Hariyali Chicken Kebab

I wanted to recreate the Hariyali chicken kebab that we used to have from a North Indian restaurant in Koramangla, Bangalore. That place used to be our Friday romantic dinner spot. We can't recall the restaurant's name. The last time we strolled through that place, cafe outlet replaced the space.

It had the same taste and a big thumps up from my big boy. This can be served as an appetizer for guests and will surely be a hit.

Ingredients:

Chicken thigh/breast fillets - 2, cut in chunks
Green chilly - 3
Ginger - ½ tbsp
Garlic - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves - a bunch
Mint leaves - 5-6 leaves
Yogurt - ½ cup (greek yogurt or plain yogurt hung in a cloth)
Cream -  ¼ cup
Garam masala - 1 tbsp
Salt
Skewers to grill

Instructions:

• Pat and dry well the chicken pieces using kitchen tissue.
• Using a mortar and pestle, make a paste of green chilly, ginger, garlic, coriander and mint leaves.
• Mix the paste with yogurt, cream, garam masala and salt.
• Marinate chicken pieces in the paste and coat well. Marinate overnight in refrigerator.
• Grill in the oven once the marinated chicken comes to room temperature.
• Place chicken in skewers, baste chicken with oil and grill on all sides in a hot oven.
• Serve hot with coriander, mint paste yogurt dip.

Grilled Chicken with Asparagus

At times I get bored making the same rice, curry and then feel like why not make something simple but also a filling dinner. Then thought about grilling. It's been sometime I haven't made use of my grill.

By the way I've enrolled my little one Dyuti for Ballet and she just loves her ballet class. Got inspired from the cartoon "Angelina Ballerina". The first term is gonna get over and there's a concert coming up. She's all excited to play on the stage with Ms.Imogen & her dance mates.

After the 45 minutes class, Dyuti gets bit tired and her Amma as well. Might be wondering why would I get tired? Oh, it is actually 30 minute walk uphill and that too on such a hot sunny day.  We were so tired last week and I decided to put something on to my grill. On our way back, we went to butcher shop and bought chicken breast. I had stocked up two bunches of asparagus and is a wonderful combo with grilled chicken.

Another advantage of making grilled chicken would any leftovers can be thrown into a quick chicken fried rice for next day's lunch box :)

Ingredients:

Chicken breast - 2
Salt
Pepper
Mixed dry herbs
Oil

Instructions:

• Clean the chicken breast. Pat and dry well with kitchen tissue paper so as to absorb the water.
• Apply salt, pepper and dry herbs and rub on both sides of the chicken breast.
• Marinate for 2 hours.
• Pre-heat the grill to medium. Brush oil on both sides of the marinated chicken.
• Place both chicken pieces on the grill and grill it for 20 minutes until you have a golden crispy top.
• Turn the chicken and let it grill on the other side for another 15 minutes. Place the asparagus at this stage.
• Check for doneness by cutting a piece. If the juice runs clear and the flesh isn't pink in colour, then it is done.

Note:

Adjust the quantity of salt, pepper and dry mixed herbs as per your palette.
If you don't have dry herbs, you may go for freshly chopped rosemary/thyme.

Chicken Schnitzel with Mushroom Sauce

To prepare Chicken Schnitzel

Ingredients:

Chicken Breast - 2 nos
Plain flour - ¼ cup
Egg - 1 no, beaten
Breadcrumbs - ½ cup
Salt
Pepper
Oil - to shallow fry

Instructions:

• Combine flour, salt, pepper in a bowl. In another bowl, beat the egg. Spread breadcrumbs as a layer on a plate.
• Slit the chicken breast lengthwise, place the sliced chicken breast between cling film and pound it thin(I've skipped this step).
• Dredge the chicken first in the flour and shake off the excess flour. Then dip the chicken in beaten egg Shake off the excess and then spread it on the breadcrumbs layer and coat with breadcrumbs well.
• Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the chicken on both sides. Cover with an aluminium foil to keep it warm.
• Reserve the excess flour for the Mushroom sauce

To prepare Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:

Butter - 1 tbsp
Mushroom - 8 nos, sliced
Garlic - 1 nos, finely chopped
Chicken stock - 1 cup
Sour cream - ¼ cup
Soya sauce - 1½ tbsp
Parsley - to garnish
Plain flour - which was used for coating chicken

Instructions:

• Heat butter in a pan and add in chopped garlic and sliced mushrooms. Sauté till the water evaporates from the mushrooms.
• Now add the reserved plain flour and fry for a minute.
• Add in chicken stock. Allow it to boil.
• Add the sour cream and soya sauce. Check for salt. As the stock and plain flour has salt content, make sure to check the salt.
• Switch off the flame when the gravy thickens. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Slow cooked Spicy Chicken

As the name suggests, this was cooked in a low flame and results in a very delicious spicy curry.

My mom does all her cooking in a low flame. She says that enhances the flavour and yes it is absolutely right. Mummy is a pakka vegetarian; not even egg/milk & milk products. However her one and only daughter doesn't come in that category at all. I should say she has no problem in cleaning, cooking meat/fish and is a gifted cook. Though she doesn't check for taste in non-veg recipes, she gets to know what's missing in a recipe by it's aroma. I don't think much folks have got that talent :) Hats off to Mummy !!!

