Creamed and  spiced Chicken 

What wonders we can create with food. And if the spices are delicately balanced and topped with cream……the result is an unusual and scrumptious recipe. Here is one such blend  between Indian whole spices and herbs of the western cuisine.

         The heavenly aroma of star anise and other condiments joined in by thyme and rosemary can turn a simple chicken preparation into an absolutely delicious one.

Ingredients:

1.    One cup each of bite size boneless chicken , fresh peas and finely chopped onions.

2.    ¾ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder

3.    Three tablespoons yogurt / thick curd

4.    3- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

5.    ¼ cup or more cashews

6.    1 teaspoon of butter or pure ghee

7.    ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary

8.    ¼ teaspoon dried thyme

9.    200 ml 25% low fat cream ( I have used Amul )

10  one teaspoon ginger garlic paste

11. salt to taste
12. one inch piece cinnamon, three cloves, one star anise and two black cardamons

Method:

1.   Pour oil in a heavy bottomed pan and keep the gas on medium flame.

2.   Add the whole spices and when they change colour after about a minute  , add the chopped onions.

3.   Stir fry the onions till they turn pink , that would take about  seven to ten minutes.

4.   Add the ginger garlic paste and stir fry for a minute till the raw smell of the ginger and garlic is gone.

5.   Add the red chilli powder and stir fry for a few seconds.

6.   Tumble in the chicken pieces and toss them gently for about five minutes .

7.   Tumble in the fresh peas, toss again for  another two minutes , Incase you are using frozen peas add them after the chicken is almost done, add the peas in the last five minutes of the cooking so that the peas and chicken get done at the same time.

8.   Add the yogurt , toss a bit and cover and cook on medium flame.

9.   Now keep stirring the chicken in between so that all the pieces get cooked evenly and if you feel  that the moisture is less and the paste is sticking to the pan add a few tablespoons of water. The chicken needs to get complelety cooked in the yogurts  and there should not be any gravy left and all the water should get dried up while cooking the chicken. The peas , we need not worry about them , they will cook fast.
In the meantime , toss the cashews in a teaspoon of butter on medium flame till golden brown.

10.          When the chicken is done , add salt to taste about three quarters of a teaspoon and the dried herbs.

11.          Add cream and the tossed cashews and give a stir and turn the gas off immediately.

12.          Serve hot with rice , naan, bread, pav , roti, parantha.

13.           The gravy tends to thicken if not served immediately, in that case you could thin it by adding a quarter cup of boiled water to thin the consistency.

          My friend served my "Creamed and spiced chicken" with tomato rice ( rice cooked in thin tomato puree)  and stir fried garden vegetables( bean, carrots , cauliflower and peas steamed and then sauteed in a little butter and seasoned with herbs) to her guests and it was an instant hit. I liked the combination and thought must share with you.

cashews· chicken dishes· cream· curries· peas

Creamed and  spiced Chicken 

What wonders we can create with food. And if the spices are delicately balanced and topped with cream……the result is an unusual and scrumptious recipe. Here is one such blend  between Indian whole spices and herbs of the western cuisine.

         The heavenly aroma of star anise and other condiments joined in by thyme and rosemary can turn a simple chicken preparation into an absolutely delicious one.

Ingredients:

1.    One cup each of bite size boneless chicken , fresh peas and finely chopped onions.

2.    ¾ teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder

3.    Three tablespoons yogurt / thick curd

4.    3- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil

5.    ¼ cup or more cashews

6.    1 teaspoon of butter or pure ghee

7.    ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary

8.    ¼ teaspoon dried thyme

9.    200 ml 25% low fat cream ( I have used Amul )

10  one teaspoon ginger garlic paste

11. salt to taste
12. one inch piece cinnamon, three cloves, one star anise and two black cardamons

Method:

1.   Pour oil in a heavy bottomed pan and keep the gas on medium flame.

2.   Add the whole spices and when they change colour after about a minute  , add the chopped onions.

3.   Stir fry the onions till they turn pink , that would take about  seven to ten minutes.

4.   Add the ginger garlic paste and stir fry for a minute till the raw smell of the ginger and garlic is gone.

5.   Add the red chilli powder and stir fry for a few seconds.

6.   Tumble in the chicken pieces and toss them gently for about five minutes .

7.   Tumble in the fresh peas, toss again for  another two minutes , Incase you are using frozen peas add them after the chicken is almost done, add the peas in the last five minutes of the cooking so that the peas and chicken get done at the same time.

8.   Add the yogurt , toss a bit and cover and cook on medium flame.

9.   Now keep stirring the chicken in between so that all the pieces get cooked evenly and if you feel  that the moisture is less and the paste is sticking to the pan add a few tablespoons of water. The chicken needs to get complelety cooked in the yogurts  and there should not be any gravy left and all the water should get dried up while cooking the chicken. The peas , we need not worry about them , they will cook fast.
In the meantime , toss the cashews in a teaspoon of butter on medium flame till golden brown.

