Tandoori Chicken

"One of the most popular dishes of India; Tandoori Chicken is a dish where fresh pieces of chicken are marinated and grilled to perfection in a Tandoor. However, it can also be made in an oven or airfryer".

Tandoori chicken

Ingredients

6 chicken drumsticks and 6 thighs (about 4 pounds)

1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chili powder

1 tablespoon garam masala

1 tablespoon cumin powder

1 tablespoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

3 tablespoons peeled and roughly chopped fresh ginger

7 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped (you can also use ready ginger-garlic paste - about 2 tablespoons)

¼ cup Greek yogurt or hung curd

2 tablespoons lemon juice

¼ cup vegetable oil

2-3 drops of red food colour (optional)

Salt to taste

Garnishing: onion rings and lime wedges (optional).

Directions

In a bowl mix together with Greek yogurt all the powdered spices and red food colour until we’ll blended. Add salt and taste the mixture. Keep aside.

In a blender add ginger and garlic and grind to a paste with lime juice. Wash chicken pieces well and drain well (there should be no moisture). With a sharp knife, make 2-3 slashes on the chicken pieces. Transfer the chicken pieces to large bowl for marinating. Add the ground ginger-garlic paste and the yogurt-spice mixture to the chicken pieces and mix well (if you are using ready ginger-garlic paste, then add the lemon juice to the yogurt mixture). Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

To make in airfryer: Line the airfryer with an airfryer liner. Place the marinated chicken pieces in the liner. Baste it with some oil. Cook on a setting of heat from both up and down. Cook for 15 minutes, then pause the airfryer and turn the chicken pieces with tongs. Baste it with oil if needed. Cook for another 12-15 minutes, while checking in between cooking times. Check if chicken is well cooked, if not, cook for a few minutes more.

To make in the oven: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil (for easy clean-up) and set an oven-proof rack over top. Spray the rack with nonstick cooking spray or grease with vegetable oil.

Arrange the chicken on the rack, leaving a bit of space between the pieces. Spoon any marinade left in the bowl evenly over the drumsticks. Roast for 45 minutes, turning once midway through, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through (be sure to turn on your exhaust fan as the oven will get a little smoky).

Transfer the chicken to a platter and garnish with mint leaves and lime wedges, and serve with rotis/tortillas and a raita on the side.

Chicken Khudi Curry

 

Chicken Khudi Curry

"Chicken Khudi Curry is an authentic East Indian curry made with chicken and potatoes and is eaten with rice flatbreads or plain white rice and a simple salad on the side. The main ingredient is the traditional East Indian bottle masala powder. However, any other curry masala powder can be used instead of bottle masala.  The curry recipe is also made with mutton or beef."

Ingredients

1 kg Chicken cut into pieces

3 Potatoes Chopped

4  tbsp Cooking oil

2 heaping tbsp East Indian Bottle masala (or curry powder)

2-3 bay leaves 

salt to taste

2 large red onions. sliced

2 green chilies (deseed if you want it less spicy)

2 cups freshly grated coconut (you can also use dry grated coconut)

2 inch fresh ginger

8 large garlic cloves

1 tablespoon tamarind paste or vinegar or lemon juice

Some freshly chopped coriander for garnishing

Directions

Wash chicken pieces well, drain and keep aside. In a frying pan, dry roast the freshly grated coconut until lightly toasted and light brown in colour. Remove from the pan and set aside in a bowl. In the same pan, dry roast the onions, green chilies, ginger and garlic until fragrant and slightly brown. Transfer this and the roasted coconut to a food processor or blender and blend with a little water and blen to a smooth paste. Set this paste aside.