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 whole, cut in small pieces
Onions - 3 nos, finely sliced
Green chilly - 1 no, slit lenghtwise
Ginger - 1 tbsp, finely grated
Garlic - 5 cloves, finley grated
Tomato - 1 no, finely sliced
Curry leaf - a sprig
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli powder - 1 tbsp
Hot chilli powder - ½ tbsp
Coriander powder - 1½ tbsp
Cumin powder - ½ tbsp
Fennel powder - ½ tbsp
Garam masala - 1 tbsp
Oil - I've used olive oil
Salt
Water
Coriander leaves - to garnish

Instructions:

• For chicken marination, dry roast the spices. Heat a pan in low flame. Add the mentioned powders including garam masala. Stir the spices until the spices get fragrant. Make sure not to burn the powders. Add a tablespoon of oil, salt  to the roasted powders and mix well. Apply this marinade to the cleaned chicken pieces and marinate for 2 hours.
• Heat oil in a pan in a low flame. Add sliced onions slit green chilli and sauté till it turns slightly brown.
• Then add grated ginger, garlic and sauté till raw smell is gone.
• Add sliced tomatoes and sauté till it turns soft.
• Add the marinated chicken pieces, curry leaf and roast for 5 minutes. Make sure to stir in between.
• Add half a cup of water to the chicken and cover with a lid. 
• When the chicken is cooked, let the gravy thicken. Do not cover with lid at this stage.
• Switch off the flame and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Notes:

• The slow you cook, the better will it taste. If in a hurry, carry on to cook in a medium flame :)
• Adjust the spiciness to your taste. This recipe is slightly hot to our palette.
• Make sure to stir in between so that the pieces doesn't get burnt.
• This recipe pairs well with chappathi, rice, appam, pathiri etc

Pepper Chicken

This is the way my mother-in law prepares Pepper chicken and is really yummy. I've added a dash of soya sauce to the dish to give a smooth rich flavour and is optional.

To get the authentic taste, use coconut oil, few more sprigs of curry leaves and no need of soya sauce :)

The cute bowl in this pic was gifted by our friend and batch-mate Rachana. Thanks Rachs !!

Recipe Source - Mom-in law

Ingredients:

Chicken - ½ kg
Onions -  2 nos, finely sliced
Ginger - 1½ tbsp, finely sliced
Green chilli - 3 nos, slit lengthwise
Tomato - 1 no, sliced
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Pepper powder - 2 tbsp, as per taste
Curry leaves - a sprig
Soya sauce - 1 tbsp (optional)
Salt
Water
Oil - Use coconut oil, I've used Olive oil.

Instructions:

• Heat oil in a pan.Add sliced onions, slit green chillies, sliced ginger, curry leaves and sauté till golden brown.
• Add turmeric and pepper powder and fry till the spices are fragrant.
• Add sliced tomatoes and chicken pieces. Sauté till the masala coats on the pieces well.
• Add enough salt, water and close with a lid for the chicken to get cooked.
• When chicken is cooked, add pepper powder in case needed as per your taste.
• Let the chicken turn to a semi-dry consistency and pour soya sauce. Cook for few more minutes and switch off the flame.

Lemon Roast Chicken

Just 4 ingredients and your marinade is ready. I wouldn't say this is a proper Indian version of roast; slight variation. A wonderful accompaniment with Garlic Bread. Yes, we tried this combo and is just great.

Recipe Source: Me me

Ingredients:

Chicken pieces
Lemon juice - half of a lemon
Dry red chilli flakes - 2 tbsp (adjust accordingly)
Coriander powder - 1 and 1/2 tbsp
Garlic cloves  - 4 nos (skin on)
Oil - 2 tbsp
Salt

Instructions:

• Use kitchen tissue to pat and dry the chicken pieces. Slit the chicken pieces so that marinate penetrates well inside.
• Crush the garlic cloves with their skin on with the back of knife.
• Mix dry chilli flakes, coriander powder, lemon juice, oil, crushed garlic cloves, salt and marinate chicken pieces for 4 hours.
• Pre-heat oven to 220 degree Celsius. Use aluminium foil to line the baking tray and spray oil.
• Place the marinated chicken on the foil and lightly spray on top.
• Flip the chicken pieces when the top part is cooked. This might take 30-40 minutes depending on your oven.
• Let the other side gets roasted well enough. A golden brown colour forms on the skin top.Another 15-20 minutes on the oven.
• Check for doneness using a fork. Make a slit on the thigh and check to see the juice runs clear. If the juices have any pinking colouring, the chicken is not done.
• Roast any veggies of your choice along with this Lemon roast chicken.

Chicken Curry - A Kerala touch

We started this weekend with a dinner party at our home, invited few of our friends gang staying near Ashfield. This wasn't much a planned party; was all in hurry-burry. I started cooking preparations a bit late; but managed to finish in time.

