Chicken Vindaloo

My summer vacation is over...but looking back I have smiles all over my face. Had a fun week at Orlando,  a weekend drive to Vancouver, saw the entire tenth doctor episodes of Doctor Who from Netflix...some good movies , some okii movies...some cooking, some blogging....the time just went by...

When we accidentally bought vindaloo masala instead of the usual chicken masala,  I casually used it without even knowing it , the taste wasn't great...and thats when I checked the internet. Vindaloo needs a completely different cooking style...It needs vinegar and fresh spices.. While browsing I got the Madhur Jaffrey's recipe link from wikipedia. Although the recipe is for lamb vindaloo,  I  chickenized it... 


Last week I made this. In my chickenised version I cooked the vindaloo masala first and then added the browned chicken. The outcome was perfect. I let it sit for a while for the chicken to infuse more flavor. It was perfect with chappatti....

Recipe:
----------
Adapted from : Wikipedia > Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking

1. Whole cumin seeds             -  2 tsp
2. Hot, dried red chili peppers  -  2-3
3. Black peppercorns               -  2 tsp
4. Cardamom                         -  1 tsp [original recipe asks for cardamom seeds, but I used whole pods]
5. Stick of cinnamon                -  3-inch
6. Whole black mustard seeds  -  1 1/2 tsp
7. Whole fenugreek seeds        -  1 tsp
8. White wine vinegar              -  5 Tbsp
9. Salt                                   -  1 1/2 to 2 tsp
10. Light brown sugar                -  1 tsp
11. Vegetable oil                      -  10 Tbsp
12. Onions                               -  2 medium, peeled and sliced into fine half-rings
13. Water                                -  1 1/3 cup (or broth/stock)
14. Chicken                              -  2 lb boneless cut into 1-inch cubes
15. Fresh ginger                        -  1-inch cube, peeled and coarsely chopped
16. Whole head of garlic             -  1 small, with all the cloves separated and peeled
17. Ground Coriander                 -  1 Tbsp
18. Ground Turmeric                  -  1/2 tsp

1. Grind cumin seeds, red chilies, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, cinnamon, black mustard seeds, and fenugreek seeds in a spice grinder.
2. In a bowl mix the ground spices, vinegar, salt, and sugar. Mix and set aside. [I kept it for over 2 hrs. I didn't mean to keep it that much...by the time chicken got defrosted, cleaned and cut, my photography session, some serious TV watching in between, 2 hrs passes just like that...]
3. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot over a medium flame and in the onions. Fry, stirring frequently, until the onions turn brown and crisp. I added a pinch of salt in order to cook the onions faster. When salt is added the onions releases moisture. Continue sauteing till its dry and oil starts to appear and onion turns brown.
4. Switch off the heat. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and put them into the container of an electric blender or food processor. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water to the blender and puree the onions. Add this puree to the ground spices in the bowl. (This is the vindaloo paste. It can be made ahead of time and frozen.)
5. Dry off the chicken cubes with a paper towel.
6. Put the ginger and garlic into the container of an electric blender or food processor. Add 2 to 3 Tablespoons of water and blend until you have a smooth paste.
7. Heat the oil remaining in the pot once again over a medium-high flame.
8. When hot, put in the chicken cubes, a few at a time, and brown them lightly on all sides, sealing the moisture for few seconds.
9. Remove each batch with a slotted spoon and keep in a bowl. Do all the lamb this way.
10. Now add the ginger-garlic paste into the same pot. Turn down the heat to medium. Stir the paste for a few seconds.
11. Add the coriander and tumeric. Stir for another few seconds.
12. Add the vindaloo paste and saute for sometime.
13. Add the chicken pieces, any juices that may have accumulated and 1 cup water (or stock). Bring to a boil.
14. Cover and simmer gently on low heat for sometime or until chicken is cooked. Stir a few times during this cooking period.
15. Switch off the heat and let it sit there for sometime for the flavours to infuse in to the chicken.

