Spicy chicken - Andhra style

There are certain recipes I know I just have to try when I hear about them. Any recipe that focuses on authentic Andhra (my homeland) I am super enthusiastic to try and this is one of them for a cold evening dinner with super spicy chicken.

Ingredients

Chicken : 1 kilo (preferably with bones)
Onions : 2 big
Ginger garlic paste : 2 tablespoons
Turmeric powder : 1 teaspoon
Salt : 2 teaspoons (adjust to taste)
Green chillies : 3 nos 
Oil : 2 tablespoons
Curry leaves : 1 fist full
Coriander leaves : 1 bunch

For spice powder
Dry red chillies : 2 nos
Cinnamon sticks : 4 sticks (1" each)
Green cardamom : 5 nos
Cloves : 6 nos
Coriander seeds : 2 tablespoons
Black peppercorns : 2 teaspoons
Cumin seeds : 2 teaspoons

Procedure

1. Finely chop onions, slit green chillies, chop coriander leaves and keep aside. In a cooking pot add 1 tablespoon oil when hot add half of chopped onions, 2 green chillies, ginger garlic paste and fry till onions are translucent then add chicken pieces, turmeric powder, salt and let it cook until chicken is 3/4 done and leave it aside. 
2. Meanwhile while the chicken is cooking make the spice powder. Heat a frying pan on low heat and roast dry red chillies, cinnamon sticks, green cardamom, cloves, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, cumin seeds until they give off nice aroma and slightly darken. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wide pan, fry the remaining onions, 1 slit green chillie and curry leaves until the onions are nicely fried. add the powdered spice powder, little water (to avoid burning the spice powder) few coriander leaves and add the chicken mix well. Cook until chicken is completely done. Check for seasoning and add if chillie powder ONLY if necessary stir fry until chicken is roasted well and garnish with coriander leaves.

TIPS:

1. Always roast dry spice on low flame, do not let them turn black.
2. Chicken with bones would suit this recipe.
3. This recipe is on a spicier level, you can reduce the amount of dry chillies or green chillies if needed

Dim Posto (Egg curry with poppy seeds)

Posto or poppy seed is a favorite cooking ingredient in the Bengali cuisine. It is commonly believed that the Bengalis residing on the west side of Bhagirathi river, known as Ghoti Bengalis, are more fond of Posto than for those residing on the east side of it. Ghoti folks are called ‘posto pagol’, meaning that they are crazy for foods with posto.

Ingredients

Eggs : 4 nos
Onions : 2 medium
Ginger garlic paste : 1 tablespoon
White poppy seeds : 4 tablespoons
Yoghurt (curd) : 2 tablespoons
Chillie powder : to taste
Garam masala powder : 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder : 1/4 teaspoon

Bay leaf : 1
Cinnamon stick : 2 nos ( 1"each)
Green cardamom : 3 (whole)
Cloves : 3 nos
Oil : 2 tablespoon
Salt : to taste
Water : 1 cup

Procedure

Finely chop onions, soak poppy seeds in water for 1 hour. Hard boil eggs peel and cut in half, rub 1/4 teaspoon salt and turmeric powder and keep them aside. Make a smooth paste of poppy seeds. In a frying pan add 1 tablespoon oil when the oil is hot place yolk side to the oil and fry for 30 secs then turn and fry for 30 more sec remove and place them aside. In the same pan add remaining oil when hot add bay leaf, cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves stir then add finely chopped onions fry till onions are translucent add poppy seeds paste, yoghurt (curd), salt, chillie powder, garam masala  powder fry for 5 min or until oil starts separating add 1 cup water (add more if necessary) bring it to boil, add fried eggs yolk side on top. 

Serve hot with rice.

TIP: Just like sesame seeds poppy seeds also leave oil while cooking.

Spicy potatoes in coconut milk

Spicy potato curry (dum aloo) with a twist, loved it...

Ingredients

Potatoes : 4 big

Onions : 1 big

Tomatoes : 2 medium

Ginger garlic paste : 1 tablespoon

Coconut milk : 200-250 ml

Garam masala powder : 1 1/2 tablespoon

Chillie powder : 1 teaspoon (adjust to taste)
Dry fenugreek leaves : 1 1/2 teaspoon (kasuri methi)

Salt : 1 teaspoon (adjust to taste)

Oil : 1 tablespoon

Water : 1 cup

Oil : 3 tablespoons (to fry potatoes)

Procedure

Puree onions and tomatoes separately. Add oil in a frying pan when hot add the peeled and cubed potatoes and fry until they are golden brown and keep aside. In the same pan add oil add the onions paste sauce until oil separates, the add tomato puree, dry fenugreek leaves (kasturi methi), salt, garam masala powder, chillie powder cook until oil separates add water, fried potatoes, coconut milk cook for 5 more minutes. Check if potatoes are cooked (if not cook a bit longer) and also for seasoning add if necessary. TA DAA its ready. 

