Chicken is loved by people all over the world at all times! One meat that is a favourite of all beyond belief! When cooked, it can be presented in many ways,Sauté it, fry it, toss it, bake it, steam it – eat it the way you want to. Whatever its form may be upon being cooked, its flavour may change but its flesh remains high in protein, low in fat and can be digested easily.

Chettinad Chicken, is a simple chicken cooked with classic Chettinad flavours that can be served with parota,neer dosa or as a side dish along with rasam rice.

My family is not a big fan of chicken with bones so I have used boneless chicken,you can use as per your liking.

Here I have used dried coconut powder instead freshly grated coconut can also be used in this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 kg Boneless Chicken,curry cut.

3 tbsp Oil.

1 Bay Leaf.

6 Dried Red Chillies.

1/2 cup grated Coconut fresh or dried.

2 tsp Poppy Seeds.

1 tsp Coriander Seeds.

1 tsp Cumin seeds.

3 Green Cardamoms.

2 Cloves.1 inch Cinnamon Stick.

1 Star anise.

1 tsp Fennel Seeds.

10 Black Peppercorns.

1 inch Ginger chopped.

10 cloves Garlic chopped.

10 Curry Leaves.

1 large Onion chopped.

2 large Tomatoes chopped.

1 tsp Red Chilli Powder.

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder.

1 tbsp Lemon juice.

Salt to taste.

2 tbsp chopped Coriander Leaves for garnishing.

Method:

Wash and clean chicken,add salt and lemon juice,mix well and keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan and roast the bay leaf,peppercorns,red chillies, poppy seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, star anise and fennel seeds till fragrant.

Now add grated coconut.

Roast well till the colour turns light brown.

Remove in a plate and keep aside to cool.

Once Cool,add to a mixie jar along with ginger and garlic,grind to a smooth paste with adding some water.

Heat the remaining oil in a thick bottom pan, add curry leaves and chopped onions,sauté till golden.

Add the prepared masala paste and sauté for two to three minutes.

Add the chopped tomatoes, red chilli powder,turmeric powder and little salt.

Sauté for few more minutes,till oil separates.

Once the masala is cooked add chicken, mix well and sauté for five minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of water and mix well. Cover and cook till the chicken is done.

Serve hot, garnished with coriander leaves and accompanied with boiled rice,neer dosa or parota.

Happy Cooking !!!

Sameera.

Malabar Chicken Curry is a Kerala Style Chicken Curry which goes well with mallu parotta, ghee rice or coconut rice.

Malabar is a region in Kerala which is predominantly dominated by the Muslim population. This region has a slightly unique way of cooking from the rest of the state and this difference is evident in their cuisine.

This dish is cooked in coconut oil and has a very distinct flavour of curry leaves and coconut milk.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Coconut Oil.

1 cup Onions sliced thinly.

1 cup Tomatoes sliced thinly.

1 Bay Leaf.

15-20 Curry Leaves.

3-4 Green Chilies (slit into half).

1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste.

1 tbsp Coriander powder.

½ tsp Turmeric powder

2 tsp Kashmiri Red Chili powder.

1 tsp Black Pepper powder.

750 g Boneless Chicken (Curry cut).

1 cup Thick Coconut Milk.

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Chopped Coriander Leaves.

Method:

Clean the chicken and keep aside.

Heat coconut oil in a medium size heavy bottom pan.
Once the oil is hot, add bay leaf, 1 cup of sliced onion and fry on medium heat until onion turns slightly brown. Keep stirring while frying.
Add curry leaves, green chillies and ginger garlic paste and fry for 2-3 minutes.Now add sliced tomatoes and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Add coriander powder,turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, and black pepper powder, fry for a minute.Add chicken and salt and cook for 3-4 minutes on high heat.

Add ½ cup water and chopped coriander leaves.

Cover the pan using a tight fitting lid and cook until the chicken is cooked well. It will take 12 to 15 minutes for the chicken to cook until tender.Add coconut milk ,mix well and let simmer for a minute.

Remove in a serving dish,garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with mallu parotta or coconut rice.

TIP: Chicken with bone can also be used to make this dish, cooking time will increase accordingly.

Happy Cooking!!!
Sameera.

Murg Maharani is a Mughlai dish with a rich gravy made of onion-cashew paste and many other spices. This is a delicious rich and creamy Mughlai recipe of chicken and goes best with nan,roti,laccha paratha or even Pulav.