Chicken Vindaloo

My summer vacation is over...but looking back I have smiles all over my face. Had a fun week at Orlando,  a weekend drive to Vancouver, saw the entire tenth doctor episodes of Doctor Who from Netflix...some good movies , some okii movies...some cooking, some blogging....the time just went by...

When we accidentally bought vindaloo masala instead of the usual chicken masala,  I casually used it without even knowing it , the taste wasn't great...and thats when I checked the internet. Vindaloo needs a completely different cooking style...It needs vinegar and fresh spices.. While browsing I got the Madhur Jaffrey's recipe link from wikipedia. Although the recipe is for lamb vindaloo,  I  chickenized it... 


Last week I made this. In my chickenised version I cooked the vindaloo masala first and then added the browned chicken. The outcome was perfect. I let it sit for a while for the chicken to infuse more flavor. It was perfect with chappatti....

Recipe:
----------
Adapted from : Wikipedia > Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking

1. Whole cumin seeds             -  2 tsp
2. Hot, dried red chili peppers  -  2-3
3. Black peppercorns               -  2 tsp
4. Cardamom                         -  1 tsp [original recipe asks for cardamom seeds, but I used whole pods]
5. Stick of cinnamon                -  3-inch
6. Whole black mustard seeds  -  1 1/2 tsp
7. Whole fenugreek seeds        -  1 tsp
8. White wine vinegar              -  5 Tbsp
9. Salt                                   -  1 1/2 to 2 tsp
10. Light brown sugar                -  1 tsp
11. Vegetable oil                      -  10 Tbsp
12. Onions                               -  2 medium, peeled and sliced into fine half-rings
13. Water                                -  1 1/3 cup (or broth/stock)
14. Chicken                              -  2 lb boneless cut into 1-inch cubes
15. Fresh ginger                        -  1-inch cube, peeled and coarsely chopped
16. Whole head of garlic             -  1 small, with all the cloves separated and peeled
17. Ground Coriander                 -  1 Tbsp
18. Ground Turmeric                  -  1/2 tsp

1. Grind cumin seeds, red chilies, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, cinnamon, black mustard seeds, and fenugreek seeds in a spice grinder.
2. In a bowl mix the ground spices, vinegar, salt, and sugar. Mix and set aside. [I kept it for over 2 hrs. I didn't mean to keep it that much...by the time chicken got defrosted, cleaned and cut, my photography session, some serious TV watching in between, 2 hrs passes just like that...]
3. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pot over a medium flame and in the onions. Fry, stirring frequently, until the onions turn brown and crisp. I added a pinch of salt in order to cook the onions faster. When salt is added the onions releases moisture. Continue sauteing till its dry and oil starts to appear and onion turns brown.
4. Switch off the heat. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and put them into the container of an electric blender or food processor. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water to the blender and puree the onions. Add this puree to the ground spices in the bowl. (This is the vindaloo paste. It can be made ahead of time and frozen.)
5. Dry off the chicken cubes with a paper towel.
6. Put the ginger and garlic into the container of an electric blender or food processor. Add 2 to 3 Tablespoons of water and blend until you have a smooth paste.
7. Heat the oil remaining in the pot once again over a medium-high flame.
8. When hot, put in the chicken cubes, a few at a time, and brown them lightly on all sides, sealing the moisture for few seconds.
9. Remove each batch with a slotted spoon and keep in a bowl. Do all the lamb this way.
10. Now add the ginger-garlic paste into the same pot. Turn down the heat to medium. Stir the paste for a few seconds.
11. Add the coriander and tumeric. Stir for another few seconds.
12. Add the vindaloo paste and saute for sometime.
13. Add the chicken pieces, any juices that may have accumulated and 1 cup water (or stock). Bring to a boil.
14. Cover and simmer gently on low heat for sometime or until chicken is cooked. Stir a few times during this cooking period.
15. Switch off the heat and let it sit there for sometime for the flavours to infuse in to the chicken.

