuts/slits into the chicken legs . Rub the paste all over and keep in the fridge to marinate for 5-6 hours ( 1-2 hrs will also suffice if you do not have time ) .

Grate the onion and keep aside.

Cooking: Heat the oil in a wok. Add the onion paste and fry till it turns brown. Add the marinated chicken.

Stir for 2-3 mins and add a little it of water. Cover with a lid for 5 mins.

Uncover and stir fry till the chicken is done. Remove and keep on a bloting paper to absorb excess oil.


For the Apple Raita :

Ingredients: Apple ( 1 no. ), yogurt/curd ( 5-6 tbs ), jeera-lanka powder ( 1/3 tsp ), roasted coriander powder ( 1/5 tsp ), sugar ( 1 tsp ), salt.

Preparation: Beat the yougurt with salt, sugar , coriander powder and jeera lanka powder, Add water to get desired consistency.

Cut the apple into small pieces . Add to the yogurt and mix well.

Serve with the corn-peas pulao.

Spicy Chicken Jholo ( with herbs )

Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins
Cost of Preparation: 60-70 rupees


Ingredients: Chicken ( 350 gm ), potato ( 1 medium sized ), maggie bhuna masala ( 2 tbs ), mint paste ( 1 tsp ), coriander paste ( 1 tsp ), methi paste ( 1 tsp ), kasuri methi ( 1 tsp ), tomato puree ( 2 tbs ), sour curd ( 1 tsp ), cumin powder ( 1/2 tsp ), coriander powder ( 1/2 tsp ), whole red chillis ( 4-5 nos ), chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp ), turmeric powder ( 1/3 tsp), salt, oil ( 4 tsp ).



Preparation: Soak the kasuri methi with 2-3 tsp warm water for 5 mins.



Marinate the chicken with mint paste, coriander paste, fenugreek paste, sour curd, tomato puree, turmeric and salt. Add the soaked kasuri methi to the marinate. Mix well and allow to stand for 2 hours.



Cooking: Heat the oil in a wok. Peel and cut the potato into small cubes. Add to the wok and stir fry for 4-5 mins. Remove and keep aside.



Add a pinch of turmeric and whole red chillis to the wok. When the chillis darken, add the bhuna masala. Stir for a minute.



Add the marinated chicken pieces with the chilli powder, coriander powder and cumin powder. Stir fry for 2-3 mins on a high flame.



Add 3 cups of warm water along with the potato pieces and salt. Bring to a boil. Close the lid and allow to simmer on low flame.



Cook for the 10 mins or till the chicken softens.



Serve hot with rice/rotis.



Note: Each paste is prepared from ground fresh leaves.

Mustard garlic chicken

Cost of preparation: 40-45 rupees
Cooking Time Required: 15-20 mins

Ingredients: Chicken pieces ( 250 gm ), onion ( one small, optional ), garlic ( 15-17 pods), mustard powder ( 1 tsp ), curd ( 1 tsp ), ginger garlic paste ( 1 tsp ), tomato sauce ( 2 tsp ), chilli powder ( 1 tsp ), asafoetida ( 1/2 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/4 tsp ), salt, oil ( 3-4 tsp ).

Preparation: Cut the chicken into even sized pieces, wash and add salt, turmeric, ginger-garlic paste , mustard powder, curd and chilli powder. Allow to marinate for 4-5 hours.

Mince the garlic and onion.

Cooking: Heat a wok. Pour in the oil. Add the minced onion and garlic. Stir fry for 1 min.

Add the marinated chicken pieces. Stir at regular intervals. Cook uncovered till the chicken is almost done.

Add the tomato sauce . Stir for a minute or two.

Dissolve the asafoetida in 2-3 tbs water. Sprinkle half of it over the chicken. Remove from the wok after 2 minutes.

Serve with tomato sauce and mint chutney.


Mint chutney preparation : Grind 2 bunches of corianader leaves, 1 inch tamarind, 3-4 garlic cloves, green chutney and salt along with 2-3 tbs water.

I am sending this recipe to Dr Sameena's 'Chicken Recipe Event'.

Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani (Pressure cooker method)

Cooking Time Required: 45 mins
Cost of preparation: 100-150 rupees

Ingredients: Basmati Rice ( 2 cups), skinless chicken ( 600 gm), curd ( 1 cup ), cumin seeds ( 1 tsp), ginger garlic paste ( 2 tsp), coriander seeds ( 1 tsp), tomato puree ( 4 tbs), cinnamon ( 1 stick, medium), cloves ( 4 nos ), star anise ( 2 nos ), cardamon ( 2 nos ), javitri ( 1 no), nutmeg (2 pinch), onion ( 1 large ), oil ( 4 tsp), milk ( 1/2 cup), saffron ( 1 strand ), chilli powder ( 1 tsp), turmeric ( 1/2 tsp), handful of mint leaves, handful of coriander leaves, salt to taste.

Preparation: Heat a pan. Dry roast the coriander and cumin seeds and ground into a fine powder.

Beat the curd, cumin-coriander powder, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric, tomato puree, salt, powdered cinnamon and cloves, star anise and javitri togather. Add the chicken pieces to it and allow to marinate for 2 hours.

Cut the onion into thin rings and keep aside. Soak the saffron in the milk.

Cooking: Heat a pan. Add the oil. When it becomes hot, add the onion rings, mint leaves, corainder leaves and stir fry till they turn opaque. Add the marinated chicken pieces and cook for 15-20 mins or till the chicken is 80% done.

Wash the rice and add to a pressure cooker. Add 2 cups of water, crushed cardamon, nutmeg and the saffron-milk along with the chicken pieces . Mix well. One can also add 1 tsp ghee at this stage to prevent the rice grains from sticking to each other. Close the lid and allow to cook for 10 minutes. Remove from fire and allow the steam to escape. Serve with raita.

Tip: The most important part of getting the biryani recipe is cooking the rice just right. Make a trial of cooking the rice in a cooker before making the biryani, just to get the cooking time and water proportion right.


[The below pics are my latest ones ( taken on 08/05/2014 ).....I guess blogging has really helped me improve on everything fom cooking to presentation and even my photography skills. ]

Chicken n Kaleji Roll

Cooking Time Required: 30 mins
Required Preparation Time : 50-60 rupees

Ingredients: Chicken pieces ( 100 gm, includes 3-4 pieces of chicken liver), maida ( 1.5 cups, sufficient for 2 large rotis), tomato (1 small), onion (1 medium), green chilli (2 nos), ginger garlic paste (1/2 tsp), cumin powder (1/5 tsp), coriander powder (1/5 tsp), pepper powder (1 tsp), chilli powder (1/4 tsp), 2 eggs, tomato sauce, oil, salt to taste.


Preparation: Separate the bones from the chicken pieces. Add salt and turmeric to the pieces and marinate for half an hour.
Add a pinch of salt and 4-5 drops of oil to the flour. Mix well, add water and knead into a firm dough. Keep aside.


Cooking: Cut the onion into small pieces. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a cooker. When it starts smoking, add half of the cut onion pieces and one green chilli. Fry till the onion becomes slightly reddish, then add the ginger garlic paste. Fry for 3-4 mins, then add the tomato (finely minced), cumin and coriander powder. Add the chicken pieces along with salt after 1 min. Fry for 4-5 mins. Add little amount of water( the chicken should neither become too watery nor should it stick to the bottom of the cooker) , then close the lid of the cooker. Wait for a single whistle , then remove from fire.
Allow to cool and then break the chicken into small pieces.

Break the eggs into a bowl, add salt and beat well.

Separate the dough into two equal parts. Roll into large rotis.

Heat a pan. Put the roti on it. Cook on both sides. Pour a little of the beaten egg over the roti. Toss it over and remove from the pan after 30 seconds. Spread the onion pieces, chicken and liver pieces over the roti. Sprinkle pepper powder, chilli powder, salt and tomato sauce over it. Roll the rotis. Roll a paper napkin around one end .

Enjoy hot with a can of chilled coke/sprite.

