Chicken Biryani

Continuing with the Chicken Recipes. This is a yummy dish for any occasion.

Ingredients :

Chicken - 1kg
Basmati Rice - 3-4 katoris
Dahi (curds) - 200gm
Garlic - 1no crushed to a paste
Dhania Powder(Coriander seed powder) - 4tsp
Onion - 3nos, medium sized
Star Aniseed -3-4nos
Jeera Powder (Cumin Seed Powder) - 2 tsp
Red Chilli Powder - 3-4 tsp
Haldi(Turmeric Powder) -2-3tsp
Lemons-1-2nos
Oil - 3tbsp
Coriander - Finely chopped to garnish
Salt to taste
Ghee - 4-5 tsp

Procedure :

• Boil the rice with a tsp of salt and keep aside
• Make smallcuts on the chicken with a knife and apply haldi powder, juice of 1 lemon and keep aside
• Mix the Garlic paste, dhania powder, chilli powder, dahi, jeera powder, little bit of coriander and salt 
• Marinate the chicken in the above paste for 20-30 mins
• Heat 2tbsp oil in a pan/container, preferably a large one(pressure cooker/cook-n-server)
• Add the  paste of 1 onion to it and fry till golden brown.
• Add the star aniseed, cloves and cardamom to the fried onion
• Add the chicken and cook for 20 mins
• Next add the rice on top of the chicken, spread the ghee on the rice and simmer for about 20 mins with the lid on. Note: Do not mix or stir the rice
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in another pan and add the onions, cut into thin long slices, and fry till golden brown to brown
• Garnish the biryani with coriander and fried onion slices/rings and server hot

Chicken Curry

Chicken Curry!:)

Finally a recipe for Chicken for all the chicken fans! :)

What you need :

• 1kg Chicken
• Curds - 200 gm
• Dhania Powder (Coriander Seed Powder) - 4 tsps
• Garlic - 1 entire no, peeled
• Star Aniseed - 2 nos
• Badi Elaichi(Big Cardamom ) - 2 nos 
• Lavang (cloves) - 3-4 nos
  
• Red Chilli Powder - 3-4 tsp
• Haldi (Turmeric Powder) -2 tsp
• Onion - 1 no finely chopped or ground to a paste
• Coriander - 1/2 a bunch
• Jeera Powder (Cumin Seed Powder) - 1tsp
  
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp
  

Procedure:

Served!

• Wash the chicken and make small cuts with a knife on each piece. This ensures better marination
• Add the haldi and lime juice to the chicken and keep it aside
• Now grind the Dhania Powder, Jeera Powder, Garlic Cloves, Curds, Red chilli Powder, half of the coriander leaves  together in a mixer till it is a fine paste
• Add this paste to the Chicken with the salt and keep aside for marination
• Heat some oil in a pan
• Add the star aniseed, cloves, and open the pods of the badi elaichi and add to the oil
• Add the onion paste and fry till it is a golden brown
• Add the marinated chicken and cover the pan and keep on low flame
• Cook for about 10-15 mins on low flame and then add some water to get required quantity of gravy
• Now simmer on low flame for 10-15 more mins ti the chicken is cooked
• Garnish with coriander and Serve Hot  with bread or chapati or rice. 

Thepla

This is a traditional authentic gujju recipe shared with me by one of my friends. I totally love it. But, it does depend on your skill to make thin chappatis with the belan! ;)


Thepla Recipe

(Serves four)

Ingredients:

• ½ kg wheat flour
• 1 tea spoon red chili powder
• ½ tea spoon turmeric powder
• Salt as per taste
• Til – 1 tea spoon
• 1 garlic
• Oil – 1 tea spoon to be added to the flour
• Methi – half (to be cut it fine)

Preparation:

1. Add red chili powder, turmeric, salt, til, garlic and oil to wheat flour and mix it well.
2. Then add the finely chopped methi leaves to the mixture and add water and knead it well to prepare the dough.
3. Then make even size small balls of the dough.
4. Roll them separately with a rolling pin into a round shape.
5. Heat the tava and roast each of the rolled out theplas one by one.
6. First roast one side, turn it upside down.
7. Then put 1/2 tsp oil on the turned side and again it upside down.
8. Repeat the same with the other side.
9. When evenly roasted remove it from tava.
10. Repeat this for all the balls.
11. Serve them hot with butter or chutney or curd or chhunda or pickle.

