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

Pomegranate sweet n sour chutney

This chutney is made from not the seeds of pomegranate but with the tender inner and outer skin of it. Pomegranate skin, from ages is useful in treating mouth ulcers, stomach disorders and serves as herbal/home remedies in treating many illness. Its always good to include such healthy food in our regular food diet. Besides these its tasty too...

Ingredients:
butter                   : 1 tbspn
tender pomegranate skin
dried red chillies    : 3
black pepper         : 4
grated coconut      : 1 cup
curry leaves          : few
cumin/jeera           : 1 tspn
jaggery                 : 1tspn
tamarind paste      : 1/2 tspn
salt to taste

Method:

• Break open 1 pomegranate, separate the skin and the seeds. Thoroughly take out the tender white skin of pomegranate (also some tender outer pink skin)

• On a heavy bottom pan simple roast pomegranate skin till the moisture escapes and it gets dried up slightly. 
• Then smear a tbspn of butter along the pan and add red chilly, black pepper,curry leaves and cumin seeds
• Roast all these ingredients well on low-medium heat till they release their flavor.

• Turn off heat and lastly add coconut. fry slightly  

• Cool and grind all in a mixer along with salt, jaggery and tamarind with very little water
• Can be served with chapati, roti or rice daal

Chicken Tandoori

Tandoori chicken/ Roasted chicken, a popular Indian, Pakisthani and Bangladeshi dish consisting of chicken marinated in yogurt and seasoned with other spice mixture. It is traditionally cooked at high temperatures in a tandoor (clay oven), but can also be prepared on a barbecue grill or electric/gas oven.
Tandoori chicken is eaten as a starter before a meal.

Ingredients:
Chicken leg pieces       : 6

For 1st Marinade:
lemon juice                  : 1/2 big lemon
ginger garlic paste        : 3/4 tbspn
salt                              : 1 tbspn
kashmiri red chilli pwdr: 1 tbspn

For 2nd Marinade:
Thick yogurt                : 200 gm
ginger garlic paste        : 3/4 tbspn
salt                              : 1 tspn
red chilli powder          :  2 tbspn or as per taste
chat masala                  : tbspn
vegetable oil                 : 2 tbspn
mustard oil/ paste         : 2 tbspn
Gram flour                    : 1 tbspn
carom seeds/ajwan       : 1 tspn

Method:

• Wash the chicken leg pieces, take away the unwanted fats
• Make marks or slits on the chicken leg muscles and on the joints with a sharp knife

• Prepare the 1st marination with lemon juice, salt, ginger garlic paste and red chili powder in a bowl

• Mix properly and coat the chicken leg pieces evenly. apply inside the slits also. Set apart at least for an hour

• Meanwhile prepare for 2nd marinate. Take thick yogurt(preferably hung yogurt). add salt, chilli powder, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala powder, chat masala, mustard oil n cooking oil. Heat a pan, dry roast ajwan/carom seeds and gram flour. Roast for few mins till it smells good and add into the marinated mixture. 

• Make a nice saucy marinade, give a nice mix and apply properly on individual leg pieces. Make sure to marinate inside the slits also .Keep aside again for atleast an hour

• Preheat the oven to 400 degree F for 15 mins
• Place the leg pieces on a baking oven and place it in the oven for 30-45 mins. Check occasionally

• Gently flip the sides with a fork and bake for further 10-15 mins
• Hot, spicy, delicious tandoori chicken is ready to serve. 

• I made a variation by roasting some vegetables also along with chicken

Corn Capsicum Pulao

Ingredients:
basmati rice             : 2 cup
capsicum                 : 3 small of different colours
corn kernels             : 1 cup
garlic -garlic paste    : 1 tspn                 
Vegetable stock        : 1 cube 
greenchillies chopped: 4 (as required)
onion                       : 2 medium (sliced along the length)
oil                            : 3 tbspn
Ghee/clarified butter : 1 tbspn

Garam masalas: 
1  tspn shahi jeera
4  cloves
1  bay leaf
2" cinnemon stick
2  brown cardamon 
6  pepper corns
2  javetri/ mace


Method:

• Wash the rice, drain water n keep aside for 30 mins
• Slice the capsicum into long pieces and saute it in little oil. The capsicum should be nicely roasted(not cooked) so saute on high. Add little salt n pepper, keep aside
• Heat oil in pressure cooker vessel, once the oil is hot add all the garam masalas. saute for a minute
• Add sliced onions and green chillies, fry nicely till onions turn golden brown (takes about 8-10 mins)

• Then add the rice grains, fry it on medium high heat for few mins
• Add the corn kernels and add about 2 1/2 cup of water. Stir n ckeck for salt and chilly. Pressure cook for 1 whistle(or until done)

• Then open the lid. Add ghee and pluff up the rice grains gently with a fork

• Lastly add the roasted capsicum and gently mix thoroughly

• Serve hot with any raita.

Preparation and Cooking time- 45 mins

Serves 3

Kesar badam doodh... Saffron- Almond milk

Saffron flavoured milk enriched with almonds, served warm or chilled.. So delicious n nutritious.. !! 