In a pan/cooking pot, stir-fry the chicken pieces over medium heat in oil for two minutes until lightly browned on all sides. Add the ground masala paste and saute for 2 minutes. Add 2-3 bay leaves. Then add the bottle masala and saute for a minute more. It is important to cook the spices until they are fragrant so don't make haste. If necessary, add a few tablespoons of water to prevent it from burning at the bottom. Then add a cup of water and season with salt and pepper. Then, add the chopped potatoes - make sure the potatoes are immersed in the water. Cover and cook for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes are tender.  Finally, add the tamarind paste or vinegar or lemon juice and cook a minute more. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander. Service with white rice and some salad made with chopped onion, tomato and lime juice on the side. 

 

Lebanese Fatteh

Lebanese Fatteh

Ingredients

1 rotisserie chicken

3 pita breads or khabbus, cut into small squares

vegetable oil for frying

2 cups cooked chickpeas

2 cloves of garlic, mashed

2 cups plain yogurt

¼ cup tahini

juice of 1 lime

½ cup toasted sliced almonds or pine nuts

Salt to taste

Paprika for garnishing

Chopped parsley to garnish

Directions

Mix the pita bread squares with a little olive oil and grill in the oven for 10 minutes till the chips are golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven and set aside

Prepare the sauce by combining the mashed garlic and the yogurt. Whisk until smooth. Add the tahini while whisking and, finally, the lime juice. Season with salt and pepper and reserve. (Refrigerate if not using right away!)

Make sure your shredded chicken and chickpeas are warm before assembling the dish and work quickly so everything is still warm when you serve it.

In a big casserole or serving platter, start with the pita squares, evenly distributed in a single layer.

The next layer is the cooked chickpeas and finally 2/3 of the chicken mixture.

Top with the yogurt sauce and the remaining chicken and finish by sprinkling the toasted nuts and chopped parsley. Sprinkle some paprika on top of everything. You can garnish with some pomegranate.

Serve warm.

Sweet, Sour & Sticky Chicken Wings

Ingredients

1 Kg Chicken Wings
For the marinade
3 tablespoons cornflour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 tablespoon oil

2 flakes garlic, grated or chopped finely
1" ginger, grated or chopped finely
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
3 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/4 tsp ajinomoto (optional)

For garnishing
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 green onion, chopped finely

Directions

Wash chicken wings and drain well. Marinate the chicken wings with red chili powder, cornflour and salt for 1/2 an hour. Preheat oven at 180 degrees C. Place chicken in a sheet pan and grill the chicken in the oven for 20 minutes or till the chicken is almost cooked. You can also use an air fryer.  Remove the chicken wings and keep aside. In a wok add some cooking oil and stir fry the ginger and garlic. Add the dark soy sauce, honey, pepper powder, and vinegar. Add the grilled chicken wings and mix to coat the wings with the sauce. Stir fry for a few minutes till chicken wings are well cooked. Check seasoning and add salt if required. Add ajinomoto and mix well. Drizzle with sesame oil and turn off the heat. Remove chicken wings on a serving platter and sprinkle sesame seeds. Garnish with chopped green onions. Serve with stir fried noodles or fried rice.

Ham and Cheese Crown

Ham and Cheese Crown

“This is a recipe I have tried and liked from the show Nadiya’s Family Favourites. It makes a great breakfast dish or a quick lunch for a family of 4.”

Makes 10-12 slices.

Ingredients

2 x 320g packets of ready-rolled puff pastry

4 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tsp paprika

12 cooked smoked turkey or ham slices

200g Gouda cheese, grated

1 egg, lightly beaten

rock salt

1 tsp black sesame or nigella seeds

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6. Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Unroll both pieces of pastry and join two of the short ends to make one long piece, pressing the two edges together. Place your long piece of pastry on a work surface, making sure to keep the pastry on the pieces of paper it comes wrapped in, as this will make manoeuvring much easier later on.

Mix the ketchup and paprika together in a small bowl and spread all over one side of the pastry, leaving just 1cm free round the edges. Lay the slices of turkey or ham on top, followed by the cheese.

Roll up the pastry like a Swiss roll, starting from the long edge. Try to roll it as tightly as possible. Once it’s rolled, bring the two ends together to create a ring and join by squashing the pastry together.