Besan Laddoo - Microwave method.

This sunday out of some kind of epiphany I made some ghee at home....Oww I love the smell of fresh ghee...it fills the whole house and it is like standing inside a bakery...

It transported me back to a very old memory. My father took me to a sweet making shop where we can buy large quantities of freshly prepared sweets. Even before we could reach there I was getting the smell of the sweets. When I stepped inside my tiny mind was so amazed, the place was full of huge variety of sweets. Seeing my excitement, my father was carefully holding my hand so I won't run and disturb the place. I was literally ogling at each and every sweet in that shop while my father was talking to the person. The shop man handed me one big laddoo to my hand and asked me if I liked it. Oh myyyy that laddoo was so perfect. For a brief moment I even thought of living close by. Realizing that they both were waiting for my reply, I snap out of my dream  and shook my head vigorously to both signaling that I loved it. My father ordered a bunch of those and rest of the memory is a blur...I guess I was so transfixed by that place....

This flashback inspired me to make something sweet...While searching the cupboard I found a bag of besan sitting at the corner. My brain was making all sorts of connection... and it all lead to one thing....Yess !!! Laddoooooo.....:D

My experimentation side was slowly getting energized so instead of the traditional method I did in this post, I decided to use microwave....I wasn't even sure that it would work out...But I am darn glad I did...The laddoo was so good...M and myself were popping laddoos one by one in to our mouth that it got finished like a snap...

Following the success, yesterday I made another batch, this time capturing the moments in my favorite camera...:)

Recipe:

---------

1. Besan flour    -  1 cup
2. Ghee            -  7 tbsp
3. Sugar           -  3/4 cup

1. In a thick microwavable glassware, add besan and ghee.
2. Slowly mix both together and microwave for 1 minutes. 
3. Take the container out and stir everything, scraping the sides and bottom or else mix will get burnt.
4. Repeat the process 5 times...ie, microwave for 1 min then stir and mix everything, scraping all sides.
5. After the 5th minute, add 1/4 cup sugar, mix everything together and microwave for 1 min.
6. Continue the process for 7th and 8th minute. ie, adding 1/4 cup sugar and stirring everything.
7. By this time the mix will attain a darker shade, and the raw smell will be gone.
8. Let it rest for a while. After it is cool enough to handle with hand, take  spoon size portions and start making small balls out of it.
9. If the mix gets too cold, heat for 5 - 10 sec in the microwave and then make balls. Else if too lazy to make balls, grab a spoon and start eating this lip-smaking dish right away. Although making laddoos makes it extra special...:)

Besan Laddoo - Microwave method.

This sunday out of some kind of epiphany I made some ghee at home....Oww I love the smell of fresh ghee...it fills the whole house and it is like standing inside a bakery...

It transported me back to a very old memory. My father took me to a sweet making shop where we can buy large quantities of freshly prepared sweets. Even before we could reach there I was getting the smell of the sweets. When I stepped inside my tiny mind was so amazed, the place was full of huge variety of sweets. Seeing my excitement, my father was carefully holding my hand so I won't run and disturb the place. I was literally ogling at each and every sweet in that shop while my father was talking to the person. The shop man handed me one big laddoo to my hand and asked me if I liked it. Oh myyyy that laddoo was so perfect. For a brief moment I even thought of living close by. Realizing that they both were waiting for my reply, I snap out of my dream  and shook my head vigorously to both signaling that I loved it. My father ordered a bunch of those and rest of the memory is a blur...I guess I was so transfixed by that place....

This flashback inspired me to make something sweet...While searching the cupboard I found a bag of besan sitting at the corner. My brain was making all sorts of connection... and it all lead to one thing....Yess !!! Laddoooooo.....:D

My experimentation side was slowly getting energized so instead of the traditional method I did in this post, I decided to use microwave....I wasn't even sure that it would work out...But I am darn glad I did...The laddoo was so good...M and myself were popping laddoos one by one in to our mouth that it got finished like a snap...