This is a favourite in my family…why that you will understand only after you taste it…

Here I have used boneless chicken,this dish can be made using chicken with bones too.

Ingredients:

To Make Spice Paste:
1 tspn Cumin Seeds
1 tbsp Coriander Seeds
1 tsp Fennel Seeds

To Cook Murg Maharani:
2 Tbsp Ghee
1 Onion (sliced)
Salt
500 gms curry cut boneless pieces of chicken.
Coriander Leaves finely chopped.

Method:
Clean and wash chicken pieces,keep it aside.

Heat a pan and on low flame dry roast the spices,start by adding Cumin Seeds,Coriander Seeds,Fennel Seeds,Sesame Seeds,Bay Leaves, Dry Red Chilli,Mace,Cinnamon Stick,Green Cardamoms, Cloves and Cashew Nuts.Roast till fragnant.

Remove from the flame and let it cool completely.

Add the roasted spices to a mixie jar along with Ginger Garlic Paste, Green Chillies,Coriander Leaves,curd,Milk Powder, Dried Fenugreek Leaves & Red Chilli Powder,add little water to form a smooth paste.keep aside.

in a pan heat ghee,add sliced onions and roast till translucent.

Add chicken pieces and roast on high flame for 2 minutes.

Add the prepared masala paste and salt and mix well.Add half a cup of water, reduce the flame cover the pan and let the chicken cook for 12 to 15 minutes or till tender.

when you open the pan after 15 mins there will be a layer of rogan(redissh oil) floating on top,that indicates your chicken is cooked.

This gravy thickens up quickly thus needs to be served immediately..

Remove in a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves, server with naan or laccha paratha.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

This is a very easy to make chicken dish ,made with munimum spices….and tastes yummy….can be served with rice,roti or paratha of your choice….

Ingredients : 

1/2 kg boneless chicken cut into pieces.

1 cup Onion evenly sliced.

1 cup Curds.

1 tsp Red Chilli Powder

1 tsp Ginger garlic paste

1/2 tsp Cardamom powder

2 tbsp Oil

A pinch of saffron diluted in milk.

Salt to taste.

Method:

Heat oil in a kadai, add onions and fry well,add ginger garlic paste,fry for a minute,add chicken,sauté well.

Add red chili powder,turmeric powder, Cardamom powder and salt.

Mix well,add well beaten Curds and saffron diluted in milk,mix well.

Cover and cook on low heat for 5 minutes or til the chicken is tender.

Remove in a serving dish and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with rice,roti aur paratha of your choice.

Happy Cooking  ! ! !

Sameera

This is a mouth watering restaurant style secret recipe of  butter chicken or chicken makhani,dedicated to my food production sir from my catering college,Mr Prasad Phadke.He was basically from Pune staying in Mumbai as pg,he was more of a friend to few of us than a professor.He used to visit my home often as he used to love food cooked by my mom,one fine day he said today I will cook for everyone….and he made this awesome butter chicken…thats how I got this recipe which was not taught in college and thus I call it a secret recipe…which I am sharing with you all today…This dish requires a little well in advance planning,as you need to marinate the chicken for atleast 12 hours.Veges can add paneer  or mixed veg  to this dish.You can also make the gravy in advance and freeze it,defrost ,add chicken or veges and use as required.You can also add ready made left over  tikkas to this gravy….so here goes the secret…

Ingredients:

1 kg Boneless Chicken(Ihave used chicken breasts here)

250 gms Curds

2 tsp Kashmiri Chilli powder

2 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste.

1 tbsp Lemon juice.

1 tbsp Jeera powder.

1 tsp Black salt.

1/4 tsp Garam Masala.

2  tbsp Mustard Oil.

Pinch of Tandoori Red Colour.

Salt to taste

For Makhani Sauce:

1 kg Tomatoes.

3 tbsp Cashew paste.

2 tbsp Kashmiri Chilli powder.

100 gms Butter

200 gms fresh cream.

1 tbsp crushed Kasuri methi.

2 tbsp Jeera powder.

1/2 tsp Garam Masala.

1 tbsp Sugar

Salt to taste.

Other Ingredients:

1 tbsp Oil & 1 tbsp Butter.

