Coconut Cilantro Chicken

Click to enlarge image

Now here is one recipe which will undoubtedly make your family drool...an exquisite combination of flavors which will leave you wanting for more.

Well I got a little carried away with all that Cilantro :p

Ingredients:

2 lb boneless chicken

1 onion

1 tsp ginger garlic paste
2-3 tsp salt

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

13.5 oz can coconut milk

3 green chilli

6 cardamom

1 stick cinnamon
1 tsp black cumin seeds

1 cup water

almost 2 bunches of cilantro or more

Method:

Clean the chicken of excess fat and cut into bite size pieces. Chop the onion finely.

Heat oil and add the cardamoms, cinnamon and black cumin seeds. Add green chilli and the chopped onion and as it starts to turn slightly brown put ginger garlic paste and stir in briskly.

Sprinkle salt and red chilli powder and immediately add the chicken cubes. Stir it well and make sure the chicken is coated well in the mixture.

Now add coconut milk and water along with half the cilantro, mix it well and shut the lid. Keep checking to see if the chicken is cooked through.

Add more water if you want it a little extra gravy. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and serve hot with either rice or naan.

Baked Tomato Yogurt Chicken

Click to enlarge image

This recipe is taken from Mona's Zaiqa, a link to the original recipe can be found here
I must say its super quick, easy and not to forget delicious. The only exception I made was to add the chopped green chilli...it made the chicken very zesty. For people looking for the ingredients, here they are.

Ingredients:
Chicken: 2 lbs, cut into bite size pieces
Tomato Paste: 3 tbsp
Oil: 1 tsp
Red Chilli Powder: 1 tsp
Salt: 1 tsp
Yoghurt: 2 tbsp
Ginger Garlic paste: 1 tsp
Garam Masala: 1 tsp
Turmeric: 1/3 tsp
Green chilli: 1, chopped
Cilantro: as needed, finely chopped


Method:

In a flat baking dish mix all the above ingredients, except the cilantro. Let it marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 350°F

Cover the dish tightly with an aluminium foil and slid it into the middle rack of the oven.

Remove from oven after 25 minutes, and mix it well. Cover it again with the aluminium foil and put it back and let it cook completely.

Remove the dish after 45 minutes. Stir it well and garnish with the chopped cilantro. Serve hot.

Stir Fried Chicken

Click to enlarge image

Another one of the recipes which I resort to when I'm running on the edge. Assembling the ingredients is a cakewalk.

Ingredients
1lb boneless chicken
2 tbs oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 green chilli, finely chopped
1 cup water
Cilantro sprigs for garnish

Method:
Cube the chicken into bite size pieces.

Heat oil and fry onions, as they start to turn golden add ginger garlic paste and the green chillies

Throw salt, turmeric and red chilli powder.

Finally add the chicken and sprinkle a little water, shut the lid and check to see if the chicken is tender.

Add the cilantro sprigs and serve hot.

Khara Masala Chicken

Click to enlarge image

Whole spices are used in this recipe giving it a wonderful taste and rich flavor. Besides its pretty gorgeous to look at. This is a dry dish and is best served with curries and dals.


Ingredients:
3 curry leaves
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp onion seeds
1/2 tsp crushed dried red chillies
1/2 tsp white cumin seeds
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp shredded root ginger
3 garlic cloves, sliced
4 tbs oil
4 fresh green chillies, slit
1 large onion, sliced
1 medium tomato, sliced
1 1/2 lb boneless chicken, cubed
1 tbs fresh cilantro sprigs

Method:
Mix all the seeds listed above, together with the curry leaves and salt. Add the shredded ginger and garlic cloves to the spice mixture in the bowl and stir well.

Heat oil in a deep pan and add the spice mixture, slip in the green chillies and mix further.

Add the sliced onion into the pan and fry over a medium heat for a few min's, until the onions are flavored with the mixture.

Finally add tomatoes and chicken cubes and cook further for 10 min's. The chicken should be cooked through and the sauce reduced.

Stir everything together well, add cilantro and serve hot.

Chicken Burrito

Click to enlarge image

Well, here it is....as promised, a chicken burrito recipe. Its very different in taste, and I generally use different fillings everytime I make them, for a change. Making the burittos with Tia Rosa tortillas was a mistake...coz, the tortillas are very thick and hard to bite on. So always stick to Mission tortillas if you want your burritos to be soft.

Ingredients:
1 lb cooked minced chicken

For Burritos:
I packet TIA ROSA flour tortillas (makes 8)
Sour cream to spread on tortilla
Ready to use fresh salad
Tomato Ketchup
Ranch dressing

Method:
Prepare the Chicken Qeema, following instructions for making Qeema.


Warm a tortilla, on both sides on a flat pan.

Spread sour cream liberally on one side and place chicken, salad, ketchup and ranch dressing.

Bring both the flaps together and roll it away from you.