Following the success, yesterday I made another batch, this time capturing the moments in my favorite camera...:)

Recipe:

---------

1. Besan flour    -  1 cup
2. Ghee            -  7 tbsp
3. Sugar           -  3/4 cup

1. In a thick microwavable glassware, add besan and ghee.
2. Slowly mix both together and microwave for 1 minutes. 
3. Take the container out and stir everything, scraping the sides and bottom or else mix will get burnt.
4. Repeat the process 5 times...ie, microwave for 1 min then stir and mix everything, scraping all sides.
5. After the 5th minute, add 1/4 cup sugar, mix everything together and microwave for 1 min.
6. Continue the process for 7th and 8th minute. ie, adding 1/4 cup sugar and stirring everything.
7. By this time the mix will attain a darker shade, and the raw smell will be gone.
8. Let it rest for a while. After it is cool enough to handle with hand, take  spoon size portions and start making small balls out of it.
9. If the mix gets too cold, heat for 5 - 10 sec in the microwave and then make balls. Else if too lazy to make balls, grab a spoon and start eating this lip-smaking dish right away. Although making laddoos makes it extra special...:)

Chicken in coconut milk

This is the first curry I learnt to make myself. When friends asks me about my cooking in the olden days, I would say  'Well I learned to make chicken curry!!! Thats a start...'. 

Long gone are those days ... Now the list doesn't end with just a chicken curry and I am totally bragging about my little culinary journey to everyone !!!..What more can I say 'I am loving it !!!'

Okii, back to chicken curry...This is my trusted recipe..I make this curry every time when we have guests... Initially I used to stick with exact proportions... but now a days I vary the proportions following that moments' instincts....Some times I use tandoori masala or other masala powder to give a different twist... othertimes I add Allspice powder Amma (my mother) gave me instead of the different spices .... But I always mentally follow this base recipe....

Recipe:

--------

To marinate:

---------------

1. Chicken               -  1 lb boneless, cut into small pieces and dried with paper towel.
2. Red chilli powder  -  1/2 tbsp
3. Turmeric powder  -  1 tsp
4. Salt
5. Lemon juice        -  1/2
6. Yoghurt              -  2 tbsp
7. Pepper               -  1 tsp

Combine all the ingredients and Marinate the chicken for 1-2 hrs in refrigerator.

1. Oil
2. Cloves                        -   3
3. cardamom                  -   3
4. cinnamon                    -  1"
5. Onion                         -  1 1/2 big chopped 
6. Garlic                         -  1/2 tbsp minced
7. Ginger                        -  1/ 2tbsp minced
8. Green chilli                  -  2 nos chopped.
9. Mustard seeds
10. Coriander powder         -  1tbsp
11. Red chili powder           -  1/2 tbsp
12. Chicken masala powder -  1 1/2 tbsp
13. Turmeric powder          -  1/2 tsp
14. Tomato                       -  2 big chopped
15. Thick coconut milk         -  1/2 cup.

1. Heat Oil. Splutter mustard seeds.
2. Crush the spices and add to the oil.
3. When the aroma comes add in the minced ginger, garlic and green chilli.
4. Now add the chopped onions and saute on medium heat till it gains a golden brown color. 
5. Add in coriander powder, red chili powder , turmeric powder and chicken masala powder. 
6. Saute till the raw smell is gone and oil starts to appear. Cooking the masala  at this stage is important or else it will give a raw taste when the curry is made.
7. Once the masalas are cooked well, add in the chopped tomatoes and salt.
8. Cover the lid and let the tomatoes cook completely stirring it now and then. Again check for the raw smell of tomatoes. Cook till the raw smell of tomato is gone completely. Now the whole thing start to resemble like a paste. Check for salt, add if necessary.
9. Now add in the marinated chicken with little water.
10. Cover the lid. Reduce the heat and let the chicken slowly cook in the masala.
11. Once the chicken is cooked, pour the thick coconut milk and simmer. Do not let it  boil but make sure the coconut milk is cooked...
12. Let the curry sit for a while. This helps each of the chicken pieces to get more flavored with the masala...
13. Serve and enjoy..:)

