Classic Chicken and Mushroom Pie with Cheddar Cheese Short Crust Pastry

Conducting cooking and baking classes also means that I need to do my homework really really well. I like to give my class participants the best of all I know and so I do a lot of reading and experiments before I announce my next class. A pie and tart class has been long due and repeatedly requested and so here is my homework for the next schedule which is in November. There are three more recipes that I will need to try. Stay tuned!! Do read my notes at the end for vegetarian options.

Ingredients 

For the filling 

1 chicken breast, about 150 gms, cut into medium pieces

200 gms white button mushrooms quartered 

1 large onion chopped 

2 cloves garlic chopped 

1 tbsp chopped parsley 

1 tbsp chopped rosemary 

1 tbsp olive oil plus more if required 

2 tbsp butter 

2 tbsp flour

200 ml milk

200 ml chicken/vegetable stock 

Salt and pepper to taste

For the pie crust (for a 22 cm pie plate)

1 cup all purpose flour/maida

2 tbsp butter, chilled 

2 tbsp vegetable shortening , chilled 

Pinch of salt

4 tbsp grated cheddar cheese 

1 egg (I used a little less than 1 large egg)

Direction 

Start with making the pie crust first. Take the flour, salt, butter and shortening and start rubbing the fat into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. There should still be some traces of butter and shortening visible in the mixture. Do not overmix. 

Now add the grated cheese and the egg, little at a tine, till the dough just comes together. We don't need a smooth or fine dough. Just the one which holds everything together. I used little less than 1 large egg. 

Cover the dough with cling wrap and refrigerate till further use. 

Now start preparing the filling. Heat oil in a pan and add the chicken pieces. Fry till they turn white. Now add the mushrooms and fry on high heat till the moisture evaporates and the chicken and the mushrooms turn slightly golden. Remove from the pan and keep aside. 

Now, in the same pan, add a little more oil if required and fry the chopped onions and   garlic till translucent. Remove from pan and keep with the chicken. 

Now, to make the sauce, you can either use the same pan or use a new one. Heat the butter and add the flour. Stir till you get a lovely aroma and the flour looks pasty. Now mix the milk and the stock and add it to the pan along with salt and pepper. Stir on a medium flame till the mixture thickens and coats the back of the spoon. 

Now add the chopped parsley and rosemary and mix and remove from heat. Put the chicken mixture into a pie plate and pour the sauce over it. Spread to evenly cover the chicken beneath. Keep aside and let it cool. 

Preheat the oven at 200 degree celcius for 10 minutes. Now, take a parchment paper and spread it out on the kitchen counter. Take the dough out of the fridge and remove the cling wrap. Put another sheet of parchment paper or cling wrap and using a rolling pin, roll out the dough gently from all sides to a uniform thickness of about 3 mm and just enough to cover the top of the pie plate. 

Brush the sides of the pan with egg wash. Gently lift the rolled out dough and place it on the pie dish covering the edges and sitting on top of the filling. Seal the edges with your fingertips and filling in any edges with scrap dough. Make some cuts in the center to let the steam escape. 

Brush the top with egg wash and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes till the edges and top and browned and crisp. Remove from oven and let it cool for sometime before serving. 

Notes:

1. You can use any assorted veggies instead of the chicken like broccoli, sweet corn, carrots, beans, spinach, or cottage cheese as well. 

2. You can use 2-3 tbsp ice cold water instead of the egg while kneading the dough. 

3. You can skip the egg wash if you are a pure vegetarian. You can use milk wash instead but the shine won't be there. 

Simple and Light Stewy Chicken Curry

It has been an extremely busy month and is going to continue as such for the next month as well. Father-in-law in town, hubby's birthday, Balinese Holiday, and every day cooking were some of the things that left me walking on a tight rope all this month. Next month starts with my birthday, my Blog's third anniversary, my first bread baking class, father-in-law's birthday, and half a month of babysitting while hubby leaves for an extensive business trip. Phew! That already makes me feel exhausted. Nevertheless, I couldn't stay away from blogging for long and so posting this extremely simple yet absolutely yummy light and Stewy Chicken Curry which is best eaten with a bowl of steamed rice or hot and fresh puffed chapatis and raw onions. I made this on a Sunday but this is actually an any day curry which will make you feel awesomely good!!