Cheese Chilly Toast

Just wonderful for those cold winter days!!
Ingredients:

• 6-8 BreadSlices -White or Brown
• Cheese(Amul/Britania) - 1 cup Grated
• Butter
• Half a Capsicum - Finley Chopped
• Green Chillies - 1-2 nos finely chopped
• Garlic Cloves - 1-2 cloves finely chopped
• Coriander - finely chopped
• Pepper - half a tsp
• Red Chili powder - half a tsp
• Salt to taste

Procedure:

•  Mix the chopped capsicum, chillies, salt, pepper, cheese, sugar(a pinch if you like)
• Take a slice of bread and put some butter on it.
• Put some of the mixture that we made in step 1 on the bread 
• Heat a pan (tawa)
• Put the bread slice with the mixture on it and toast it on medium flame for around 5 mins till it becomes a golden brown. You can cover the bread with a lid to achieve uniform cooking
• Repeat for all the slices and server hot with a garnishing of coriander

A Spicy-Sweet Corn Affair

Ingredients:

• Sweet Corn - 2 cups (boiled or raw)
• Finely chopped onion -1no
• Finely chopped green chillies - 1no
• Red Chilli Powder- 1 tsp
• Garlic Cloves - 5-6 cloves finely chopped
• Finely Chopped Coriander 
• 1-2 tsp oil
• Salt to taste

Procedure:

• Heat the oil in a pan and lightly saute the onion
• Add the garlic and green chillies
• Next add the sweet corn grains. Optionally you can boil the corn and then add
• Add the red chilli powder and salt and stir fry for around 5 mins
• Serve hot with garnishing of coriander

Lets Get the Party Starte(d)r

This is one for those impromptu parties. Fast, efficient and tastes good!


Ingredients :

• Paneer - 200gm   Optionally use all or any of the below :
• Onion -2no
• Tomato -2no
• Capsicum - 2no
• Potato -2 nos
• Red Chilli powder - 1tsp
• Curd - 3 tsp
• Dhania Powder(coriander seed powder) - 1 tsp
• Jeera powder(cumin seed powder) - 1tsp
• Garlic paste - 1tsp
• Salt to taste
• Finely Chopped Coriander
• 1 lemon

Procedure:

• Cut the paneer into thin slices 
• Optionally, cut the onion, capsicum, potato, tomato into thin long slices
• Mix the Curd, chilli powder, salt, Dhania Powder, Garlic paste, Jeera powder and coriander
• Add the paneer and the vegetables and marinate for 10-15 mins 
• For the paneer : Put each individual piece on a microwavable plate and microwave for around 2.5 mins at 800  degrees C
• For the Veggies : Microwave for about 5-6 mins at 800 degrees C. Check if the potato is cooked by slicing with a spoon. If it goes through easily, its done.
• Alternatively you can use a gas/electric tandoor 
• Serve Hot garnished with coriander and lime juice

Preparing for the compliments follows next :) 

Aubergine Salad

This is another  jhatpat recipe that tastes very fresh and is simple to prepare.

Ingredients

• Aubergine(Eggplant)/Bhartache Vaanga
  
• Onion - 1no
• Green Chillies - 2nos
• Salt to tast

Procedure:

•  Roast the Aubergine on direct fire for around 10-15 mins till it becomes soft and steam starts coming out of the skin. Be sure to roast it evenly from all sides.
• Remove the peel of the aubergine
• Mash the pulp with a fork
• Add finely chopped onions, chillies and the coriander and mix well
• Serve hot or cool