Once coconut milk is added, curry will not stay fresh for the next day. What I do is I take half of it from step (10) and add coconut milk. The rest of the chicken curry is dried up on high heat. No watery content should be left.  It should resemble like  fried chicken pieces. When completely cooled, it is refrigerated in a dry container. Next day heat the chicken pieces in a saucepan, add the coconut milk and simmer.

Chicken in coconut milk

This is the first curry I learnt to make myself. When friends asks me about my cooking in the olden days, I would say  'Well I learned to make chicken curry!!! Thats a start...'. 

Long gone are those days ... Now the list doesn't end with just a chicken curry and I am totally bragging about my little culinary journey to everyone !!!..What more can I say 'I am loving it !!!'

Okii, back to chicken curry...This is my trusted recipe..I make this curry every time when we have guests... Initially I used to stick with exact proportions... but now a days I vary the proportions following that moments' instincts....Some times I use tandoori masala or other masala powder to give a different twist... othertimes I add Allspice powder Amma (my mother) gave me instead of the different spices .... But I always mentally follow this base recipe....

Recipe:

--------

To marinate:

---------------

1. Chicken               -  1 lb boneless, cut into small pieces and dried with paper towel.
2. Red chilli powder  -  1/2 tbsp
3. Turmeric powder  -  1 tsp
4. Salt
5. Lemon juice        -  1/2
6. Yoghurt              -  2 tbsp
7. Pepper               -  1 tsp

Combine all the ingredients and Marinate the chicken for 1-2 hrs in refrigerator.

1. Oil
2. Cloves                        -   3
3. cardamom                  -   3
4. cinnamon                    -  1"
5. Onion                         -  1 1/2 big chopped 
6. Garlic                         -  1/2 tbsp minced
7. Ginger                        -  1/ 2tbsp minced
8. Green chilli                  -  2 nos chopped.
9. Mustard seeds
10. Coriander powder         -  1tbsp
11. Red chili powder           -  1/2 tbsp
12. Chicken masala powder -  1 1/2 tbsp
13. Turmeric powder          -  1/2 tsp
14. Tomato                       -  2 big chopped
15. Thick coconut milk         -  1/2 cup.

1. Heat Oil. Splutter mustard seeds.
2. Crush the spices and add to the oil.
3. When the aroma comes add in the minced ginger, garlic and green chilli.
4. Now add the chopped onions and saute on medium heat till it gains a golden brown color. 
5. Add in coriander powder, red chili powder , turmeric powder and chicken masala powder. 
6. Saute till the raw smell is gone and oil starts to appear. Cooking the masala  at this stage is important or else it will give a raw taste when the curry is made.
7. Once the masalas are cooked well, add in the chopped tomatoes and salt.
8. Cover the lid and let the tomatoes cook completely stirring it now and then. Again check for the raw smell of tomatoes. Cook till the raw smell of tomato is gone completely. Now the whole thing start to resemble like a paste. Check for salt, add if necessary.
9. Now add in the marinated chicken with little water.
10. Cover the lid. Reduce the heat and let the chicken slowly cook in the masala.
11. Once the chicken is cooked, pour the thick coconut milk and simmer. Do not let it  boil but make sure the coconut milk is cooked...
12. Let the curry sit for a while. This helps each of the chicken pieces to get more flavored with the masala...
13. Serve and enjoy..:)

Once coconut milk is added, curry will not stay fresh for the next day. What I do is I take half of it from step (10) and add coconut milk. The rest of the chicken curry is dried up on high heat. No watery content should be left.  It should resemble like  fried chicken pieces. When completely cooled, it is refrigerated in a dry container. Next day heat the chicken pieces in a saucepan, add the coconut milk and simmer.