Ingredients 

1 kg chicken on the bone, washed and cleaned 

1 large onion chopped 

3-4 cloves garlic minced 

1" piece ginger minced 

2 medium tomatoes chopped 

2 medium potatoes quartered 

2 each of cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, and 2" cinnamon 

1 tsp Kashmiri chilli  powder 

1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp sugar (optional)

2 tbsp oil (preferably mustard oil)

Ground Spices

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 tsp coriander seeds 

1 tsp fennel seeds 

1 tsp black peppercorns 

Dry roast all the spices and grind to a fine powder 

Direction 

Heat oil in a pan and fry the quartered potatoes. Keep aside. 

In the same oil, splutter the whole garam masala and add the chopped onions, ginger and garlic and saute till golden. Next add the chopped tomatoes and saute till mushy. Now add the ground spices along with the turmeric, salt, and chill powder and fry for 3-5 minutes till the entire masala comes together. Add the washed and cleaned chicken and fry on high heat till the chicken changes color and well coated with the masalas. Add the potatoes and fry for 5 more minutes. By now, the oil would start appearing from the sides. Now add 1 cup water and let the water come to a boil. Mix, reduce the flame to medium low, and cover and cook till the chicken and the potatoes are cooked through. 

Adjust seasoning. Add freshly chopped coriander if you like the flavor. Make sure there is enough gravy to give that stewy effect. Remove from heat and serve hot with steamed rice. 

Easy Chicken Kabab

Starters are an important part of any meal and they get even more important when you host a dinner/lunch event at your place. Having said that, when you have no helping hand in the kitchen it becomes imperative that you present something quick and easy yet beautifully presented and delicious to eat. These Kababs are just that. Extremely easy to prepare, you can keep these ready one day in advance in the refrigerator and shallow fry just before serving. Serve it with some green chutney and be ready to amaze your guests!!

Ingredients 

500 gms minced chicken 

1 medium onion chopped finely 

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste 

2 tbsp fresh coriander finely chopped 

2 tbsp besan

1 tsp red chilli powder 

1 tsp garam masala powder 

2 tsp coriander powder 

Finely chopped green chillies (optional)

Salt to taste

Oil as required 

Direction 

Wash and drain the chicken mince. Ensure that there is no excess water. Now mix in all the other ingredients except the oil. Make a smooth mixture ensuring that everything is mixed well. You can now either go ahead and make patties out of this mixture or keep it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. 

When ready to fry, heat oil in a frying pan or grill pan and make small patties out of the mixture and fry till golden on both sides in a medium heat. I covered the pan on a medium heat for the first five minutes to ensure that the chicken is cooked through. After 5 minutes, remove the cover and fry on a medium high heat till golden on both the sides. Drain the excess oil on a kitchen towel. Sprinkle some chaat masala if you like and serve hot with your favourite chutney. 

Murg Khurchan

On my recent India trip, this is one dish that came appearing to me one way or the other. I tasted it first time in my life in a North-Indian restaurant along with my sister and we both enjoyed it thoroughly with some tandoori rotis. Since then, it somehow continued to capture my attention either through in-flight menus or cookery books and websites. I finally told myself that I have to get done with these ghost appearances and chanced upon a recipe by Chef Marut Sikka. It is a vanishing dish and in fact I had never before heard of it until a few weeks back. Khurchan means scraping and traditionally this dish is made on a tawa/griddle but since my tawa is really small, I made it on a frying pan. The taste is superb and is a close cousin of chicken keema, except that you use roasted and shredded chicken here instead of minced. You must try this dish once and help in keeping its fame alive!! For my vegetarian friends, you can easily replace the chicken in this recipe with paneer except that you need not shred it too finely. 

Ingredients 

For the masala 

6-8 dried red chilies

1 tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

Gently roast the above in a pan and then grind to a fine powder in a mixer grinder.

For the Sauce 
1/4 cup ghee 

6-8 cloves of garlic finely grated

4-5 large ripe tomatoes chopped 

Salt to taste

 3-4 green chillies chopped

For the chicken/paneer/ veggies 

1/2 kg chicken/paneer/mixed veggies cut into one inch cubes

6-8 cloves garlic finely grated

2" piece of ginger finely grated

Juice of one lemon

1 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp white pepper powder

Salt to taste

2 tbsp refined oil 

For the assembly 

50 gm butter

 2 onions sliced

 1 green bell pepper deseeded, cut into strips

1 red bell pepper deseeded, cut into strips

1 yellow bell pepper deseeded, cut into strips 

1 tsp garam masala 

1 tbsp kasoori methi roasted and crushed 

1" piece ginger julienned

Fresh coriander leaves chopped for garnish

Direction 

Keep the dry masala ready as per instructions above. 