Place the pastry ring on the prepared baking tray.

Using a sharp knife, cut 2cm-width slits around the edges, making sure not to go all the way through. Gently pull and twist each section of pastry and lay the slices on their side, so the swirly bits are slightly exposed.

Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg and sprinkle with the salt and sesame seeds. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

Once out of the oven, leave to cool slightly on the tray.

Ginger Chicken with Tofu

Ginger Chicken with Tofu

Ingredients

3 chicken breasts cut into cubes or thin slices
3 spring onions, chopped
1 packet firm tofu, cut in cubes
2" piece ginger, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
2 tablespoon corn starch
1 tsp white pepper powder
1/4 tsp ajino moto (optional)
1 tsp white vinegar
4 tablespoons cooking oil
a few drops of sesame oil

Directions:

Apply 1 tablespoon cornstarch and a few drops of soy sauce to the chicken. Mix the remaining corn starch to a small amount of water in a bowl and set aside. In a wok, heat cooking oil and stir fry the chicken pieces till light brown. Remove from heat and set aside. In the same wok add some more oil and stir fry ginger for a few minutes, then add the white part of the spring onions and stir fry quickly, add the tofu, soy sauce, ajino moto, vinegar, pepper powder and stir fry but gently, taking care not to break the tofu. Add chicken and mix gently. Add the remaining corn starch that was mixed in water. Stir fry gently for 1 minute and check seasoning. Sprinkle some sesame oil and top with the remaining spring onions. Serve hot with fried rice.

Egg Curry

Egg Curry

Ingredients

6 hard boiled eggs peeled and halved

1 large red onion, roughly sliced
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped

4 flakes garlic

2” piece ginger

2 tbsp tomato paste

3 tbsp mild curry powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

2 green chilies sliced at an angle

8-10 cashews

½ glass of water

5-6 tbsp oil

Salt to taste
4 tbsp cooking cream

Chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Directions

In a deep pan heat some cooking oil and sauté the onions for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and sauté for 3-4 minutes. Next add ginger and garlic and sauté for a few more minutes. Then add the cashews and sauté for a further 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to cool for a bit. Transfer this to a blender and grind it to a fine paste. You can add some water if needed. In a pot heat some oil and add the green chilies and fry for a few minutes. Remove and transfer to a small bowl.  Add the ground mixture to the remaining oil and fry this for a few minutes or until the mixture changes to a darker colour. Add the curry powder and fry for a few minutes. Add salt to taste and half a cup of water. Simmer for a few minutes. The gravy should be thick. Now add the halved boiled eggs and cream. Stir gently. and check seasoning. Turn off the heat. Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with the fried green chilies and chopped fresh coriander. Service with hot white rice or naan. 

Gyros

Gyros

“Gyros is a popular Greek street food and is available almost everywhere in Athens. I tasted my first Gyros during my trip to Greece in Athens and simply loved it. The flat bread is crispy and soft in every bite. It can be made with a pork or chicken filling. In this recipe I used a roast pork filling which you can make a day before”.

Makes 10 Gyros (to make a smaller quantity, simply halve the ingredients)

Ingredients

For the flatbread:

6 levelled cups for the dough, plus more for bailing the dough later

2 teaspoons salt

2 cup water, lukewarm

2 tablespoons sugar

4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1 cup milk, lukewarm

1 cup plain yogurt

6 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil

Some butter for basting the breads

For the filling:

1 full rotisserie or grilled chicken shredded in big pieces or roast pork slices.

