Kadai Chicken

This is a yummy kadai chicken recipe shared by a good friend of mine Upendra..Thanks Uppu for sharing this wonderful recipe. I am definitely trying this soon!

Ingredients:
1lb Chicken

1 Onion, medium (preferably red onion)

1 Tbsp coriander seeds

1 Tbsp cumin seeds

1/2 Tbsp whole black pepper (depends on your spicyness)

2 Tomatoes, medium

1/4 Bell pepper

Ginger garlic paste, to taste
Red chilli powder, to taste
Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Cut chicken into medium pieces and marinate with turmeric powder and little bit of ginger garlic paste (we will be using more gingergarlic paste in teh masala)
2. Fry coriander seeds, cumin seeds till very light brown color and they start to give out the masala smell.
3. Grind these 2 seeds along with the black pepper. Do not make a fine powder. Keep it granular.this is the masala that we will be using. and the main ingredient of taste
4. Pour  oil in kadai (important that its a kadai to get that ultimate taste and more the oil more the taste). Put the chopped onions. Saute till very light brown.
5. Add a tea spoon of masala, ginger garlic paste and tea spoon of red chilli powder  and little bit of salt(remember not to put a lot of masala, salt and red chilli as we will put more of this later)
6. add finely chopped tomatos.
7. Mix all these well and put a lid on the kadai and let it cook on medium heat. after about 2-3 minutes check if tomatos start oozing juice. Once the tomatos are cooked, add chopped capsicum (do not chop it finely, let it be a bit big pieces. size of a dice).
8. Fry them for about 1-2 mins.
9. Now, add chicken, add the masala, red chilli powder (you can add according to your spicy limits) and salt according to the taste
10. Mix well and put the lid back. after about 3-4 minutes check if water starts to ooze. At this point pour some water (as required for the gravy)
11. Put the lid back and let the chicken cook. After 4-5 minutes remove the lid and cook the rest with out a lid till the gravy thickens.

Have it with chapatis or naans...yummy kadai chicken ready!!!!

Chicken Kurma

This chicken kurma is a perfect side dish for paratas or chapatis and even rice.

Ingredients:
Chicken thighs/breasts - 1 1/2 lbs
Onion, diced - 1 large
Tomato, diced - 1 large
Coconut, shredded - 1/3 cup
Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon stick - 2 nos
Cloves - 4
Cardamom - 1
Ginger Garlic, paste - 1 Tbsp
Cilantro, chopped - 1 Tbsp
Chilli powder -  1/2 Tbsp
Coriander Powder -  1/2 Tbsp
Tamarind paste - 1/2 Tbsp
Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Add the onions and sauté until golden and add the ginger garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell goes away.
2. Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté for a few minutes. Add the chilli and coriander powders and salt and sauté for a minute and then add the chicken and let it cook for a few minutes.
3. Add 2 cups of water and cover and cook for 2 whistles and switch off.
4. Meanwhile grind the coconut and the fennel seeds to a fine paste.
5. Remove the lid once the pressure goes off, switch on flame again and add the coconut paste and tamarind paste and let it all boil until it forms a loose gravy like consistency.

Serve with chapatti or rice

Pepper Chicken

I am so sorry for slacking on new posts..As many of you already know, my parents are in town!! yay! So, I was busy eating all the dishes my mom was making, that I had no time to post them! :P
Finished them off before we could take any pictures...
My mom's an amazing cook and she is my inspiration for my cooking adventures..
I am starting off with my most favorite chicken dish!! My mom's pepper chicken..OMG! I just cannot stop eating this..Hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients:
Chicken Thighs, Boneless & skinless - 1 1/2lbs
Ginger Garlic, paste - 1/2 Tbsp
Onion, chopped - 2 Large
Tomato,chopped - 2 medium
Pepper powder - 1/2 Tbsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 Tbsp
Coriander powder - 1/4 Tbsp
Chilli powder - 1/2 Tbsp
Cilantro, chopped - 1 Tbsp
Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a kadai or pan and add onions and saute until golden and add the ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell goes away. Now, add the chopped tomatoes and saute for a few minutes.
2. Add the chicken, chilli and coriander powders, salt and cook in medium flame for 30 minutes and stirring every 5 minutes until it reaches a thick gravy like consistency.
3. In a small saute pan, heat a Tbsp of oil and add the jeera and pepper powders and curry leaves and add this mixture to the gravy pan. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Top with chopped cilantro.

Chicken Jalfrezi

This is a delicious tomato based curry with bell peppers and chicken.