Heat the ghee in a pan, add the garlic and saute until light golden brown. Add the powdered masala of chillies, cumin and coriander, stir and immediately add the tomatoes.

Add salt, increase heat and once the mixture comes to a boil, lower the heat and continue to cook the tomatoes until they achieve a sauce-like consistency. Now add the green chilies and cook for another 1-2 minutes, check the seasoning and remove from the fire.

Now start preparing the chicken/paneer/veggies. Mix all the ingredients, except the chicken/paneer/veggies, together and add the chicken/paneer/veggies and marinate for 2-3 hours.

In the case of chicken or any other meat I normally add meat tenderizer or grated raw  papaya (two tablespoons). This acts as a tenderiser for the meat and also gives a gentle sourness. Skewer the chicken/paneer and cook in a tandoor. Alternatively cook in an oven (225°C for 6-10 minutes). The idea here is only to cook the chicken/paneer half way through, yet impart a smoky flavour to it.

Time to assemble. Traditionally it is to be done on a griddle or tawa. Mine is too small to accommodate all. So used a frying pan. 

Add the butter to the tawa/pan and once it melts, add the half done chicken/paneer/veggies. 

Cook on low heat scraping the griddle, just avoiding the chicken/paneer from sticking or burning, for 2-3 minutes. Add the sliced onions and continue to scrape the griddle, cooking until onions are glossy. Add the bell peppers and keep stirring till slightly soft but have a crunch still. Add the tomato sauce and continue to scrape. Cook for 3-4 minutes.

Add garam masala, kasoori methi and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add julienned ginger and fresh coriander. Stir well and remove from fire. Check the seasoning and serve.

Chicken Do-Pyaaza

Most of my dishes these days call for the simplest of the ingredients and procedures but result in a delicious and soul satisfying meals. Today's recipe is no different. The concept of Do-Pyaaza curries, whether veg or non-veg, comes from the inclusion of two different forms of onions and that is how the curry gets its name. Here, however, I did a twist and included a third form of onion. So can in fact call this curry Chicken Teen-Pyaaza!! Lol! Nevertheless, the variation did add an X-Factor to the gravy and it was all the more delicious. I have made this curry keeping in mind children tastebuds but you can spruce it up as per your liking. 

Ingredients 

1 kg chicken, washed and cleaned 

4 big onions, 1 made into a paste, 2 cubed/diced, 1 finely chopped 

1 tbsp ginger paste 

2 tbsp garlic paste 

2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder divided 

1 red bell pepper cubed 

2 big tomatoes finely chopped 

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp shahjeera/caraway seeds (optional)

2 each of cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon 

1 black cardamom 

1/2 star anise and 1 small mace

1 tsp turmeric powder 

1 tsp cumin powder 

2 tsp coriander powder 

1 tsp good quality garam masala powder 

1 tbsp kasuri methi roasted and crushed 

Salt to taste 

Fresh coriander for garnish 

Oil as required 

Direction 

Marinate the chicken with onion paste and ginger garlic paste and salt and 1 tsp  kashmiri chilli powder. Keep aside for at least an hour. 

Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan and fry the cubed onions and cubed bell peppers till onions are translucent and bell peppers are slightly soft and fried but still have a crunch. Drain from the oil and keep aside. Now in the same oil splutter the cumin seeds and shahjeera and add the whole garam masala. Once the aroma is released, add the chopped onions and fry till golden. Now add the chopped tomatoes and fry till soft and mashed and oil starts sticking out. Add the dry spices and fry further for 2-3 minutes. Now add the marinated chicken and coat it well with the masala. Fry the chicken on high heat till the meat changes color and is somewhat fried. Now reduce the flame to medium and cover and cook till the chicken is done. You can add water as per your requirement. Once the chicken is cooked through remove the cover and dry up any excess gravy to reach the consistency that you desire. Add the fried onions and bell peppers and stir. Add the crushed kasuri methi and stir. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with roti/rice or pulao. 