2 tomatoes sliced in rounds

1 large onion sliced in rings

Some chopped parsley

Tzatziki sauce (please see here how to make Tzatziki)

Directions:

To make the dough: In a small bowl heat ½ cup of water in the microwave for 35 seconds, remove, add sugar and mx. Add the dry instant yeast, mix and leave to foam up. You will know the yeast is activated when it’s all bubbly and frothy on top. In the bowl of your stand mixer add the flour and salt and mix. Add the yeast mixture, yoghurt and with the dough attachment of your mixer start mixing. As the dough is mixing, add the lukewarm milk gradually as required till the dough is smooth but not sticky. Remove the dough onto your cleaned counter and knead into a ball using some oil. Place dough in the bowl of your mixer and cover with a cling wrap. Keep in a warm place for the dough to rise. If it’s cold where you live, pre-heat your oven for few minutes and then turn it off. Then place your dough inside the oven (remember the oven should be off!). After around 90 minutes, the dough will be more than double in size. Punch the dough lightly to release the air.

Divide the dough into 10 equal parts using a pastry cutter or knife (do not pull the dough as it will break the gluten strands). If the dough is sticky, oil your hands while dividing the dough. Cover the dough balls with a kitchen towel. Take a ball and roll it a bit, using some dry flour, bail the dough into a large flatbread, about 9-10 inches. Repeat the process until you’ve bailed all the flatbread.

In a flat non-stick pan, place one flatbread, on low heat. When you see small bubbles, turn the flatbread and brush with some butter on top. Turn the flatbread again and brush with butter. They should be golden brown on both sides. Repeat until all the flat breads are done. In a plate arrange one Gyro flatbread. Top it with shredded chicken or pork slices. Place a couple of tomato roundels, some onion rings, drizzle with some Tzatziki and some chopped parsley. You can cover each Gyro with butter paper, however here I used a toothpick to hold it together.

Shkmeruli - Chicken cooked in cream and garlic

Shkmeruli

"Shkmeruli Is a Georgian Chicken dish in a sauce of garlic and cream from the Racha region in Georgia. I had the opportunity to try this in a restaurant in Batumi, Georgia and truly loved it. I have given the recipe a twist by adding red chilli powder, turmeric and some parsley, but you can omit these and stick to the traditional recipe."


Serves 4


Ingredients
2 whole young chickens 
2 tsp red chilli powder (optional)
1 tsp turmeric powder (optional)
100 grams of garlic
200 ml of cooking cream (160 grams of sour cream if you prefer)
160 ml of water (100 ml if you are using sour cream instead of cream), 
60 ml of oil Handful of chopped parsley (optional)
Salt to taste 

Directions
Wash the chickens and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Cut the chickens length ways from breast but do not separate into two halves. Rub oil, chilli powder and salt on to both sides of the chicken. Flatten the chickens out and add one chicken to a pan of hot oil and press it down.Use a pestle or any suitable heavy object to keep the chicken flat so that it cooks evenly. Fry both sides of the chicken. When the chicken is cooked, turn off the heat and remove the chicken from the pan. Repeat the same process for the other chicken. Remove and let it cool down a bit.  You can keep it whole or cut into pieces. Do not discard the oil as it will be used to fry the garlic. Crush the garlic. Add the crushed garlic to the oil in the pan that was used to cook the chicken. Use a wooden spoon to mix the garlic and oil. Add 160 ml of water (200 ml if you are using sour cream instead of cream) and heat on a medium heat, stirring continuously. Add 200 ml of milk (or 160 grams of sour cream). Taste and add a little salt if needed. Stir until the mixture boils and then turn off the heat. Add the chicken pieces to an oven proof dish (traditionally a Georgian clay ketsi dish is used).Pour the cream (or sour cream) and garlic mixture onto the chicken pieces and add the ketsi to a hot oven for 3-5 minutes. Serve hot.

Chicken Schnitzel

Chicken Schnitzel

“Chicken Schnitzel is a popular and tasty treat served throughout Europe. Schnitzel is Austrian in origin; it was traditionally made with veal (known as Wiener Schnitzel) or pork. The dish later found its way to Germany and Czech Republic. I had both pork and chicken schnitzels on my vacation to Prague and Germany in 2016 and loved it. Schnitzel is a simple, budget-friendly dish to prepare; kids love it. It is often served with French fries, but I prefer to serve it with a fresh salad to cut down on calories.”