Chicken Kosha

Cooking Time Required: 1 hour
Cost of preparation: 50-60 rupees

Ingredients: Chicken pieces (250 gm), onion ( 1 large), tomato puree ( 2 tsp), green chilli (1 no.), lemon ( one half), ginger garlic paste ( 1 tbs), coriander powder ( 1/2 tsp), cumin powder (1/2 tsp), chilli powder (1/2 tsp), fennel seeds (1/2 tsp), soya sauce (1/2 tsp), garam masala (1/3 tsp), turmeric , oil (5-6 tsp), salt to taste.

Preparation: Wash the chicken pieces. Add turmeric, lemon juice and salt. Allow to marinate for 30 mins. Cut the onion into two halves. Grate one half and mince the other half into fine pieces.

Heat oil in a kadai. when hot, add fennel seeds . Then add the grated onion . Fry for about 2 mins. Add the finely cut onion and green chilli pieces, followed by the ginger garlic paste after another 2 mins. Fry for about 5 mins. Add tomato puree, coriander powder, cumin powder and chilli powder. Add the marianated chicken after 1-2 mins. Cover with a lid and cook till the chicken softens. Then add the soya sauce and garam masala. Mix thouroughly and remove from fire. Keep covered for about 5 mins. Enjoy with hot rotis.


Tips: For those who are forever looking for short-cuts, the grated onion, ginger garlic paste and tomato puree can be substituted with Maggie Bhuna Masala.



Broiler Chicken- الفروج المشوي

Chicken pakoda (Orissa preparation)

Cooking Time Required: 1 hour ( marination time 30 mins)
Cost of preparation: 60-80 rupees

Ingredients:

• Chicken (boneless, 250 gms)
• egg white ( 1 no.)
• cornflour (3-4 tsp)
• soya sauce (1/2 tsp)
• ginger-garlic paste( 1 tsp)
• vinegar (1/2 tsp)
• tomato sauce ( 1 tsp)
• chilli powder or flakes
• turmeric ( 1 pinch)
• coriander powder ( 1/2 tsp)
• cumin powder (1/2 tsp)
• salt
• oil for frying

Marination: Cut the boneless chicken into inch sized cubes. Put in a bowl, add all the other ingredients , mix well and keep aside for 1/2 hour.


Preparation: Heat the oil in a deep vessel. When smoking, add the chicken pieces and fry till reddish brown. Garnish with chopped onions, tomato sauce and chilli sauce.

Chicken curry - oriya preparation

The traditionally made chicken curry from Odisha ! Tastes best when country chicken is used.........

Cooking time required: 1 hour (approx)
Cost of preparation: Approx. 200-250 rupees

Ingredients: Chicken pieces( preferably Country chicken )(600 gm), Potato (1 large), Onion( 1 large), tomato( 1 medium), ginger garlic paste (1 tbs), cumin seeds (1/2 tsp), sunflower/rice bran oil ( 4 tps), mustard oil(1tsp), coriander powder( 1tsp), chilli powder (1/2 tsp), cumin powder (1/2 tsp)turmeric (1 tsp ), green chilli (2 nos), garam masala( 1 stick cinnamon, 2 pods small cardamon), sugar(1/2 tsp), salt ( to taste ).

Pre-cooking: Marinate chicken pieces with turmeric, salt and mustard oil. Set aside for 1 hour.

Grate half the onion and cut the rest into small pieces. Puree/dice the tomato . Cut the potato into 4 pieces along its length, deep fry and keep aside.

Cooking: Heat oil in a deep vessel. When smoking add 1/2 tsp sugar and a pinch of turmeric( for adding color). Add the cumin seeds. When the seeds start spluttering, add chilli and onion(grated & pieces). Cook for about 3 mins.

Add the ginger garlic paste and salt. Fry the paste for about 3-4 mins. Then add tomato, coriander powder, chilli powder, cumin powder. Cook for about 2 mins.

Add the marinated chicken pieces. Cook till the chicken changes color and oil starts to separate out. Put the contents in a pressure cooker, add potato pieces, 1-2 cups hot/warm water and allow for 1-2 whistles.

Take off the fire and allow steam to settle down. Open lid , add garam masala and mix thoughly.Close lid and keep aside for 2-3 mins.

Serve with par-boiled rice and papad.