Serve with chapathi, bread or rice. Serves 2-3 people.

Fried rice

My Saturday evening dinner, Hot and spicy rice with all goodies. ENJOY

Ingredients

Rice : 250 gms
Onions : 1 medium
Mushrooms : 4 medium
Carrots : 1 medium
Egg : 2
Garlic : 2 pods
Soy sauce : 2-3 tablespoon
Chillie sauce : 1 tablespoons
Tomato ketchup : 1 teaspoon
Salt : to taste
Pepper : to taste
Spring onions : to garnish
Oil : 1 tablespoon

Procedure

In a pan scramble egg and keep aside. Cook rice and let it cool as it should not be sticky. In a wok/pan add oil when warm add chopped garlic saute for 30 sec, add cubed onions, sliced carrots, cubed mushrooms and saute for 5 mins. Add soy sauce, chillie sauce, tomato ketchup, scrambled egg and saute for 2 mins then add rice check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary, increase the flame saute for 1 min and remove from heat. Garnish with spring onions.

TIPS:

1. I always use leftover rice as it is not sticky.
2. Add less salt and pepper as soy sauce and chillie sauce have them already.

Hyderabadi biryani

Chicken Pakki biryani, made in HYDERABAD

Ingredients

For  chicken

Chicken : 1 kg (boned or boneless)

Cumin seeds : 2 teaspoon

Cloves : 6 nos

Cardamon : 4 nos

Cinnamon sticks : 3 sticks

Mace (Javetri) : 3 nos

Garam masala powder : 1 tablespoon

Coriander powder : 2 tablespoon

Lemon juice : 2 tablespoons

Yoghurt (Curd) : 200 gms

Chillie powder : 1 teaspoon (adjust to taste)

Pepper powder : 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder : 1 teaspoon

Ginger garlic paste : 2 tablespoons

Coriander leaves : 1 fistful

Mint leaves : 1 fistful

Onions : 1 big (sliced, golden fried)

Green chillies : 2 nos (slit)

Salt : to taste

Oil : 4 tablespoons

For rice

Rice : 750 kg

Bay leaves : 2 nos

Star anise : 2 nos

Cloves : 10 nos

Cardamom : 4 nos

Cinnamon sticks : 3 nos

Mace (Javetri) : 2 nos

Water : 1 liter

Salt : 2 tablespoons

Oil : 3 tablespoons

Layering
Corainder leaves : 2 fist full

Mint leaves :  2 fist full

Onions : 2 big (sliced, golden fried)

Saffron food color : 1/4 teaspoon

Procedure

1. In a bowl take chicken pieces add ginger garlic paste, mint leaves, coriander leaves, yoghurt (curd), lemon juice, slit green chillies, pepper powder, cumin seeds, chillie powder, turmeric, salt, coriander powder, whole garam masala dry (cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, mace (javetri)), garam masala powder, fried onions and oil. Mix them well and marinate the chicken for at least 1 hour. After 1 hour in a pan add the marinated chicken and cook until done.
2. In a bowl add water, salt, oil, bay leaves, star anise, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, mace (javetri) and bring it to boil add rice, when the rice is half done remove the whole garam masala using a spatula and cook until rice is 90% done drain the water. Immediately start setting layers of chicken and rice.
3. In a thick bottomed dish apply oil at the bottom and spread 1/4 amount of rice, 1/4 amount of chicken, fried onions, mint and coriander leaves, and then with rice and chicken and continue layering rice and chicken alternatively and end with the layer of rice on top add saffron color mixed in water, roasted almonds/cashew nuts mint and coriander leaves. close the lid. Place a frying pan on the stove and place this dish on the pan and leave it on a medium low flame for 15-20 min.  Serve hot with raita. 

In hyderabadi style serve with mirchi ka salon.

Tips

1. Adding salt to the water in which you cook rice is essential, or else the whole taste of Biryani will be lost. 
2. If you have forgotten to add salt to the water while boiling rice is – stir the required amount of salt in a little quantity of hot water, about half cup or a few tablespoons, and pour this on the biryani evenly. Warm the biryani in microwave and serve immediately.
3. The pan kept under the bowl should be a bit bigger or equal size of the bowl for even distribution of heat.

Tomato soup

My dinner tonight... very simple and flavorful

Ingredients

Tomatoes : 5 medium sized (ripe tomatoes)
Carrots : 2 medium
Onion : 1 small
Garlic : 1
Sugar : 1 teaspoon
Salt : 1/2 teaspoon (adjust to taste)
Pepper : adjust to taste
Oil : 1 teaspoon

Procedure

Finely chop garlic, chop onion, carrots and tomatoes. In a vessel add oil add garlic fry for 1 min, then add onions and carrots cook for 5 mins, then add tomatoes cook for 10 mins on a medium flame. Add 750 ml water bring it to boil and reduce the flame, boil for 20 min. Remove from flame add sugar and blend it smoothly. You can add little water if you need a thinner soup. Add salt and pepper, garnish with little cream.