Ingredients

4 large chicken breasts

2 large eggs, beaten

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp paprika or red chillie powder

½ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp garlic powder

salt to taste

1 cup breadcrumbs

1 cup flour

Oil and butter for frying

You will need: mallet, cling wrap

Directions

Slice chicken breasts with a sharp knife horizontally. This will yield 8 chicken breasts. Lay down a 2-foot long strip of plastic wrap on your kitchen countertop. Place chicken breasts on the plastic, leaving a 2-inch space between each breast. Cover the breasts with another strip of plastic, so the meat is sandwiched between two layers of plastic. Use a mallet to pound the breasts until they are a little less than ¼ inch thick.

Sprinkle salt, paprika, black pepper, garlic and ginger powder over the chicken breasts and rub well. Set up 3 shallow dishes on your counter top. In your first dish place flour, breadcrumbs in the other and beaten eggs in the last one. Heat some oil and butter in a large non-stick skillet on a low flame. Take a chicken breast and dip in flour on both sides then dip in eggs to coat on both sides. Lastly coat it in breadcrumbs on both sides. Shallow fry the chicken breast. When golden brown on one side, flip and fry on the other side well. Serve hot with French fries or salad or pasta.

Toasted Chicken and Cheese Open Sandwiches

Toasted Chicken and Cheese Open Sandwiches

Ingredients

5-6 thick slices of bread

40 ml olive oil

1 onion, grated

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

salt to taste

½ tsp black pepper powder

60 ml mayonnaise

2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

250 gms grated cheddar cheese

fresh parsley to garnish

For the white sauce:

30 ml butter

30 ml all-purpose flour

250 ml milk

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven grill. Brush bread slices with little olive oil and toast until it’s crisp on both sides. In a pan heat the remaining oil and saute the grated onion for a few minutes. Add the cooked chicken, salt and pepper. Keep aside.

For the white sauce: Heat the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour using a whisk until a paste forms. Gradually stir in the milk, stirring constantly, until the sauce comes to a boil and thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

To complete: Combine the white sauce, chicken mixture, parsley and cheese. Spoon the mixture on top of each toast. Heat under the oven grill until golden and the cheese melts. Serve immediately. 

Chicken Korma Pilaf

Chicken Korma Pilaf

Ingredients

2 cups Basmati white rice

1 packet Korma masala (I use Shan Korma Masala)

6 chicken drumsticks and 6 chicken thighs (or you can use boneless chicken)

4 red onions, sliced finely

1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste

1 cup thick yogurt

¼ cup Ghee or oil

Salt to taste

Chopped coriander for garnishing

Directions

Heat a large pot of water and add 2 tsp salt. Wash Basmati rice and drain. Add the washed rice to the warm water. Stir and cook rice till ¾ done (al dente). Drain rice in a colander and keep aside. In a pan add the sliced onions and fry them in ¼ cup of oil or ghee until it is completely brown and crisp. Tilt the pan to drain out the oil to one side and then take out the fried onions in a bowl.

In the same oil, add ginger garlic paste and sauté for few minutes in medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and fry for 2 to 3 minutes on high heat until all the moisture has dried up. Lower the heat and the entire packet of Korma masala powder and sauté for 2 minutes. Add half the fried onions and whisked yogurt and mix well. Put the lid on and let it cook on medium to high heat for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and stir fry the chicken till you see oil separating on the sides. Add 1 cup of water and stir fry on medium heat for few minutes. Once the gravy comes to a boil, cover with a lid and reduce heat. Simmer for 30 minutes or till chicken is done and the gravy has dried up. Add remaining browned onions and mix. Add the cooked rice stir gently taking care not to break the long grains of rice. Turn off the heat and garnish with freshly chopped coriander. 