Hainanese Chicken Rice

Now staying in Singapore the one dish which you cannot miss, apart from the dumplings, is Chicken Rice. While the dumplings are quite a task to make at home, the same cannot be said about this dish. As easy as it sounds, it is equally easy to make. In Singapore, every food court in every nook and corner of this island has this dish in their menu and the price varies from $2 to somewhere around $6 depending upon the condiments they serve with it. While it is quite convenient to grab this dish anytime of the day when you are not in a mood to cook at home, eating outside is not a very healthy option especially when your kid relishes this dish just like you. So when my kind neighbor's maid told me the recipe the other day while walking back our babies from school, I was all so excited to try it the next day. I did a bit of marination to infuse some flavor into the chicken but if you are running short of time, you can skip that. So whether you stay in Singapore or not, you can now relish this Singaporean speciality from the comfort of your home and that too quite easily!!

Ingredients

4 chicken thigh pieces, skin and fat removed (the shops here sell the cooked chicken skin on and if you like it that way, you can keep it too)

2 tbsp dark soya sauce

2 tbsp sesame oil (I used 100% pure sesame oil which you can find alongside any chilli garlic oil or where the regular ketchups are stacked in the supermarkets)

4 fat cloves of garlic finely crushed

1 1/2" ginger finely crushed

Salt to taste

2 1/2 cups Thai Mali Hom Rice (long grain fragrant rice)

4 cups of water

1 cup mushroom sliced

1 cup rooted sprouts

Direction

As I said earlier, if you have time, you csn wash and marinate the chicken with the soya sauce, sesame oil, crushed ginger garlic, and salt and keep aside for 2-3 hours. If running out of time, you can directly take a wide vessel and fill it with 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Add the chicken, preferably without any overlapping, and all the other ingredients of marination and cover and cook on a medium low flame till done. If marinating, do add the juices and all the ingredients left in the marination bowl into the boiling vessel to ensure maximum flavor. 

Once the chicken is done (which takes about 10-15 minutes), take the chicken out with the help of a slotted spoon and put the flame to low while you quickly wash and rinse the rice. Thai Mali Hom rice usually requires just a single rinse and is not advisable to soak it in advance as it gets cooked very quickly and soaking will make the rice soggy. Now add the washed and drained rice into the hot chicken broth and stir. Cover and cook till the rice absorbs all the water. Make sure you keep stirring the rice in between while being cooked so that it does not stick to the bottom. Once done, switch  off the flame and keep covered till served. Thai Rice is recommended to br cooked till 90% done and the rest gets cooked while it rests being covered. 

For the condiments, add a little oil in a pan and stir fry the mushrooms and rooted sprouts with salt and pepper till just done. You can use any vegetable or greens of your choice. You can also lightly pan roast the boiled chicken pieces to get a crispy outer cover, just like I did. With more time at hand, you can even serve it with some freshly prepared clear chicken broth and chilli garlic sauce for enhanced taste!! 

Sumac Spiced Grilled Chicken and Bread Salad

First of all, a very Happy New Year to all my readers and friends. Just back from my Middle Eastern sojourn and I must tell you, I had the most awesome time. Jordan is one of the most beautiful countries I have visited in the recent past. Breath taking views, superb food, good hospitality and some relaxed time with family. I was initially a bit skeptical about visiting an Islamic country considering the amount of tensions going on in its neighboring countries, but I was surprised to see how safe and liberal Jordan is. There are no strict rules for women and everyone has the freedom to do what is right and within the law. I would want to go back to Jordan again if given a chance! For now, here is a simple grilled chicken recipe prepared with Middle Eastern spices and some pictures of my amazingly wonderful trip!! Enjoy!

View from the airplane just before landing 

The start of our road trip 

The beautiful city of Petra, a land of hand carved Sand Rock Mountains and a World Heritage Site 

The Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth, with salinity 9.6% higher than normal ocean water. As such, no one can ever get drowned here!!

Now moving on to the recipe!! :)

Ingredients 

7-8 chicken drumsticks or boneless chicken, whatever your choice

3-4 slices of dense bread ( I used whole wheat homemade bread; you can use store bought whole wheat bread)

1 medium onion sliced

1/2 cup mushroom sliced

1 tsp garlic minced

1/4 cup bell peppers chopped (you can use a mix for making the dish look interesting)

4-5 cherry tomatoes halved

1 tbsp sumac (it is a tart lemony herb from the Middle East; you can substitute it with 2 tsp lemon juice)

Herbs and spices of your choice ( I used a mix of cajun spicing, dried parsley, dried basil, and red chilli flakes)

Salt and pepper to taste 

2 tbsp olive oil divided

Direction 

Wash and clean the chicken. Rub it with a little olive oil, lemon juice or Sumac, salt and pepper and keep aside overnight or for a minimum of 3-4 hours. If marinating overnight, be sure to bring it to room temperature before beginning the procedure. 