As a true Malayalee, I preferred to make Kerala cuisines. I prepared Puttu, Vellappam, Rice, Parippu curry, Mutton Pepper fry, Chicken curry. But there was a twist when it came to desserts. Due to time constraint, I decided not to make anything sweet this time. We both had earlier came to an agreement that whenever we have a party, I wasn't supposed to make the routine payasam; but instead to serve our guests with western cuisine desserts. Even before starting this blog, I've made few good desserts and got a thumps up to go for those ones. Then thought about the simplest Pannacotta  and called up Sathya to bring me thickened cream.

I made Rosewater Pannacotta for dessert just 2 hours before the guests arrived. Poured in individual ramekins for that to set & placed in refrigerator. Dyuti was busy playing and didn't come to the kitchen for the usual rounds. She was not aware what I was doing in there. When I gave her the Pannacotta, she asked me "Amma, who made it?". She was very much surprised when I told her and was telling me "Oh, you made this Amma.. Wow !!" Now isn't that sweet of her. So much innocence in our kids !!

This chicken curry is almost similar to the way all our Mom's make back in Kerala :) I've made slight variations and made it in my style.

Here goes the Kerala Chicken curry recipe. Adding coconut milk is not mandatory as the gravy would get thicken with the onion tomato paste. For the Kerala touch, I would recommend adding coconut milk or just the plain ground coconut paste. Have to say the mutton pepper fry and chicken curry was loved by all by seeing the empty bowls :)

Ingredients:

Chicken - 1 no (large)
Onions - 4 finely sliced (medium)
Tomatoes - 3 sliced
Oil - I used coconut oil
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Red hot chilli powder - 1 tsp
Thin Coconut milk - 1 cup

Chicken Marinade:

Chicken - cut into pieces
Turmeric Powder - 3/4 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 2 tbsp
Green Chillies - 3 (slit lengthwise)
Pepper Powder - 3/4 tsp
Salt - as needed
Chopped Curry leaves - a sprig

Marinate chicken pieces for at least an hour.

Spices to grind to a smooth paste:

Cloves - 4
Cinnamon - 2 (1 inch stick)
Cardamom seeds- 2 pods
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 2 tbsp
Fennel seeds - 2 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Pepper Powder - 1 tsp
Ginger - 1 tbsp
Garlic - 5 cloves
Lemon juice - half of a lemon

Grind the spices along with ginger, garlic and lemon juice to a smooth paste.

Instructions:

• Heat oil in a pan. Add sliced onions and sauté till translucent.
• Add sliced tomatoes and sauté till it turns soft.
• Grind the sautéed onions and tomatoes mixture to a very fine paste.

• In the same pan, pour some oil and when hot, add the spice, ginger, garlic mixture  paste.
• Let the raw smell goes off from the mixture and the spice aroma spreads around.
• Add the onions tomato paste and fry for few minutes.
• Add half teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 tsp red hot chilli powder and sauté till the raw smell is gone.
• Add the chicken marinade and fry for 5 minutes.
• Pour a cup of water and close with a lid. Make sure to stir in between.
• When chicken is almost cooked, add the thin coconut milk. I made it by grinding half cup frozen grated coconut with water.
• Let it boil for few minutes and switch off the flame.
• Temper the gravy by frying chopped onions in coconut oil and then add it in to the gravy.

Goan-style Chicken Moelho

This recipe has very similarity to Chicken Vindaloo, both originates from Goa. I've adapted this from a book "Curry Easy"written by Madhur Jaffrey. Not that I've a habit of collecting recipe books, I happen to get good culinary books from the library.

Now I'm not sure whether all of your palettes like the Goan dishes. Back home, Mummy makes Vindaloo and I loved it. Both of this recipe has garlic, vinegar and chillies in common and gives the dish a slightly 'pickled' feel. Well it's good to try out something different rather than following the routine recipes.

I like to try all varieties and modifications of Chicken recipes and would definitely post the good dishes which my family feels in this blog.

Recipe Source: Adapted from "Curry Easy" by Madhur Jaffrey

Ingredients:

Chicken: 1 full (medium)
Cumin powder: 1 and 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds: 1 tsp (crushed and coarse powder)
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp
Kashmiri Chilli Powder: 1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder: 1/2 tsp(hot)
Red Wine Vinegar: 1 and 1/2 tbsp(plus little more as needed). I used White vinegar.
Garlic cloves: 4 (crushed)
Onions: 2 nos (sliced)
Olive Oil - 3 tbsp
Salt

Instructions:

• In a non-reactive (ceramic, glass or stainless-steel) bowl, combine the chicken pieces with cumin powder, mustard seeds, turmeric powder, kashmiri & red hot chilli powders, white vinegar, crushed garlic cloves and salt.
• Mix well, marinate for 1-2 hours and refrigerate.

• Pour oil in a hot frying pan, put in onions and fry it until the onions brown a bit.
• Add in the marinated chicken and sir and fry until the chicken gets opaque.

• Add half cup water, 2 teaspoons of vinegar, bring it to boil, cover with lid and cook the chicken.

• Once cooked, heat in high heat and reduce the gravy to semi-dry consistency.
• Serve hot as a side-dish with rice or chappathi.