Ingredients:
Almonds: 7-8, soaked overnight in 1/2 cup water
Milk      : 1 cup
Saffron  : 4 -5 strands 
Sugar     : as per taste


Method:

• In a pan take sugar, saffron strands, milk and bring them to boil on medium heat
• Take the soaked almonds in a blender along with the water used for soaking
• Blend it to a thick paste and add to the milk
• Bring the milk mixture to boil, turn off the heat
• Mix well and serve hot
• It can be served chilled also, just place the ready saffron almond milk in refrigerator for few hours 

Mint-yogurt chicken curry

Ingredients:

• chicken                             :600 gms
• mint/pudina leaves             : 1 bunch 
• coriander leaves                 : 1 handful
• ginger garlic paste/minced  : 1 tbspn
• yogurt(curds)                     : 200 ml
• garlic                                 : 4-5 cloves
• ginger                                : 1" long
• green chillies                      : 3
• red chilli powder                : 1 tspn
• garam masala powder         :1 tspn
• onions                                : 2 big(cut along the length)
• tomato                               :1 big(puree or chopped finely)
• lemon juice                         :  2-3 tbspn

Garam masalas: 

•  cloves                                  4
•  bay leaf                               1
•  cinnamon stick                    2"
•  pepper corns                       5-7
•  coriander seeds                   2 tbspn

Method:

• Wash the chicken pieces, drain water completely
• Prepare for marination: blend pudina leaves, coriander leaves, green chilly, ginger, garlic,yogurt(curds), 1 tspn salt, lemon juice and apply the paste on the chicken pieces and keep aside for 1 hour

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• Slightly roast all the garam masalas in a pan: cloves, cinnamon, pepper, coriander seeds n bay leaf with little oil. Take out n cool it. In the same pan fry onions till brown with little oil. Cool it
• Now grind together fried onions and roasted garam masalas to make a paste
• Heat about 4 tbspn oil in kadai, add 1 tbspn ginger-garlic paste. saute and transfer the marinated chicken into the pan. close the lid and cook on medium for 15 mins with occasional stirring and till oil starts to separate from the gravy.

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• after 15 mins, check if the chicken is cooked properly. Then pour the onion-garam masala paste, tomato puree, red chilli powder, 1 1/2 cup of water and  cook for 10-12 more mins.
•  lastly add garam masala powder, stir and continue to cook for further 5-7 mins. Gravy loses some water and thickenes by now
• check for salt, chilli and sourness, if required add some more lemon juice .turn off 
• Serve hot with ghee rice, plane rice or jeera rice.

Marination time: 1 hour
Cooking time- 45 mins
serves 4

Crispy Masala papad

                                         Ingredients:
                           white Lijjat papad
                           chopped onions
                           chopped tomatoes
                           chopped coriander leaves
                           few drops of lemon juice
                           sev for garnishing
                           chat masala 
                           salt n red chilli power
                           oil for deep frying

Method:

• Either microwave the papads or deep fry them in oil and keep aside. I prefer roasting them in microwave.
• For masala, mix chopped onions, tomatoes, chopped coriander leaves n just few drops of lemon juice. 
• Put them all in a bowl n give a mix

• While serving, take a papad and spread the mixture on top 
• sprinkle red chilli powder, chat masala and salt 
• lastly garnish some sev and serve instantly

Paneer tikka masala

Ingredients for gravy/sauce
Paneer sliced                     : 200gm
tomato                               :2 big
cashewnuts                        :5-6 
green chilli                         :1
(blend tomatos, green chilli n cashewnuts together to make the puree)
 onions finely chopped       :2
ginger garlic paste:             :2 tspn
 honey                               :1/2 tspn
cumin seeds                       :1 tspn
bay leaf                              :1
hing powder                       :1 pinch


Veggies that should be choped in chunks are
1    green bell pepper (yellow n green)
1    tomato dee-seeded
1    medium sized onion


Dry powders:
1      tsp all purpose flour/maida
1      tbspn coriander powder
1/2   tbspn jeera powder
1       tbspn red chilli powder
1       tbspn kasoori methi powder
1/2    tbspn garam masala powder


For marination of paneer slices n veggies :
thick hung yogurt  :4-5 tbspn
ginger garlic paste :1 tspn
red chilli powder   :1 tbspn
kasoori methi        :1 tbspn
turmeric                : pinch
lemon juice           : few drops
salt                       : little
oil                         : 1 tbspn

• Mix everything and apply the thick marination to paneer and the coarsely chopped vegetables. Separately store paneer and veggies for atleast 1 hour.
• After 1 hour shallow fry the paneer and vegetables on a flat bottom pan

Method:

• Take about 3 tbspn of oil in a kadai, add some cumin seeds, 1 bay leaf , 1/2 tspn asafoetida , wait till cumin seeds pops up. Then add in finely chopped onions, 1/2 tbspn ginger garlic paste, saute them , add 1 tspn all purpose flour, make sure the flour is fully mixed with the onions and no lumps are formed.
• then pour the tomato puree (which is blend with cashewnuts n green chilli) saute for 2 mins and add 1 tea cup water. Bring to a boil 
•  Then add 1 tbspn coriander powder n 1/2 jeera powder, 1/2 tspn red chilly powder, 1/2 tspn honey n salt to taste. Bring the gravy to a boil n lastly add 1/2 tbspn garam masala powder
• Now time to add in the fried paneer and the veggies into the mixture, bring it to a boil once
•  Finally top with fresh coriander leaves

• Note

• For bright red colour add store bought tomato puree instead of making fresh at home or even you can use kashmiri red chilli powder for bright red colour
• Honey is a must to bring out the tinge of sweetness and aroma 

Preparation time: about 1 hour
cooking time : 1/2 hour

Garlic Chutney Powder

Ingredients:
coconut dessicated/ shredded: 1 cup
Garlic                   : 4+3 pods
curry leaves         : few (optional)
red chilli powder : 2 tspn
tamarind              : 1 small marble size
Jaggery                : 1 tspn
salt                       : to taste

Method:

• Dry roast dessicated coconut, garlic n curry leaves. Cool and take it in a mixer jar
• also add salt, tamarind, Jaggery, curry leaves and 3 raw garlic pods in the mixer jar 
• grind all to make powder
• Store it in a jar