Chicken Pulao

Chicken pulao, a quick chicken dish comes to my rescue whenever I feel lazy to cook or fall short  of time ;) This dish along with a colorful platter of salad is really filling n satisfying. I label it under bachelors cooking cos its quite easy n time saving. 
I call this recipe as chicken pulao n not chicken biryani because Pulao is made by cooking the ingredients together where as in Biryani, rice is first cooked separately , then layered n cooked on low flame with other ingredients. Just like vegetable pulao every thing goes into the pressure cooker. 

Ingredients:
Chicken      : 500 gm
curds          : 1 cup
onion          : 2 big, cut in length
oil              : 4- tbspn
ghee           : 2 tbspn
Basmati rice: 1 glass

for green masala paste
coriander leaves  : 1 small bunch
pudina leaves      : 1 small bunch
garlic                  : 7-8 cloves
ginger                 : 2 inch piece
green chilly         : 5
turmeric powder  : 1 tspn
salt                     : 2 tspn

Whole garam masala
Shahi jeera          : 1 tspn
cinnemon sticks   : 2
Javetri                 : 2 piece
black cardamom  : 2
cloves                  : 7-8
Bay leaf               : 2


Method:

• Wash the rice and drain water . Set aside for -20 mins
• Take the cleaned chicken pieces in a bowl
• Prepare the green masala paste by blending all the ingredients written below ingredients for green masala 
• Apply the paste along with curds thoroughly to the chicken pieces. Set aside for atleast 20 mins

• Take 4 tbspn oil in a pressure cooker vessel. when hot add all the whole garam masalas
• wait till they are fragrant. 
• Then goes in the sliced onions. fry until slightly brown
• Then add in the rice grains and fry on medium for 2-3 mins

• Add the marinated chicken into the rice. Give a nice mix. Add 1 1/4 glass water.
• Add salt if required ( also garam masala powder if required. I did not add)

• Put the lid on and cook till just 1 whistle. Sim for 5 mins before turning off
• wait until the pressure is released.
• gently pfluff the rice with a fork and add 2 tbspn ghee all over
• Serve hot with salad/ yoghurt raita

Sweet Shankar Poli

Shankar poli is an easy to make snack recipe on all occasion. It can be made sweet or spicy. There are many versions to make the sweet one. I am posting the simplest version which can be prepared any time with few ingredients.

Ingredients:

oil                       :1 cup

water                   :1 cup

sugar                   :1 cup

maida                  :about 2 1/2 cups or as required

chiroti rava           :2 tbspn

salt                     :to taste

oil for deep frying  :1/2 litre

Method:

• Take water, sugar, salt and oil together in a vessel. Heat them and keep stirring and  till the sugar dissolves. 

• cool it and keep adding maida in small portions. Kneed well till a soft dough is formed (just like chapati dough)

• Divide the entire dough into 3-4 balls.Take 1 small ball of dough, roll out flat as thin as possible with a rolling pin

• cut into diamond shape with knife or designer cutter and deep fry in hot oil

• take out on a paper towel
• Store it in air tight containers
• Ready to serve with tea or coffee

Preparation time: 15 mins
Frying time        : 15 mins

Onion Uttappa

Ingredients for dosa batter:
rice             :3 cups
urid daal      : 1 cup
methi           :  1 tbspn
Soak rice,daal and methi separately for 6 hours. Grind to smooth paste and allow to ferment overnight

Ingredients:
onion             : 3
coriander       :1/2 bunch
green chillies  : 1 , finely chopped
jeera/cumin    : 1 tspn
salt                : 1/2 tspn
oil
butter,optional : for serving

Method:

• Chop onion, coriander, green chilly and mix together all the ingredients in a bowl (except oil )
• heat n grease a non stick dosa pan
• Pour a ladle full of batter on the pan and immediately top with some onion mixture. Press gently so that onions stick to the dosa

• cook on both sides adding oil till golden brown
• similarly make remaining uttappa
• serve hot with dollop of butter and green chutney