Thursday 19 January 2012

Creamy chicken casserole with potato dumplings


Ingredients

Chicken stew
  • 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
  • 3 cloves of Garlic, peeled and crushed or to taste
  • 300 ml (1/2 pint) vegetable stock
  • 120 ml (4 fl oz) white wine or dry sherry
  • 4 large chicken breasts, skin removed
  • 300 ml single cream
  • 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped
  • Pinch of mustard powder, to taste
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Dumplings
  • 225 g (8 oz) floury potatoes (Desiree, King Edward), peeled, boiled and mashed
  • 115 g (6 oz) suet
  • 115 g (4 oz) self-raising flour
  • Up to 50 ml (50 g) (2 fl oz) water, you'll need less or none at all if the potatoes are 'wet'.
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mixed herbs, chopped
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mise en place

Preheat the oven to 190° C (375° F - gas 5)

Method

  1. Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces
  2. Add the stock, onion, garlic, mustard powder wine and chicken pieces to a large oven-proof casserole dish, bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes
  3. Add the tarragon and cream and heat gently for 5 minutes, stirring well. Season to taste
  4. In a bowl, mix the dumpling ingredients into a soft dough. If you're lazy like me, lob it all into a food-processor and blitz it. Add the water a little at a time until the mixture binds together. I've made these dumplings when they have had the consistency of thick double cream and they still cook out ok.
  5. With lightly floured hands, roll into 6 balls
  6. Lay the dumplings onto the chicken casserole
  7. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes
  8. Finish for 5 minutes under a grill to crisp the dumplings - keep you eye on them though, they burn easily. 
 Servings:    Serves 4

Tuesday 17 January 2012

Indian Butter Chicken or murgh makhani

Butter chicken (or murgh makhani) is part of the Indian cuisine popular in countries all over the world. Butter chicken is usually served with naan, roti , parathas, roomali roti or steamed rice. It is loved for it’s spicy gravy or curry which is pleasant to most palates. Great to taste, it is cooked in restaurants and enjoyed all over the world. It’s curry can be made in a variety of ways to alter the hotness from highly spicy to mild spicy, to suit most of the palates. Butter chicken tastes great with the combination of Kaali Dal(black lentils), Naan and green salad.

Ingredients :  
  • Boneless chicken – 1 kg,  skin removed
  • Lime juice – of 1 lemon
  • Salt to taste
  • Red chili powder – 1 teaspoon or more adjusted to suit your taste
  • Cloves – 6
  • Peppercorns – 8 to 10
  • Cinnamon – 1 inch stick
  • Bay leaves – 2
  • Almonds – 8 to 10
  • Seeds from 3-4 pods of cardamom
  • Fresh yoghurt – 1 cup ,must not be sour
  • Vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil – 3 tablespoons
  • Onions – 2, chopped
  • Garlic paste – 2 teaspoons
  • Ginger paste – 1 teaspoon
  • Coriander powder – 2 teaspoons
  • Cuminutes powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
  • Tomato sauce – 1 can , about 400g or 14 oz
  • Chicken stock – ½ liters
  • Kasuri methi – 2 tablespoons  that is, dried fenugreek leaves
  • Soft butter – 3 tablespoons, un melted
  • Salt to taste
  • Coriander leaves to garnish

 

Cook Time: 45 minutes 

Prep Time: 1 hour

Servings : 6 person

Preparation:

  • Mix the chicken, lime juice, salt and red chilli powder in a large, non-metallic bowl. Cover and allow to marinate for 1 hour.
  • Heat a flat pan or griddle on medium heat and gently roast (stirring frequently) the cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon, bay leaves and almonds till they darken slightly. Cool and add the cardamom seeds. Now grind into a coarse powder in a clean, dry coffee grinder.
  • Mix the yoghurt, above whole spice powder (from previous step), coriander, cumin and turmeric powders together and add them to the chicken. Allow to marinate for another hour.
  • Heat the oil in a deep pan on medium heat. When hot, add the onions. Fry till a pale golden brown in color and then add the ginger and garlic pastes. Fry for a minute.
  • Add only the chicken from the chicken-spice mix and fry till sealed (chicken will turn opaque and the flesh will go from pink to whitish in color).
  • Now add the tomato paste, chicken stock, kasuri methi and remaining part of the yogurt-spice mix to the chicken.
  • Cook till the chicken is tender and the gravy is reduced to half its original volume.
  • Melt the butter in another small pan and then pour it over the chicken.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with Naan and Kali Daal



Sunday 15 January 2012

Indian Chicken Curry

Indian curry chicken is a very delicious dish, served in curry spice along with Basmati rice.

Ingredients

  1. 4 chicken breast fillets
  2. 2 large onions, peeled and sliced
  3. 250ml ltr chicken stock
  4. 3 cloves of garlic, crushed  
  5. Pinch of sugar and salt 
  6. 3 tbsps curry powder  
  7. 1 tbsp Chinese five-spice mix 
  8. 1½ tbsps of cornflour
  9. 2 tbps sunflower oil 
  10. 1 bunch fresh coriander leaves, chopped  



 










  


Preparation time : 30 minute
serve for 4 person
           
Method :


  • Heat the oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Add the onions and fry for about 4  minutes or till rich golden brown.
  • Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry briefly till the raw smell goes away. Add the tomatoes and the yoghurt stirring briskly to avoid curdling. Fry for about 4  minutes or till oil separates.  
  • Mix in the red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, salt and pepper to taste. Increase the heat and add the chicken pieces. Fry for about 5  minutes or till the chicken is lightly browned. 
  • Add the hot water and mix well. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on very low heat for about 15  minutes or till chicken is well cooked and the oil has separated. Sprinkle the curry powder or hot spice mix (garam masala) and cover tightly for about 10-15 minutes for the aroma to blend well in the curry.
    Serve hot garnished with coriander leaves.  

Indian best Chicken Salad Recipes

 Indian Chicken salad recipes are a traditional favorite for picnics, but that doesn't mean you always have to use the same recipe. We have more than a hundred possibilities that can fill almost any need: quick, easy, healthy, warm, cool and all wrapped up for eating on the go.

 Ingredients:    
  1. Chicken 3 cups
  2. Celery, chopped 1/2 cup
  3. Black Pepper to taste
  4. Mayonnaise 5 to 6 tablespoon
  5. Red onions 1 medium, finely chopped
  6. Lemon juice 1 tablespoon
  7. Salt to taste  
Directions:   
  • Prepare all of the salad ingredients and combine them in a large bowl.
  • Prepare the dressing separately. Combine the mayonnaise, preserves, and lemon juice. Taste for proper balance. The dressing should not be too sweet nor too sour. Adjust the ingredients until you have achieved the balance you want. Add salt and pepper to taste.  
  • Mix the dressing in with the salad ingredients. Salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation time: 15 mins

Serve : 3 person

 


Saturday 14 January 2012

Indian Chicken and Spinach bake

In this easy chicken and spinach bake, chicken breasts are simply baked on a bed of spinach with a tomato and green onion topping. Add Cajun or Creole seasonings to the chicken breasts, or use your own favorite seasoning blend.


 
 Ingredients

  • 1 (14.5-oz.) can Italian-style diced tomatoes 
  • 1 (8-oz.) container chive-and-onion cream cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt 
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper 
  • 1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese 
  • 8 ounces uncooked rigatoni
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 medium)
  • 1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
  • 3 cups cubed cooked chicken breasts

Preparation:

               Heat oven to 350°. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or spray with cooking spray. Put spinach in the baking dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth. Sprinkle chicken with seasoning blend, salt, and pepper; arrange over the spinach. Sprinkle with the diced tomato and green onion. Cover the baking dish with foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until chicken is cooked through.
Serves 4.