Heat oil (reserve some olive oil for later use) in a pan and add the garlic followed by the onions. Stir till the onions are translucent. Now add the mushrooms and the choice of herbs and spices and continue frying till just done. Check for seasoning and remove from heat and keep aside. 

Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree celsius and grease a baking dish. Spread the onion mushroom mixture in a single layer on the dish and arrange the chicken pieces on top of it. Sprinkle some pepper and garlic powder on top and grill the chicken for 20 minutes or till slightly browned. 

 Meanwhile, prepare the bread salad. Cut the bread into small chunks and keep it in a bowl (I had added the bread in the mushroom mixture and realized that some part of it became soggy and so suggest that you add it later). In the same bowl, add the bell peppers and tomatoes and olives (optional) and salt and pepper, sumac or lemon juice, and any other herbs and spices as you desire. Add the remaining olive oil and toss the salad well. 

Now take the chicken dish out and add the bread salad. Spread it out evenly and put it back in the oven for 10 more minutes till the bread chunks are toasted well. Remove from the oven and serve warm!

Smoked Chicken Curry

School holidays have started and so have my woes. The constant hunt for excitement, new toys and old forgotten ones too, finger foods every half hour, play doh, and so on and on. Gosh! I really wish I could vanish away to some place for a few hours in the day. I do not even want to glance upon my messy dirty home which does not even look clean no matter how many times I try to clear it up during the day! To top it all, I have to think of a new menu each day for my Father-in-Law who is visiting us these days. I do not mind his visit otherwise but having to cook something proper each day is quite a task, especially with school holidays. Anyway, it's just a matter of one more week and even though things will only get tougher after he leaves, the cooking can be neglected on most days! Here is what I prepared for him today.

Ingredients

1 kg chicken washed and cut

2 big potatoes halved

1 big onion sliced finely

1 medium tomato chopped

2-3 fat cloves of garlic chopped

1" piece ginger grated

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Fresh coriander for garnishing

Salt to taste

1/2 tbsp of dry roasted and crushed kasuri methi

For the marination

1/3 cup thick yogurt

1 big onion finely sliced

1" piece ginger grated

2-3 fat cloves of garlic minced

1-2 tsp salt

2 tbsp mustard oil (you can use any other oil as well)

For the masala

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp black peppercorn

1 1/2 tsp coriander seeds

1 black cardamom

3 green cardamom

3 cloves

1" piece cinnamon

1 star anise

2-3 dry red chilli (I skipped as I was serving it to my baby too)

For the smoke

1-2 pieces of charcoal

1 tsp ghee

Aluminium foil made into a bowl (it is advisable to keep it ready before starting to smoke)

Direction

Take the washed and cut chicken pieces in a bowl and ensure that the water is properly drained out. Now add all the ingredients listed under marination and mix and coat well on the chicken pieces. Cover and leave it for at least 2-3 hours. Overnight marination is highly recommended and that is what I did. 

The next morning, take the chicken out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before starting to cook. 

Dry roast all the ingredients listed under masala and grind to a fine powder. Keep aside. 

Now in the same grinder, add the chopped tomato, garlic, and ginger and make a fine puree. Keep aside. 

Fry the potato halves in little oil till golden and keep aside. 

Now heat a deep bottomed big wok and take the chicken out onto it along with the marinade. Keep the flame high and keep stirring at regular interval to avoid sticking. We are doing this step to seal the juices and to dry up the excess liquid of the marinade as well as to bring out the fat from the yogurt and the chicken since we have not added any additional oil. Within 10-12 minutes, the water will start drying up and the chicken will start getting golden. 

Add the sliced onion and fry till translucent. Now add the tomato puree and fry till the raw smell disappears and oil starts leaving the sides of the pan. Add the ground masala and turmeric powder and stir well. Tip in the potatoes and 1 cup warm water. Mix well and cover and cook on a medium flame till the chicken and the potatoes are cooked through and tender and the gravy reduces to your desired consistency. You can either have it dry or with gravy depending on your requirement. Now add the crushed kasuri methi and fresh coriander. Check for seasoning and remove from heat. Transfer to the serving dish with a proper tight lid (without any gap or hole). Take the prepared aluminium bowl and place it securely in the center of the chicken ensuring that there are no open edges on the sides through which liquid may seep in or out. 

Take the charcoal pieces in a small bowl or tadka/tempering wok and let it heat up to red hot. Add a tsp of ghee now and as the ghee melts and smoke starts coming out, pour it into the prepared aluminium bowl.