Chicken Biriyani - Hyderabad style

I never liked anything other than plain rice before...During parties and gathering when fried rice or biriyanis are served I am like 'Why can't they serve plain rice...its so simple to make....' My opinion about all this  changed one day and it happened when I was in Hyderabad..

It was one of those salary weekends and we bunch of us decided to go to Secunderabad. We took a train to reach there (and little did we know then that we were taking the long route...) Anyways after the long journey, some local shopping and roaming around....our stomach started growling....and thats when we decided to step inside Paradise restaurant... famous for biriyanis.... But to our utter dismay we had a long queue ahead of us waiting inside...the smell of biriyanis served inside was only increasing our distress. After about 1 hour we finally got seats, and to put an end to our suffering our biriyanis arrived in no time...:) It was like pure heaven...none of us had any more small talk ...we ate in perfect silence...and I was never so happy to see biriyanis infront of me...I finished the whole bowl in one sitting without even leaving a single grain of rice...Phew !! I had quite a big appetite that day...

And thats how my affair with biriyanis started...:) But now when I think about this steamy affair, was it my hunger or my growing inner palate that made the connection ? I wonder !!

Recipe:

--------

Adapted from : Vahrehvah (The dum/ kachchi style were chicken and rice are not cooked before layering.)

Ingredients:

--------------

To mariante:

---------------

1. Chicken               -  1 lb (I used boneless chicken breast)
2. Green chillies        -   2 nos sliced
3. Pepper                -  1/2 tbsp 
4. Cumin                 -  2 tsp
5. Chili powder         -  1 tbsp
6. Coriander powder -  1 tbsp
7. Turmeric powder  -  1 tsp
8. Salt
9. Oil 
10. yoghurt               -  1 cup
11. mint + coriander  -  1/2 cup
12. garlic                  -  4-6 cloves
13. ginger                 - 1 inch

For rice:

---------

1. Basmati Rice       -  2 cup socked in water for 30 min.
2. Bay leaf              -  2 big
3. Cloves                -  4 - 5
4. Cardamom          -  4 - 5
5. Cinnamon           -  1 inch
6. Lemon juice        - 1/2 lemon  
7. Oil
8. Salt

To garnish

-------------

1. Onion                - 1 med sliced finely.
2. Mint                  - few leaves
3. Coriander leaves - few
4. Dried nuts          - few
5. Ghee/oil 
6. Turmeric            - 1 tsp mixed in 1/4 cup water. (Few strands of saffron in milk)
7. Salt

1. In a blender add mint leaves, coriander leaves, little yoghurt, garlic and ginger. Blend to a fine paste.
2. In a bowl add this blended paste, mix it with rest of the yoghurt. Add in ingredients from (1) to (9) [under To marinate] and let the chicken marinate in the mix for a while.
3. Make sure rice is socked in the water for 30 min. This will help expand the rice evenly resulting in even cooking.
4. Crush cardamom, cloves and cinnamon into small bits. Not to a fine powder.
5. In a large saucepan, heat some oil, bay leaf and the crushed spices from step[4].
6. When the nice aroma starts coming, pour in some water (enough to cook the rice to 50%).
7. Add salt, and taste the water. The water should taste salty. Now add the lemon juice.
8. When the water starts boiling, add the socked and drained rice.
9. Rice should be cooked till its 50% done. 
10. Within few minutes, the rice will start to dance in the water. Take rice grain and try to crush with hand. It should easily break into few pieces. This indicates that rice is half done.
11. Switch off the heat and drain the rice. The drained rice will also contain the crushed spices.
12. In a pan heat some oil and fry the sliced onions in batches. Fry till its light brown and drain in a paper towel. Sprinkle some salt over it.
13. Take a heavy bottom pan. Add all the marinated chicken at the bottom and level it using a spatula.
14. Sprinkle some fried onions.
15. Add the half cooked rice over it.
16. Sprinkle the rest of fried onions, coriander leaves and mint leaves and turmeric water.
17. Cover with a tight lid(extremely important). If the lid is not tight, cover the pan with  silver foil and then close the lid.
18. I have an electric stove at home, so I cooked for 5 min on high heat, 20 min on medium heat and I switched off the heat. The electric stove will be hot even after switching off. I let it rest for further 30 min without disturbing the lid.
19. Remove the lid, open the silver foil away from you and remove it.
20. Serve hot and enjoy...:)

