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

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.

Andhra special potato fry

My all time favorite for roti. I ate it directly from frying pan to my plate with combination of rice and hot dhal.

Ingredients

Potatoes : 4 nos (medium)
Onions : 1 big
Garlic : 2 pods
Green chillies : 1 no.
Coriander powder : 1 teaspoon
Chillie powder : 1/2 teaspoon (adjust to taste)
Turmeric powder : 1/4 teaspoon
Salt : to taste
Cumin seeds : 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves : few
Oil : 1 1/2 tablespoon
Coriander leaves : few

Procedure

Boil, peel and cut potatoes into cubes. Slice onions, chop green chillies, and garlic and keep side. In a frying pan add oil, cumin seeds, mustard seeds and let them splutter add curry leaves then add onions and garlic cook until they are soft then add salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cubed potatoes, chillie powder and fry on a medium flame till potatoes are crispy and golden brown. Garnish with coriander leaves. 

TIP: After boiling potatoes, drain hot water and cool under cold water then peel.

Okra (Bhindi) fry

Okra... Bhindi... Ladies finger... call it any name this has been my childhood favorite and it still is... Here is a slightly modified recipe but no compromise with taste.

Ingredients

Okra : 500 gms
Onions : 1 medium
Garlic : 2 pods
Mustard seeds : 1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves : few 
Turmeric powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Chillie powder : 1/2 teaspoon (adjust to taste)
Salt : to taste
Oil : 2 tablespoons (or more if needed)

Procedure

Slice the okra, onions, chop garlic. In a pan add oil, mustard seeds let them splutter then add onions fry until onions are brown and keep it aside. Add remaining oil in the pan add garlic, curry leaves, okra, salt, turmeric powder, leave the pan uncovered cook on a low flame until okra is almost done, then add the fried onions, chillie powder. Serve hot with rice or roti.

TIP: Add 1 tablespoon yogurt (curd) after adding the okra to pan, it will reduce the stickiness. Never close the pan when cooking okra, else the fry will be gooey.

South Indian sambar

Finger licking taste... Indeed one of the best dish I made with my crazy (funny) girls. xoxo

Ingredients

Red gram lentils : 1 cup
Onions : 1 no
Carrots : 2 nos
Brinjal/ Aubergine : 3 nos (small) or 1 no (big)
Tomatoes : 2 nos
Tamarind pulp : 2 teaspoon (thick) or 3 teaspoons (thin)
Sugar : 1/2 teaspoon
Oil : 1 teaspoon
Garlic : 2 cloves
Turmeric powder : 1/2 teaspoon
Chillies powder : 1/2 teaspoon (adjust to taste)
Sambar powder : 2 teaspoons (quantity may vary with different powders)
Salt : to taste
Coriander leaves : to garnish

For tempering

Oil : 1 teaspoon
Garlic : 2 pods
Cumin seeds : 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1 teaspoon
Dry red chillies : 3 nos
Desiccated coconut (Dry/Fresh): 1 tablespoon
Asafoetida : 2 pinches (optional)
Curry leaves : fist full

Procedure

Chop onions and tomatoes into 1 inch cubes, cut carrot and brinjal/ aubergine into 2 inch long slices. Cook the lentils until soft and keep it aside. In a deep pan add 1 teaspoon oil then add 2 thinly chopped garlic pods fry for 30 secs then add all the vegetables, salt, turmeric powder, sambar powder, water (depending on the consistency you like) and cook until vegetables are soft. Mix the cooked lentils with the vegetables and add chillie powder, tamarind pulp, sugar and water and let them cook on a medium flame for 10 min.

Finally temper the sambar, in a pan add oil and when hot add thinly chopped garlic and fry then add cumin seeds, mustard seeds let them splutter, add dry red chillies, asafoetida, coconut powder and lastly curry leaves and fry for 1 min then add it to the sambar. Check for salt and chillie add if necessary.

Serve hot with rice

Andhra chicken fry

Hanging out with friends and spending the whole afternoon window shopping and then the BEST PART cooking with my lovely friends our own andhra famous chicken fry with a south Indian sambar yummmmyyyy... Had loadsss of fun girls. xoxo

Ingredients

Chicken : 1 kilo

Onions : 2 nos

Green chillies : 3 nos

Ginger garlic paste : 1 tablespoon

Garam masala : 1 1/2 tablespoon

Coriander powder : 1 1/2 tablespoon

Turmeric powder : 1/2 teaspoon

Salt : to taste

Chillie powder : 1 teaspoon (adjust to taste)

Cumin seeds : 1 teaspoon

Oil : 2-3 tablespoons

lemon juice : 1 tablespoon

Coconut powder : 1 tablespoon

Mint leaves : fist full

Coriander leaves : to garnish

Procedure

Thinly slice the onions and keep them aside then cut chicken in cubes. In a pan add 2 tablespoons of oil and when it is hot add cumin seeds and let them splutter, then add freshly ground ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 min then add chicken pieces, salt, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander powder and chopped mint leaves let it cook until almost done (do not over cook). In a separate pan add remaining oil and fry the sliced onions and green chillies when the onions are transparent add the cooked chicken and add chillie powder and fry until completely done.

Serve hot with rice and sambar

* NEVER add water when frying chicken