10.          When the chicken is done , add salt to taste about three quarters of a teaspoon and the dried herbs.

11.          Add cream and the tossed cashews and give a stir and turn the gas off immediately.

12.          Serve hot with rice , naan, bread, pav , roti, parantha.

13.           The gravy tends to thicken if not served immediately, in that case you could thin it by adding a quarter cup of boiled water to thin the consistency.

          My friend served my "Creamed and spiced chicken" with tomato rice ( rice cooked in thin tomato puree)  and stir fried garden vegetables( bean, carrots , cauliflower and peas steamed and then sauteed in a little butter and seasoned with herbs) to her guests and it was an instant hit. I liked the combination and thought must share with you.

Chocolate biscotti

I am quite enjoying this story telling form of presenting the recipes for a change.

    Biscotti for me is something like cake rusk and I like the chocolate and nut version of it the best.
I have yet to get a deliciously crisp texture to my biscottis and you can be rest assured that I will share it with you all.

    All you have to do is to take three tablespoons butter and half a cup of powdered sugar and cream it well. Add an egg and beat with a whisk or a egg beater till well mixed.

     Sift one cup of flour , one fourth cup of cocoa powder , half a teaspoon of baking soda and one fourth teaspoon of baking powder.

     Add one tablespoon of the sifted flour at a time to the butter egg mixture alternating with one fourth cup of water at room temperature.

   You will end up with a thick sticky lumpy mixture . Add half a cup of chopped cashews and stir into the batter.

    Line a cookie sheet with an aluminuim foil and grease it  and pat the mixture into an inch thick oblong log.You will have to moisten your hands to get a neat job.

     Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes , while still hot , cut into one inch thick slices with a serrated knife.

      Lay the slices flat and bake again at the same temperature for five mintues and turn over the slices and bake again for another five minutes.

     Allow the biscotti to come at roomtemperature before storing them.

cashews· Choclate· cookies and slices

Chocolate biscotti

I am quite enjoying this story telling form of presenting the recipes for a change.

    Biscotti for me is something like cake rusk and I like the chocolate and nut version of it the best.
I have yet to get a deliciously crisp texture to my biscottis and you can be rest assured that I will share it with you all.

    All you have to do is to take three tablespoons butter and half a cup of powdered sugar and cream it well. Add an egg and beat with a whisk or a egg beater till well mixed.

     Sift one cup of flour , one fourth cup of cocoa powder , half a teaspoon of baking soda and one fourth teaspoon of baking powder.

     Add one tablespoon of the sifted flour at a time to the butter egg mixture alternating with one fourth cup of water at room temperature.

   You will end up with a thick sticky lumpy mixture . Add half a cup of chopped cashews and stir into the batter.

    Line a cookie sheet with an aluminuim foil and grease it  and pat the mixture into an inch thick oblong log.You will have to moisten your hands to get a neat job.

     Bake in a preheated oven for 25 minutes , while still hot , cut into one inch thick slices with a serrated knife.

      Lay the slices flat and bake again at the same temperature for five mintues and turn over the slices and bake again for another five minutes.

     Allow the biscotti to come at roomtemperature before storing them.

Simplest vegetarian pulao / Rice with turmeric and potaoes

You are low on your stock of  vegetables and you have a guest. You don’t want to serve the regular dal chawal or roti sabzee. I think you will go for this recipe of pulao which can be altered to suit the time and requirement.

Ingredients

1.    2 cups long grain rice

2.    2 medium potatoes

3.    2 – 6 onions ( yes ,you can use any number depending on how many onions you have or how much time you have, I will tell you the recipe with both the proportions)

4.    2 green chillies

5.    ¾  teaspoon  turmeric powder

6.    1 teaspoon cumin seeds

7.    A few cloves

8.    1 tablespoon heapful ginger garlic paste

9.    6- 8 tablespoons refined oil ( can use much less if you are using lesser number of onions or add another two for a really yummy pulao). For this recipe I am using 6 onions and 8 tablespoons oil)
10  salt to taste

Method

1.   Wash and soak the rice.

2.   Take the oil in  a heavy bottomed pot and when the oil gets warm add the cumin seeds and cloves.

3.   Stir for a few seconds and then add the sliced onions. ( As I mentioned earlier you can reduce the quantity to half the oil and half the onions here. I am going to caramelize the onions and reserve half of them to decorate later on.)

4.   If you are in a hurry and you are using just two onions then let them turn pink and follow the rest of the steps , but if you are using the six onions and you have time to prepare, then caramelize the onions at low flame till they reduce to one fourth the volume and turn a pleasant brown in colour.

5.   Keep aside half this amount . We will use it use add glamour  to this simple dish.

6.   Add ginger garlic paste ,turmeric and green chillies chopped fine.

7.   Stir for a minute and add the sliced potatoes.

8.   Drain the rice and stir fry the rice and potatoes for  about two minutes.

9.   Add 4 cups of water and salt to taste, increase the flame to high till the water comes to a boil and then reduce to low and cover and let the pulao cook completely.