Asian Grilled Chicken

Asian Grilled Chicken

Ingredients

8 skin on, bone in chicken thighs/breasts

8-10 garlic cloves, crushed finely with a garlic crusher

2” piece ginger, grated

4 Serrano chilies/red chilies, finely chopped

½ cup olive oil

½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce

¼ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup soft brown sugar

3 tbsp fish sauce

a handful of chopped coriander leaves

2 lemons sliced, plus wedges for serving

salt to taste

Directions

Whisk all the sauces, ginger, garlic, chilies, olive oil, vinegar salt and sugar in a bowl. Add the lemon slices and coriander and mix. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat in the marinade. Place chicken and marinade in re-sealable plastic bag. Turn the bag to coat chicken in the marinade. Place it in the refrigerator and marinate overnight. Next day, remove chicken from the marinade and shake off the excess liquid. Place chicken skin side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Heat oven to 200 deg C and roast chicken basting it with the marinate often. When chicken is done, serve with lemon wedges. 

Potstickers

Potstickers

“Potstickers are chinese dumplings that are seared and then steamed. They can be served with a dipping sauce as an appetizer or as a main course.”

Ingredients

2 packets chicken mince

2 packets wonton (Gyoza) wrappers

1 spring onion, finely chopped

2 tsp soya sauce

1 tsp black pepper powder

½ cup shredded carrot

salt to taste

oil for frying

Directions

Keep wonton wrappers to thaw. In the meantime, Mix all the other ingredients with the chicken mince. To make the potstickers, lay a wonton wrapper on the work surface and put about 1 tablespoon of the filling in the center. Dip your finger in a little water and wet the edges of the wonton wrapper; this will help the potsticker seal when cooking. Bring the outside edges of the wonton wrapper together over the filling and press it together to form a pouch. Continue with the remaining wrappers and filling.

To cook the potstickers, heat some oil in a very large skillet over high heat. Place all of the potstickers upright in the pan and cook, without disturbing them, until browned on the bottom, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water to the pan and immediately cover. Allow the potstickers to steam for about 3-5 minutes, then remove the skillet lid. Continue cooking until the water is completely evaporated.

Transfer to a platter and serve with chilli sauce.

Badami Murg (Almond Chicken)

Badami Murg (Almond Chicken)

Ingredients

500 gms boneless chicken, cut into cubes

3-4 flakes garlic

2” piece ginger

3 green chilies

2 tbsp garam masala powder (I prefer Mother’s recipe garam masala)

1 large red onion, quartered

½ cup cashew nuts

¼ cup almonds

1 tbsp poppy seeds

1star anise

½ cup cream

4 tbsp oil

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Directions

In a blender grind ginger, garlic and 1 green chillie to a fine paste. Marinate boneless chicken with 1 tbsp garam masala powder, ginger garlic and green chillie paste for ½ an hour.

In a blender grind onion, 2 green chillies, poppy seeds, star anise, almonds and cashews to a fine paste. In a steamer add the marinated chicken pieces and steam for 30 minutes. Heat some oil in the pan and sauté the ground cashew and almond paste till the oil separates from the paste. Add 1 tbsp garam masala powder and sauté for 2 seconds. Add the steamed chicken pieces to the pan and salt to taste. Add ½ cup water and cook till chicken is done and the gravy thickens. Add cream, stir and simmer for 2 minutes on low heat. Garnish with coriander leaves. 

Butter Chicken (Murg Makhani)

Butter Chicken (Murg Makhani)

“Butter Chicken also known as Murg Makhani is a very popular Indian curry known all over the world. It is considered UK’s national food. The recipe usually calls for marination of the chicken for few hours with yogurt, but I love using shortcuts. I have tried this easier version for years and it tastes just as good. The curry is rich and thick and can be made quickly when you’re having guests. Your guests will think you have been slaving over the stove for hours!”