 Cover the dish instantly and tightly close it so that no smoke can escape. Let it remain that way for about half hour till the charcoal cools down. Discard the aluminium foil and the charcoal (if completely charred) and serve hot with roti/rice.

Grilled Chicken Avocado Sandwich

You really need to exercise your mind, apart from your body, to think of new and innovative ways to feed your family healthy food. We all love chicken sandwiches, don't we? Especially, when it is laden with a yummy creamy spread which leaves you licking your fingers!! Well, when on a controlled diet, you are ought to forget the creamy part. But not anymore! This sandwich spread is sure to delight you and fill in for all your creamy cravings with the very healthy and nutritious Avocados. Try this sandwich for your friends and family and give them the taste of good health. 

Ingredients

4-5 brown bread slices (or as per your choice and qty of bread)

300 gms chicken mince (I made some extra filling for later use)

1 medium onion sliced

1 medium tomato chopped

2-3 pods garlic chopped

2 avocados

2-3 sprigs of fresh coriander

2-3 green chillies (or as per taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

Direction

Start with boiling the mince. Wash and drain the chicken mince in a colander and put it in a pressure cooker. Add the onions, tomatoes, and garlic. Do not add any additional water as the chicken will release its own juices. Also, no salt. Pressure cook the mince for 2-3 whistles or until done.  Let it cool completely.

Next, prepare the avocado base. Scoop out the avocado flesh and place it in the blender. Add the coriander, green chillies, and salt and pepper and whiz to a smooth paste. Adjust the seasoning accordingly. Remember not to add too much salt as this is just a part of the sandwich spread. Transfer to an air tight jar and keep aside. 

Now,  the chicken mince is cooled completely. Check if there is an excess of water floating in the cooker. If so, with a slotted spoon, spoon out the chicken and other ingredients and reserve the liquid to be used for some other curries in your kitchen. With the help of a hand blender, whiz the chicken mince a few times to get a smooth paste. Keep aside. I made of mistake of not separating the chicken from the water and so had to use a colander later to drain the excess liquid. I have not yet added any salt to the chicken as I wanted to keep it as a base for some patties or tikkis later on. 

Now, time to make the sandwich spread. 

Take equal amounts of the chicken mix and the avocado dip and mix well. Add salt and pepper and any other herb or seasoning as per your choice. I added some finely chopped capsicum. 

Now take the bread slices and spread some tomato ketchup on each slice. You can choose to put butter too. Take scoops of the chicken avocado mix and spread it out evenly. 

Cover it up with the other slice and grill. Serve hot!! Enjoy :)

Indian Chicken Curry

Chicken Butter Masala was what I had initially set out to cook but having consulted 2-3 recipes, my version of the chicken butter masala was absolutely yummy indeed but did not look like one. Nevertheless, my German guests and Indians too enjoyed the chicken thoroughly and I was only pleased to see them relishing the spiciness (although very mild) with sips of water in between! 

Ingredients

1.5 kg chicken washed and cleaned

For marination

4 tbsp yogurt

1 tbsp red chilli paste (soak 6-7 red chillies in a little hot water and make into a paste)

2 tsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder

2 tbsp oil (I used mustard oil)

Salt to taste

Ground masala (dry roast and grind the following to a fine powder)

6 cloves

4 green cardamoms

2 black cardamoms

1 tsp cumin seeds

10-12 black peppercorns

1 1/2" cinnamon stick

1/2 seed of nutmeg

For Gravy

3 medium onions finely chopped

3 big tomatoes, pureed (boil the tomatoes till soft and blend only the tomatoes, keeping the liquid aside)

1 tbsp fresh ginger garlic paste

2 tbsp cashew paste (soak the cashews and make a paste)

2 tbsp cream

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1/2-1 tsp sugar

1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder (non-spicy)

Kasuri methi to sprinkle

Chopped green chillies (optional)

2-3 tbsp butter (use as per your choice of richness in the gravy; you may use oil instead but the richness will be missed)

Direction

Take the washed and cleaned chicken pieces in a bowl and add all the ingredients listed under marination. Mux well and coat the chicken pieces well with the marinade. Make slits on the chicken and cover and keep aside for a minimum of 1 hour to 3-4 hours. 

Pre-heat the oven at 200 degree celsius and line the chicken pieces on a baking dish or grill plate in a single layer and brush with a little oil. Do not discard the marinade. Grill the chicken in the pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes till browned and about 3/4th cooked. You may use only the top rod for this purpose and for quicker browning. Alternatively, you can also grill the chicken on stove top in a frying pan or grill plate with a little oil. 