10.             If it suits your taste and requirement you could decorate the pulao with the reserved caramelized onions and stir fried cashews.

11.              Serve with plain curd, raita with finely chopped tomatoes , onions and fresh coriander leaves or just simple plain boondi  raita and add a seasoning of jeera and curry leaves tempered in oil. A simple mixed salad of finely chopped tomatoes, apples, cucumber and fresh coriander with a dash of lemon juice goes very well with this pulao.

cashews· rice· vegetables

Simplest vegetarian pulao / Rice with turmeric and potaoes

You are low on your stock of  vegetables and you have a guest. You don’t want to serve the regular dal chawal or roti sabzee. I think you will go for this recipe of pulao which can be altered to suit the time and requirement.

Ingredients

1.    2 cups long grain rice

2.    2 medium potatoes

3.    2 – 6 onions ( yes ,you can use any number depending on how many onions you have or how much time you have, I will tell you the recipe with both the proportions)

4.    2 green chillies

5.    ¾  teaspoon  turmeric powder

6.    1 teaspoon cumin seeds

7.    A few cloves

8.    1 tablespoon heapful ginger garlic paste

9.    6- 8 tablespoons refined oil ( can use much less if you are using lesser number of onions or add another two for a really yummy pulao). For this recipe I am using 6 onions and 8 tablespoons oil)
10  salt to taste

Method

1.   Wash and soak the rice.

2.   Take the oil in  a heavy bottomed pot and when the oil gets warm add the cumin seeds and cloves.

3.   Stir for a few seconds and then add the sliced onions. ( As I mentioned earlier you can reduce the quantity to half the oil and half the onions here. I am going to caramelize the onions and reserve half of them to decorate later on.)

4.   If you are in a hurry and you are using just two onions then let them turn pink and follow the rest of the steps , but if you are using the six onions and you have time to prepare, then caramelize the onions at low flame till they reduce to one fourth the volume and turn a pleasant brown in colour.

5.   Keep aside half this amount . We will use it use add glamour  to this simple dish.

6.   Add ginger garlic paste ,turmeric and green chillies chopped fine.

7.   Stir for a minute and add the sliced potatoes.

8.   Drain the rice and stir fry the rice and potatoes for  about two minutes.

9.   Add 4 cups of water and salt to taste, increase the flame to high till the water comes to a boil and then reduce to low and cover and let the pulao cook completely.

10.             If it suits your taste and requirement you could decorate the pulao with the reserved caramelized onions and stir fried cashews.

11.              Serve with plain curd, raita with finely chopped tomatoes , onions and fresh coriander leaves or just simple plain boondi  raita and add a seasoning of jeera and curry leaves tempered in oil. A simple mixed salad of finely chopped tomatoes, apples, cucumber and fresh coriander with a dash of lemon juice goes very well with this pulao.

Microwave Banana Loaf

(American cup of 250 ml)

Ingredients

1.   1 ½ cups flour

2.   ¾ cup sugar

3.   ½ cup + 2 tablespoon  butter at room temperature

4.   One third cup milk

5.   2 eggs

6.   2 medium small bananas sliced (should be soft but not over ripe)

7.   1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar

8.   1 teaspoon soda

9.   ½ cup chopped nuts

 Method

1.   Place all ingredients  except nuts in a large bowl in the order given.

2.   Blend at low speed for 10 seconds.

3.   Stir in half the nuts.

4.   Pour in to a 8”4” or 9”5” glass or plastic loaf  tin (a bread box of approximately this size would also be fine).

5.   Sprinkle the rest of the nuts.

6.   Cover with a cling film and pierce with a fork to make a few holes in it , say about five times with a fork.

7.   Microwave on high for ten minutes.

8.   Let the tin stay in the microwave for one minute and then take it out.

9.   Cool and slice.

banana· cashews· microwave cooking

Microwave Banana Loaf

(American cup of 250 ml)

Ingredients

1.   1 ½ cups flour

2.   ¾ cup sugar

3.   ½ cup + 2 tablespoon  butter at room temperature

4.   One third cup milk

5.   2 eggs

6.   2 medium small bananas sliced (should be soft but not over ripe)

7.   1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar

8.   1 teaspoon soda

9.   ½ cup chopped nuts

 Method

1.   Place all ingredients  except nuts in a large bowl in the order given.

2.   Blend at low speed for 10 seconds.

3.   Stir in half the nuts.

4.   Pour in to a 8”4” or 9”5” glass or plastic loaf  tin (a bread box of approximately this size would also be fine).

5.   Sprinkle the rest of the nuts.

6.   Cover with a cling film and pierce with a fork to make a few holes in it , say about five times with a fork.

7.   Microwave on high for ten minutes.

8.   Let the tin stay in the microwave for one minute and then take it out.

9.   Cool and slice.