Chicken Biriyani - Hyderabad style

I never liked anything other than plain rice before...During parties and gathering when fried rice or biriyanis are served I am like 'Why can't they serve plain rice...its so simple to make....' My opinion about all this  changed one day and it happened when I was in Hyderabad..

It was one of those salary weekends and we bunch of us decided to go to Secunderabad. We took a train to reach there (and little did we know then that we were taking the long route...) Anyways after the long journey, some local shopping and roaming around....our stomach started growling....and thats when we decided to step inside Paradise restaurant... famous for biriyanis.... But to our utter dismay we had a long queue ahead of us waiting inside...the smell of biriyanis served inside was only increasing our distress. After about 1 hour we finally got seats, and to put an end to our suffering our biriyanis arrived in no time...:) It was like pure heaven...none of us had any more small talk ...we ate in perfect silence...and I was never so happy to see biriyanis infront of me...I finished the whole bowl in one sitting without even leaving a single grain of rice...Phew !! I had quite a big appetite that day...

And thats how my affair with biriyanis started...:) But now when I think about this steamy affair, was it my hunger or my growing inner palate that made the connection ? I wonder !!

Recipe:

--------

Adapted from : Vahrehvah (The dum/ kachchi style were chicken and rice are not cooked before layering.)

Ingredients:

--------------

To mariante:

---------------

1. Chicken               -  1 lb (I used boneless chicken breast)
2. Green chillies        -   2 nos sliced
3. Pepper                -  1/2 tbsp 
4. Cumin                 -  2 tsp
5. Chili powder         -  1 tbsp
6. Coriander powder -  1 tbsp
7. Turmeric powder  -  1 tsp
8. Salt
9. Oil 
10. yoghurt               -  1 cup
11. mint + coriander  -  1/2 cup
12. garlic                  -  4-6 cloves
13. ginger                 - 1 inch

For rice:

---------

1. Basmati Rice       -  2 cup socked in water for 30 min.
2. Bay leaf              -  2 big
3. Cloves                -  4 - 5
4. Cardamom          -  4 - 5
5. Cinnamon           -  1 inch
6. Lemon juice        - 1/2 lemon  
7. Oil
8. Salt

To garnish

-------------

1. Onion                - 1 med sliced finely.
2. Mint                  - few leaves
3. Coriander leaves - few
4. Dried nuts          - few
5. Ghee/oil 
6. Turmeric            - 1 tsp mixed in 1/4 cup water. (Few strands of saffron in milk)
7. Salt