Ingredients:
Chicken breast - 2 nos
Onions - 2 medium
Bell pepper - 1
Ginger, grated - 2 tsp
Garlic, minced - 6 cloves
Green Chillies, cut long - 2 nos
Tomatoes, diced - 1 medium
Tomato puree - 1/2 can
Milk - 1 cup
Chilli Powder -
Curry Powder -
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Cumin Powder -
Salt, to taste

Chicken Marinade:

Chilli Powder - 2 tsp

Tumeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp

Curry powder - 1/2 Tbsp

Corriander powder - 1 tsp

Ginger garlic paste - 1 Tbsp

Vinegar - 1Tbsp

Worcestershire sauce - 1 Tbsp 

Salt - 1/2 Tbsp

Method:

1. Cut chicken into 1/2 inch thick long strips. Marinate the chicken with all the ingredients from the "Chicken Marinade" list for at least 20 minutes.
2. Cut onions and bell peppers into 1 inch squares.
3. Heat olive oil in a pan and add minced garlic and when slightly browned add onions, bell peppers, ginger and sautee until the veggies are slightly browned and soft.
4. Add the marinated chicken and sauté until cooked through and slightly browned.
5. Now add the tomatoes, tomato puree and milk and let it cook for at least 10-15 minutes until the gravy thickens.
6. Add garam masala and adjust chilli and curry powders to taste and bring to boil and remove from heat.

Worcestershire sauce is a combination of tamarind, garlic, vinegar and some other stuff that makes it a little tangy and can be used in indian cooking for sauces or marinade..and I've started using them a lot now and find it pretty interesting..

Mushroom Chicken Curry

This is a different chicken curry with mushrooms. The combination of mushroom and chicken is more common in italian foods and I've always liked it but never tried making indian curries with this combo..Here's my first trial

 

Ingredients:
Chicken thighs - 2 lbs
Mushrooms, sliced - 1 box
Onions, chopped - 1 large
Tomatoes, chopped - 1 large
Ginger garlic paste - 1 Tbsp
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Curry powder - 2 tsp
Coconut, shredded - 2 Tbsp (optional)
Chicken masala - 2 tsp (optional)
Chicken broth/Water - 1 cup
Cilantro, chopped - handful
Salt, to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan and add onions and saute until it turns golden brown.Add ginger garlic paste and saute until the raw smell goes away.
2. Add the tomatoes and cook until mushy. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, curry powder, masalas and salt and saute for a few minutes.
3. Add the chicken and water/chicken broth and cover and cook until chicken is all cooked.
4. Now add the mushrooms and cook in medium flame until the gravy thickens up. If using, grind the shredded coconut to a paste and add to the gravy along with pepper and cook for a few more minutes.
5. Finish with chopped cilantro.

Note that I did not use coconut paste when I made this curry since I did not have the time, which you can pretty much tell from the picture, but adding it will thicken your gravy as well as make it tastier :)

Easy chicken dish

Hungry for a mid afternoon snack or have no time for a perfect curry for your chapatis? Here's a curry type dish which is super easy and can be made in a few minutes. All that you need is some frozen chicken and frozen spinach..

Ingredients:
Frozen Chicken strips - 1 cup
Frozen spinach - 1/2 cup
curry powder - 2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salsa - 1/4 cup
Salt, to taste
Mozzarella cheese, Shredded - 1 Tbsp

Method:

1. Heat oil in a small pan and add the chicken and spinach and saute until cooked and the spinach is all wilted.
2. Add salsa, chilly powder, curry powder and salt and cook for a few minutes.
3. Add the cheese and cook until the cheese melts and makes a gooey gravy like consistency.

Can be served with chapatis, rice or even as filler for your panini..Enjoy!
If you don't have salsa, you can try adding diced tomatoes as well..just let it cook for a few extra minutes. I bought the chicken strips from Costco which is my lifesaver for instant sandwiches, dishes and salads. Try and let me know how you made it..

Roasted Vegetable Pesto Sandwich

Generally I love paninis. I do have a panini maker at home..but you can simply make paninis even without it..you will only miss grill marks..not a big deal. This is the recipe I followed pretty much..As usual I did add a few things of my own.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/grilled-vegetable-panini-recipe/index.html


I did not have all the ingredients. So here are my substitutes:
Eggplant, Zuccini - Squash, any vegetable
Baguette - Ciabatta or any bread. (I love ciabatta)
Fresh Mozzarella - shredded mozzarella
Roasted red peppers - I grilled bell peppers along with other veggies.

In addition to the recipe I also added grilled chicken to the sandwich. I gotta have some meat :)

For grilled chicken:
Minced garlic - 4 cloves
Italian seasoning - 2tsp
Red pepper flakes - 1tsp
Paprika/Chilli powder - 1tsp
Oil - 2tsp
Salt, to taste

Mix all the ingredients above and rub it on the chicken and grill the chicken, if possible in the griddle or panini maker on 350 deg until chicken browns up.
If you don't have a griddle, simply pan fry or bake the chicken in the oven.
Cool the chicken and cut into strips easy enough to layer in the sandwich.