Ingredients

1 kg Chicken cut into pieces or 2 packets boneless chicken cut into cubes

1 large red onion, chopped roughly

2” piece ginger

6-7 garlic flakes

8-9 dry red Kashmir chilies, de-seeded some of them and soak them in warm water

½ cup cashew nuts

2 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp garam masala powder (I prefer Mother’s recipe garam masala)

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)

4 tbsp tomato paste

½ cup thick fresh cream (reserve some for garnishing)

100 gms butter

salt to taste
some freshly chopped coriander leaves for garnishing

Directions

In a blender add onion, ginger, garlic, hydrated red chilies, cashews and blend with a little water. Keep a pan on low heat and add half the butter, then add coriander, cumin, turmeric and garam masala powder and stir for 2-3 seconds. Add the ground paste and continue to saute well for 2-3 minutes. Now add the tomato paste and saute for another 2-3 minutes. Add fenugreek leaves and stir. Now add the chicken pieces and a cup of water. Add salt to taste, cover and let it cook. Simmer on low heat, checking occasionally if water is need. Cook until the chicken is done. Add the remaining butter and cream, stir well and simmer for 2-3 seconds. Turn off the heat and put into a serving dish. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and a drizzle of fresh cream. Serve with naan bread or basmati rice.

Pancit Bihon

Pancit Bihon

“Bihon is a type of very thin rice noodles that is simply soaked in warm water and drained. Pancit bihon is a Philipino dish that is fried with soy sauce some citrus, and some variation of sliced meat and chopped vegetables. It can also be made with just vegetables, for a vegetarian version, or with shrimp, pork, beef, or a mixture of all.”

Ingredients

2 packets bihon rice noodles

2 large chicken breasts/pork/chicken sausages

2 spring onions, julienned

5 tsp minced garlic

2 large carrots, julienned

2 large celery stalks, thinly chopped

½ head cabbage, sliced

8-10 French green beans

1 chicken bouillon cube or chicken broth

½ cup soy sauce, depending on preference

1 tsp black pepper powder

Oil

Directions

Chop the veggies as mentioned above. Slice chicken or pork or sausages. In a wok heat 2-3 tbsp of oil, and sauté half of the onions and garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil over med-high heat until onions are semi-cooked. Add chicken/sausages and cook until done. Remove and set aside. Meanwhile, put rice noodles into a large bowl of very warm water and let soak for 5-10 minutes. When the noodles are soft, drain them and set aside. Sauté rest of onions, celery, and carrots in 1 tbsp of oil for 1 min. Add chicken bouillon cube, cabbage, and soy sauce to the vegetable mixture. Add the meat again. Stir, and add in the drained noodles. Season with black pepper and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side. This dish is very good with fresh lemon squeezed over it! 

Chili Chicken

Chili Chicken

Ingredients

500 gms boneless chicken

1 egg, beaten

2 tbsp corn flour

4 tbsp all-purpose flour

2 green chilies, cut diagonally

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 spring onion, cut diagonally

2 tbsp ginger garlic, chopped finely

½ tsp red chill powder

¼ tsp black pepper powder

¼ tsp ajinomoto

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp red chili sauce

1 tsp vinegar

Oil for frying

Directions

Cut chicken in bite size pieces. Add 1 tsp soy sauce, red chili powder, pepper powder and egg. Keep in the refrigerator to marinate for 30-45 minutes. In a bowl combine flour and all- purpose flour. Heat a large wok and add some oil. Take each piece of chicken and coat it quickly in the flour and fry in the hot oil till golden brown. You can deep fry the chicken pieces but I shallow fried them. Remove and set aside. If there is too much oil in the wok, remove some of it. Now add the diced bell pepper and stir fry on high heat. Remove and set aside. Add ginger and garlic to the wok and stir for 2 seconds. Add the green chilies and the white part of the spring onions and stir fry them. Now add the fried chicken to the wok and add soy sauce, red chili sauce, vinegar and ajinomoto and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the bell peppers and check seasoning. Add salt if necessary or more soy sauce. Now and the green part of the spring onions and mix well. Serve with noodles or fried rice.