1 inch Ginger cut into juliennes

1 Capsicum cut into juliennes

Method:

A day prior,hung the curd in a muslin cloth for an hour,to drain excess water out.remove it in a bowl and beat iot till smooth,now add kashmiri chilli powder,ginger garlic paste,jeera powder,powdered black salt,garam masala,mustard oil,lemon juice and tandoori red colour,mix it well and keep aside.

Cut chicken into 2 inches even size pieces,wash clean drain and add to the prepared marinate.

freeze in deep fridger for 12 to 24 hours.

After 24 hours remove and defrost the chicken pieces till they come to room temperature.

Using a tandoor or grill ,cook them till soft using little oil.I have used griller here (One with sandwich maker)

Turn it on both the sides and grill till cooked properly,using little oil.

Finish all the pieces like this and keep them aside.Dont discard remaining marinate,keep it aside.

Now for sauce,blanch tomatoes(check the process in glossary)deskin and extract juice out of it.

Strain the juice and pour it in a big heavy bottom pan.keep the pan on gas on high flame,reduce the flame once the juice starts boiling,add kashmiri chilli powder,jeera powder,kasoori methi,garam masala,cashewnut paste,salt,sugar and butter,stirring in between cook till reduced to half.Now once again strain it to get a smooth gravy,again put it back on fire add cream and mix well.Kep it aside.

Now in a thick bottom pan heat oil and butter,add ginger and capsicum juliennes,stir fry for a minute or two,

add remaining marinate and cook till oil starts separating.

Now add ready gravy to this,mix well and cook till one boil comes.

Then add grilled chicken pieces to this gravy,mix well,cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

.

Remove in a serving bowl,decoreate with fresh cream,juliennes of garlic and coriander leaves.

Serve hot with roti,paratha or rice.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

Frankie, is a popular and cheap version of the hi-fi wraps and rolls!

Frankie is a roti stuffed with fillings,vegetarian or non vegetarian.

Ingredients:

 1 cup shredded Chicken pieces(boneless breast pieces)

½ cup sliced Onions.

½ cup chopped Tomatoes

2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste.

1 tsp Corriander powder.

½ tsp Haldi powder.

2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder.

2 tbsp Corriander leaves chopped.

2 tsp Lime juice.

4 Eggs ( beaten).

½ cup Green Mint Chutney.

1 cup thinly sliced Onions(marinated with salt and chat masala).

2 cups Maida.

1 tsp Ajwain.

Method

Mix maida,ajwain and salt, add sufficient water and knead into a soft dough.

Heat oil in a kadai. Add onion and sauté for two minutes. Add ginger & garlic paste and continue to sauté for another minute. Add chicken pieces and sauté for two to three minutes. Add salt, coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli power and mix. Add tomatoes and cook till the chicken is done. Add coriander leaves and mix and cook till dry. Add lemon juice, mix and keep aside.

Divide the dough into eight equal parts and roll out each into a roti.

Roast them one at a time on a hot tawa.

Whisk the eggs well. Pour some of the eggs over the roti and allow it to set.

Turn over and let the underside get cooked.

Place the roti egg side up on a serving plate. Place some of the chicken mixture on one end.

Sprinkle some onion over the chicken.

Drizzle green chutney.

Roll the frankie and serve hot immediately.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera.

Ingredients:

2 cups Boneless chicken pieces (Cleaned)

2 tbsp Oil.

1 cup Onion chiopped.

2 tbsp Malvani masala.

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder.

1 tbsp Ginger -Garlic paste.

Salt to taste.

1/2 cup Vatan.(Ref Glossary).

2 tbsp chopped Corriander leaves.

Method:

Wash chicken well in sufficient water,drain and keep aside.

Add salt,ginger garlic paste,turmeric powder & malvani masala to the cleaned chicken.

Let it marinate for half an hour.

Meanwhile heat oil in a thick bottom pan.

Add 3/4 th of  chopped onion and cook on low heat till onion turns light pinkish in colour.

Add remaining onion to marinated chicken.

Mix well.

Add marinated chicken to the cooked onion,add half cup water,mix well.

Cover and cook for 10 minutes or till the chicken is cooked.

Add vatan and mix well,cover and cook for another 2 minutes.

Remove in a serving bowl,sprinkle chopped corriander leaves.

Seve hot with Rice or Chappati.

Happy Cooking!!!

Sameera