Now take a big wok or kadhai and melt the butter. Add the chopped onions and fry till golden but not burnt. Now add the ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell disappears. Next add the marinade, tomato puree, cashew paste, and all the spices and sugar except the kasuri methi. Fry till drops of oil/butter starts appearing on top. This is the most important step of the recipe. Now add the grilled chicken pieces into the masala and any juice or liquid the chicken released while grilling. Mix well while taking care not to break the chicken pieces. 

Add 1 cup of warm water (the reserved water from boiling the tomatoes) and bring it to a boil. Cover and cook till chicken is completely done. Now add the cream and kasuri methi. Check for seasoning and stir for a final time. 

Remove from heat and serve hot with pulao/naan/paratha/steamed rice. 

Ajwaini Murg (Chicken with Carrom Seeds)

Jaspreet Nirula, whose recipe I was to follow initially, is an excellent chef and his recipes always give excellent results. I have been following his recipes and saving them but somehow did not get the chance to execute them. Today, I decided to try his  Ajwaini Murg and set out with the marination to start with. The recipe was extremely simple and as I started cooking, I realized I was out of a crucial ingredient, coriander leaves! I was all lost as I could not find any proper substitute for the same. The chicken was getting cooked and I had to continue with the gravy and so I decided to do a makeover of the recipe, while still retaining the flavor of ajwain, which was the heart of the dish. It turned out a superbly delicious dish, just perfect with hot phulkas on a rainy Wednesday afternoon!!! Highly recommended!!

Ingredients

300 gms chicken, washed and cleaned and cut into your preferred size

3 medium onions finely sliced

1" piece ginger grated

1 tbsp garlic grated

3 tbsp yogurt whipped

1 tsp ajwain or carrom seeds

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp garam masala powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp sugar

2-3 green chillies, chopped

1/2 tbsp crushed kasuri methi

2 tbsp coconut milk

1 tbsp oil

Direction

Marinate the chicken with the curd, ginger garlic paste, ajwain, turmeric powder, chilli  powder, garam masala powder, green chillies, sugar, and salt. Keep aside for 1-2 hours. 

Heat oil in a pan. Add the marinated chicken along with the marinade and fry on a medium heat till the juices are sealed and excess moisture is absorbed. This will take around 10 minutes depending on how much water the chicken releases. Add the onions now and stir. Cover and cook till the chicken is tender and the oil starts appearing on top. No addition of water is required as this is a semi dry preparation. Add the crushed kasuri methi and coconut milk and stir well. Check for seasoning and cook on a high flame for 2-3 minutes. Serve hot with roti/paratha. 

Cottage Cheese Stuffed Grilled Chicken Breasts

This week has been an interesting one in the kitchen. I experimented with some new techniques of cooking some conventional dishes and the results are for all to see. The food was delicious, healthy, and interesting as well and leaves you without any craving for all those not-so-healthy sinful food which otherwise keep tempting you when you are on a controlled diet! Now that weekend is approaching and I have given myself the liberty to indulge, here is another healthy chicken grill stuffed with cottage cheese and a mix of bell peppers and spring onions. The stuffing is actually the same as the Paneer Quesadillas I made the other day with the addition of spring onions. You can use any stuffing for the chicken but try and include the paneer as it keeps the chicken juicy from inside and gives a rich taste to the entire dish.

                                  

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts washed and cleaned

A handful of toothpicks 

For the marinade

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp garlic chopped/grated

1 tsp red chilli flakes

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp oregano

Salt to taste

For the stuffing

1/2 cup paneer roughly crumbled with your hands

1/2 medium onion chopped

1/2 small tomato chopped

1/4 cup mixed bell peppers chopped

1 sprig coriander leaves chopped

1 green chilli chopped

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp freshly crushed black pepper powder

Salt to taste

Grated cheddar cheese (quantity depends on how cheesy you like it. I used about 1 tbsp per chicken breast)

1 tsp olive oil

Direction

For the chicken breasts' marination

Take the washed and cleaned chicken breasts and with a big edged knife, slit open the breasts from one side just until you reach the other side without slitting it apart completely. This called butterflying the breasts. Now put this chicken breast, slit folded, sandwiched between two aluminium foils or cling wrap and beat with a rolling pin to flatten it a bit, especially in the area where it is most meaty. A uniformly thick chicken breast will ensure uniform cooking and more space for the stuffing. Alternatively, you can get this done from a local butcher while buying the chicken. 