Warm in the microwave before serving for about 40 sec's.

Saucy Chicken

Click to enlarge image

Another one of my inventions...I used all kinds of sauces and came up with this recipe. I love the beautiful red color and the taste is awesome.

Ingredients:
1 lb chicken, boneless cut in cubes
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp white vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
3 tsp worchester sauce
2 tsp tabasco sauce
2 tsp tomato ketchup
2 tsp Maggi Hot and Sweet tomato chilli sauce
6oz can tomato paste

1 onion, thinly sliced
2 tbs oil
1 cup water
Cilantro sprigs for garnishing


Method:
In a bowl, empty all the ingredients listed above from the chicken right down to tomato paste. Mix in to coat the chicken well. Marinate it for atleast an hour.

In a deep pan, fry the onion and as it starts to turn slightly brown add the marinated chicken and stir it in well.
Add water and shut the lid. Cook it until the water has dried up and oil starts forming on top or the chicken is tender.

Garnish with cilantro and serve with hot rice.

Chicken Jalfrezi

Click to enlarge image

A Jalfrezi is a stir-fried which has onions, ginger and garlic in a rich pepper sauce.

Ingredients:
11/2 lb chicken breast portions
1 tbs oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped ( I used an orange bell pepper)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 ginger root, finely chopped
1 tbs Madras curry paste
1 tsp chillil powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
14 oz canned tomatoes (I used 3 fresh tomatoes)
a few sprigs of cilantro for garnishing

Method:
Skin the chicken and remove any visible fat and cut into 1 in cubes.

Heat the oil in a karahi and fry the cumin seeds, when they begin to splutter add the onion, peppers, ginger and garlic. Fry for 10 min's.

Add the curry paste and fry for 3 min's. Stir in the chilli powder, ground coriander, cumin and salt and splash a little water and fry further for 2 min's.

Add the chicken cubes and mix in well with the ingredients, finally add the tomatoes and some cilantro. Cover the karahi and cook for 15 min's or until the chicken is tender. Garnish with the leftover cilantro. Serve with hot rice.

Tomato Chicken

Click to enlarge image

Here is one recipe that I can wholly take credit of. I mixed up couple ingredients and the end result was simply delicious.


Ingredients:
4-6 medium sized tomatoes
1 lb boneless chicken, cut in cubes
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
2 tbs oil
1 green chilli
cilantro for garnish

For tempering:
5-6 curry leaves
1 tsp each, cumin and coriander seeds


Method:
Heat oil in a deep pan and add cumin and coriander seeds as they begin to splutter add the curry leaves. Slip in the onions and stir briskly, as the onions turns slightly golden brown add the ginger garlic paste and continue stirring. Put the salt, red chilli powder, turmeric and green chilli and let the spices coat the onions. As soon as oil starts to seperate from the spices, add the tomatoes, if you are using Campari tomatoes, add just a little amount of water, maybe half a cup.



Finally add chicken along with 1/2 cup water. Place a lid and let in cook for sometime, or until the chicken is tender and has absorbed the flavors well. Serve hot with either rice or naan.

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

Click to enlarge image

There are many ways to prepare Biryani, one is the pacci akhni (which means cooked meat) and the other kacchi akhni (which means uncooked meat). I personally find the 'pacci akhni' to be a better bet, since I'm sure the meat is well done and also coz you can spice it up a bit more while its still cooking, according to your individual taste ;)

This is the most easiest and the most tastiest method my Mom taught me. And I must say I have perfected it quite well. Here are the ingredients...

Ingredients:
2 lb boneless chicken
7 cups rice
10 tsp salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
3 tsp red chilli powder
1 tbs ginger garlic paste
Ground garam masala:
(1 tsp black cumin seeds, 8 cardamoms, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 bay leaves, 3 cloves and 6 black pepper)
8 curry leaves
3 average onions
2 cups yoghurt
Lemon juice and cilantro for garnishing
saffron soaked in 1/2 cup milk

Method:
Fry onions until they are golden brown, freeze the onion for an hour or so, this makes them more crisper (thank you mom).

Marinate chicken with yoghurt, salt, red chilli powder, ginger garlic paste and turmeric. Heat oil and add the marinated chicken saute it for some time and add some water. Cook until chicken is tender. Let the water dry and until the oil seperates from it.

Meanwhile boil rice, add salt and ground garam masala along with the curry leaves and cook until the rice is half done.

Drain any excess water using a collander or strainer. Preheat oven on 350 degrees.

Put one half of the rice in the baking pan and top it off with the marinated chicken, garnish with lemon juice, crushed fried onions and cilantro. Add the milk soaked saffron. Finally add the other half of the rice and any leftover garnish.

Bake for 1/2 hour on 350 degrees or until its starts to smell breathtaking. Serve hot with raita, tomato chutney or mirchi ka salan.