TIP: I used my hand blender to blend the soup. If you are using a normal blender with lid then cool the soup and reheat it on a low flame for 5 mins after blending. 

Aloo paratha

My famous Aloo paratha :-P

For dough

Wheat flour : 3 cups (390gms)
Water : 1/2 cup (more if needed)
Oil : 2 teaspoon
Salt : pinch

For stuffing

Potatoes : 4 nos
Onions : 1 small
Green chillies : 1 nos (optional)
Cumin seeds : 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric : pinch (optional)
Chillie powder : 1/4 teaspoon (or more if needed)
Salt : 1/2 teaspoon (to taste)
Coriander powder : 1 teaspoon
Garam masala : 1/2 teaspoon
Chaat masala : 1 teaspoon (substitute with lemon juice)
Coriander leaves : few (finely chopped)

Wheat flour : for rolling
Oil : to cook

Procedure

• Dough : Mix flour, salt make a soft dough adding water slowly, add oil and mix. Set the dough aside and cover it with a cloth. Let the dough rest at least ten minutes.

• Filling : Boil 4 medium potatoes until tender. Once cooked, drain the water and let the potatoes cool down. (TIP: Do not cool the potatoes under running water, as they will absorb the water and come out too soft). Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and mash them. In a pan add oil, cumin seeds, finely chopped onions fry for 1 min then add to the mashed potatoes. Also add salt, garam masala powder, coriander powder, turmeric, chillie powder, chaat masala or lemon juice and coriander leaves to mashed potatoes. Mix well.

• Making parathas (STEPS BELOW)

1. Dough (make balls).
2. Potato filling (can make into balls). Potato balls should be a bit larger than the dough balls.
3. Roll dough ball into a 3” circle.  Place a filling ball in the center. 
4. Pull the edges of the dough to wrap it around the potato filling.
5. Take off little excess dough on top. Repeat the same for all balls. 
6. Press the filled ball lightly on dry whole wheat flour from both sides. 
7. Using a rolling pin, roll the balls lightly to make six-inch circles, keeping the sealed side of the balls on top. If the dough sticks to the rolling pin or rolling surface, lightly dust the parathas with dry flour.

Heat skillet or flat pan on medium high heat until moderately hot. To test, sprinkle water on the skillet. If the water sizzles right away, the skillet is ready. Place the paratha on the skillet. When the paratha start to change color and begins to puff up, flip it over (some golden-brown spots appear).  After a few seconds, drizzle 1/2 teaspoon of oil over the paratha. Flip the paratha again and lightly press the puffed areas with a spatula. Flip again and press with a spatula making sure the paratha is golden-brown on both sides. Repeat for the remaining parathas.

Serve hot right away with yoghurt (curd) or green chutney. Cool them on a wire rack if you are serving later to keep them from getting soggy.

Egg biryani

Bored making chicken/mutton biryani? try this easy egg biryani, a quick dinner on a rainy day.

Ingredients

Rice : 500 gms
Eggs : 4
Onions : 1 big
Ginger garlic paste : 1 tablespoon
Yoghurt (curd): 100 gms
Lemon juice : 1 tablespoon
Shaahi Jeera/ cumin seeds : 1 teaspoon
Bay leaves : 2 nos
Cinnamon stick : 2 sticks (1 " each)
Cardamon : 3 nos
Cloves : 4 nos
Mint : 1 fist full
Coriander : 1 fist full
Green chillies : 3 nos (adjust to taste)
Garam masala : 2 teaspoons
Coriander powder : 1 teaspoons
Salt : to taste
Oil : 3 tablespoons

To coat eggs

Chillie powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Ginger garlic paste : 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Egg : 1
Salt : to taste

Procedure

Boil eggs, shell the boiled eggs and give four long cuts on the white portion of each egg without separating it. In a small bowl add red chillie powder, salt, ginger garlic paste, coriander powder, 1 egg and make paste, coat the boiled eggs with egg with this paste. In a pan add 1 tablespoon oil when warm add the coated eggs and remaining egg mixture fry until until the eggs get coated with spices and the omelette is cooked. Remove the eggs and set aside.

Heat the oil in a deep pan. Add Shaahi jeera (can substitute with cumin seeds), bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamoms and cloves and sauté for one minute. Add the onions and sauté till soft. Add the ginger paste and garlic paste and sauté till fragrant. Add yoghurt (curd), garam masala powder, coriander powder, mint leaves, coriander leaves, and green chillies and continue to sauté for two minutes longer. Add water and salt, when the water comes to a boil, add the rice and mix well. Cover and cook over high heat for five minutes. Lower heat and continue to cook for ten minutes, or till the rice is done and all the moisture has been absorbed. Switch off the heat. Sprinkle lemon juice, add the boiled eggs and cover for 5 mins. Serve hot with Raita.