1. In a blender add mint leaves, coriander leaves, little yoghurt, garlic and ginger. Blend to a fine paste.
2. In a bowl add this blended paste, mix it with rest of the yoghurt. Add in ingredients from (1) to (9) [under To marinate] and let the chicken marinate in the mix for a while.
3. Make sure rice is socked in the water for 30 min. This will help expand the rice evenly resulting in even cooking.
4. Crush cardamom, cloves and cinnamon into small bits. Not to a fine powder.
5. In a large saucepan, heat some oil, bay leaf and the crushed spices from step[4].
6. When the nice aroma starts coming, pour in some water (enough to cook the rice to 50%).
7. Add salt, and taste the water. The water should taste salty. Now add the lemon juice.
8. When the water starts boiling, add the socked and drained rice.
9. Rice should be cooked till its 50% done. 
10. Within few minutes, the rice will start to dance in the water. Take rice grain and try to crush with hand. It should easily break into few pieces. This indicates that rice is half done.
11. Switch off the heat and drain the rice. The drained rice will also contain the crushed spices.
12. In a pan heat some oil and fry the sliced onions in batches. Fry till its light brown and drain in a paper towel. Sprinkle some salt over it.
13. Take a heavy bottom pan. Add all the marinated chicken at the bottom and level it using a spatula.
14. Sprinkle some fried onions.
15. Add the half cooked rice over it.
16. Sprinkle the rest of fried onions, coriander leaves and mint leaves and turmeric water.
17. Cover with a tight lid(extremely important). If the lid is not tight, cover the pan with  silver foil and then close the lid.
18. I have an electric stove at home, so I cooked for 5 min on high heat, 20 min on medium heat and I switched off the heat. The electric stove will be hot even after switching off. I let it rest for further 30 min without disturbing the lid.
19. Remove the lid, open the silver foil away from you and remove it.
20. Serve hot and enjoy...:)

Asian Orange Chicken

If I am inside a food court and if I spot a word pizza anywhere through the corner of my eye, some form of mental bond forms...next minute I will be moving straight to that corner. The other day at the airport food court...after gobbling up an entire (reasonably big) pizza I directed my concentration to M's plate and saw the juicy chicken dish on his plate. I took my fork and ate the last piece before he could take it and it was toooo good.

For a second I even thought of having a second lunch from the Chinese corner. But my brain was putting some sense to me - "See Ann your stomach is well fed. No need to eat anymore...". Yea sometimes brain makes more sense than heart...:).

Through out the journey I was talking about that orange chicken...

After reaching home I looked up for a recipe and found this one. The recipe was so perfect that when I tasted, it was exactly like the orange chicken I had...A perfect balance between sweetness and sourness of orange...

Recipe:

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Source : HARRY WETZEL posted here

For the Sauce:
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1. Water                   -  1 1/2 cups
2. Orange juice          -  2 tablespoons
3. Lemon juice           -  1/4 cup
4. Rice vinegar           -  1/3 cup
5. Soy sauce              -  2 1/2 tablespoons
6. Grated orange zest  -  1 tablespoon  
7. Brown sugar           -  1 cup packed
8. Fresh ginger root     -  1/2 teaspoon minced
9. Garlic                     -  1/2 teaspoon minced
10. Green onion            -  2 tablespoons chopped  
11. Red pepper flakes    -  1/4 teaspoon
12. Cornstarch              -  3 tablespoons
13. Water                    -  2 tablespoons

 For Chicken:
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1. Chicken breasts      -  2 boneless, skinless cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2. All-purpose flour     -  1 cup
3. Salt                      -  1/4 teaspoon
4. Pepper                  -  1/4 teaspoon
5. Olive oil                -  3 tablespoons

Directions:

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1. Pour 1 1/2 cups water, orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce into a saucepan and set over medium-high heat.
2. Stir in the orange zest, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, chopped onion, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil.
3. Remove from heat, and let it cool completely.
4. Place the chicken pieces into a container.
5. When contents of saucepan have cooled, pour some (1 cup) of the sauce into container till all the chicken is immersed in it.
6. Reserve the remaining sauce. Cover the container, and refrigerate at least 2 hours. ( I refrigerated overnight. I also refrigerated the remaining sauce.)
7. In another container, mix the flour, salt, and pepper.
8. Coat each of the marinated chicken with the flour mix.
9. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken into the skillet, and brown on both sides.
10. Remove the excess oil by draining with paper towels.
11. In a saucepan and add the reserved sauce. Bring to boil over medium-high heat.
12. Mix together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water; stir into the sauce.(This is to thicken the sauce. I omitted this step.)
13. Reduce heat to medium low, add the chicken pieces, and simmer, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
14. Serve hot and enjoy...:)