                                      

                                      

Now, mix all the ingredients listed under marinade and rub this with the chicken breasts. Keep everything (breasts and the marinade) inside a ziplock bag and keep it overnight or for a minimum of 2-3 hours.

Now prepare the filling. Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till translucent. Add the chillies and tomato and fry till soft. Now add the bell peppers and cook till just done. Add the fresh coriander and spring onions and the spices and salt and mix well. Switch off the flame and add the crumbled paneer or cottage cheese. We do not want to cook the paneer. Let the mixture remain in the hot pan with the flame off. This heat is sufficient to soften the paneer. Let it cool on its own.

Now take the marinated chicken breasts on a plate with its wings open. Take care not to tear apart the wings. Spread half of the mixture on one of the wings and cover with cheese. Do not overload the breast with a lot of the stuffing, else the edges won't seal while folding in the other wing.

                                        

Fold in the other wing. Break a toothpick into two and start sealing the edges by pricking the toothpicks into the edges. Use as many as you want to ensure a leakproof stuffed breast. Repeat for the other breast.

                                        

Pre heat the oven at maximum temperature for 20 minutes minimum. Prepare your baking tray by lining it with aluminium foil. Now place the grill on top of the tray and place the chicken breasts.  The aluminium foil will catch whatever juices drip from the chicken and help you to keep the baking tray clean. Drizzle a little olive oil on top and grill the chicken for 10-15 minutes on one side first and then flip and another 10 minutes on the other side. The chicken will be cooked in the initial 10-15 minutes. However, it will most likely not get tanned or browned during that time. To get it browned, switch the top rod only for a few minutes on each side at maximum temperature. Keep a very close watch while doing this, else you will end up with dry burnt chicken. Also, everytime you flip, you can brush the top with a little butter or olive oil. However, if looks do not matter to you, you can just remove it from the oven once you flip the other side and bake it for 10 minutes and without going into the high temperature top rod grilling. 

Alternatively, you can also pan fry the breasts in a little olive oil till golden on both the sides. Even on the pan, cook the breasts covered on medium flame for 10-15 minutes and then increase to high for 3-4 minutes on each side. Serve hot with onion rings!

                                       

                                       

Chicken Escalopes in Lemon Butter Sauce

Liking some celebrity chef's page comes handy in a long way. First, you get to hear names of some dishes you have never heard of or eaten and second, when you google out the recipes or they provide it to you, you are simply amazed at how simple it is to make. Same is the case with this recipe. The name "Escalope" sounds so heavy and difficult that any newbie home chef would escape from making it. However, it is nothing but a close cousin of our very own chicken nuggets, with a few changes here and there. So never judge anything by its name and keep enjoying what you like to do best!

                                   

Ingredients

2 chicken breast pieces, washed and cleaned, skin removed

10-15 sage leaves finely chopped (in the absence of sage you can substitute with any fresh herb)

1 tbsp freshly ground coarse black pepper

5-6 tbsp plain flour

1 large egg

1/4 cup milk

6-7 tbsp breadcrumbs or as required (I used wheatgerm as the healthier option and it has the same texture as breadcrumbs)

Salt to taste

1 tbsp butter

1/2 a lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil for shallow frying or as required

Direction

Place the chicken breasts, one piece at a time, sandwiches between two pieces of aluminium foil and beat it flat with a rolling pin till widened and thinned a little. However, take care not to beat it so hard as to mash it. It should be flattened to form a disc like shape but thick enough to hold its shape. This is called an Escalope, and hence the name!

                                

                                

Season the escalopes with the herbs, salt, and black pepper and let it sit for 5-10 minutes while you get the rest of the things ready. Tip the flour onto a plate, beat the eggs and milk together in a bowl, and keep the breadcrumbs or wheatgerm ready in another plate.

                               

Now heat oil in a pan. Dredge the escalopes, one at a time, in the flour. Shake off the excess and then dip in the egg bowl and finally roll in the crumbs generously and fry in the pan on medium  flame till golden on both sides and chicken cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Chicken breasts tend to dry out quickly and hence take care while cooking. Do not overcook. Repeat for the rest of the pieces and arrange on a plate.

Now heat the butter in a smaller pan and let it brown. Squeeze the lemon juice and add it to the butter and remove from heat. Drizzle this sauce over the chicken and serve hot!