Chicken Curry

This dish was made by my brother-in-law. It was so tasty that I had to ask him for the recipe. Even my boys enjoyed it and asked for seconds. I made it exactly like he did, with only one difference....I did not add red chilly powder. It is really simple to make and does not have much spices. This recipe is exactly what he sent me.

Ingredients:

Chicken: 1kg

Ginger: 1inch

Garlic: 6 to 8 flakes

Cumin seeds: 1 tbsp

Coriander seeds: 1 tbsp

Onion: 1 chopped

Tomato: 2 chopped

Red Chilly Powder: 1 tsp (optional)

Curry Powder: 2 to 3 tsp

Salt as per taste

Oil for frying

Method:

1. Chop the chicken in small pieces.

2. Wash and dry it.

3. First prepare the paste (garlic, ginger, cumin seeds and coriander seeds).  BUT don’t marinate it with the meat. It will be required later not now.

4. Heat oil in a cooking vessel that will be able to fry the chicken at a single time. (Oil can be taken out later so its better If you put adequate oil that will be able to fry all the chicken)

5. Now add the chicken all in a single instance and stir it gently. After some time you will find that water will show up, and it will began to boil. At this time add salt. 

6. Than cover the vessel, lower the flames a bit and let it boil for around 10-15 minutes, but be careful, sometimes it burns at the bottom.

7. Check if there is water in the vessel or only oil. When you see only oil at the bottom and pieces are sticking at the bottom stir the pieces gently. Keep doing this for around 5 minutes while letting the pieces fry.

8. After some of the pieces have turned partially red remove the fried chicken out of the vessel and keep aside.

9. If there is extra oil in the vessel, then discard some.

10. In the remaining oil, saute the chopped onion till it turns slightly brown.

11. Than add in the paste.

12. Stir well, and when the garlic starts to stick to the bottom of the vessel, add the two chopped tomatoes, and cook till the tomatoes are half done.

13. Add some red chilly powder.

14. Now add the chicken and stir well so that all the pieces are coated with the masalas.

15. Add the curry powder and cook for at least 5 mins.

16. Then add around 200ml water and cover and cook on a low flame, till the chicken pieces are cooked.

17. Wait for five minutes after switching off the gas, before serving. Goes great with steamed rice.

Butter Chicken

Everyone loves Butter Chicken, and so do I. I never found a really good recipe before. This recipe was given to me by a good friend. She brought it home one day and everyone loved it...even my boys. She shared the link for the recipe.

Ingredients:
Chicken: 800gms
Lemon juice 1 tablespoon
Kashmiri red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Butter 2 tablespoons
• For the marinade:
Curd 1 cup
Ginger garlic paste 1 tablespoon
Garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard oil 2 tablespoons
• For the gravy: 
Butter 50 grams
Ginger garlic paste 2 tablespoon
Green chillies,chopped 4-5
Red chilli powder 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) 1/2 teaspoon
Whole garam masala 1 tablespoon
Tomato puree (I used home made puree) 400 gms
Garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon
Sugar 2 teaspoons
Cream 1 cup

Method:
1. Make incisions with a sharp knife on breast and leg pieces of the chicken.
2. Apply a mixture of red chilli powder, lemon juice and salt to the chicken and set aside for half an hour. 3. Hang curd in a muslin cloth for fifteen to twenty minutes to remove extra water.
4. Add ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, garam masala powder and mustard oil to the curd.
5. Apply this marinade to the chicken pieces and refrigerate for three to four hours.
6. Put the chicken onto a skewer and cook in a moderately hot tandoor or a preheated oven (200°C) for ten to twelve minutes or until almost done. 
7. Remove and keep aside.
8. Heat butter in a pan.
9. Add green cardamoms, cloves, peppercorns and cinnamon.
10. Saute for two minutes, add ginger-garlic paste and chopped green chillies.
11. Cook for two minutes.
12. Add tomato puree, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, salt and one cup of water. Bring to a boil.
13. Reduce heat and simmer for ten minutes.
14. Add sugar and powdered kasoori methi.
15. Add cooked tandoori chicken pieces. 
16. Simmer for five minutes and then add fresh cream.
17. Serve hot.

Apple Jam

My boys love jam. And they love fruits. And they were getting bored during their holidays. So we decided to try making Apple Jam. It is so simple, that I wondered why I did not make it before. My six year old helped me to make the jam and I am happy to say that he thinks it tastes better than the Mixed Fruit Jam that I buy him from the store. :)  

Ingredients:

Apples: 1/2 kg

Sugar: 325 gms

Water: 1 cup

Lemon juice: 1 tsp

Glass Bottles: 2 (200gms each)

Method:

1. Sterilize the glass bottles and their lids in boiling water for at least 10 mins.

2. Peel the apples and cut them in cubes.

3. Cook the apples 1 cup water till they are tender. Mash them a bit using a masher.

4.  When the apples are mushy, add the sugar and lemon juice and cook and stir on a high flame, till it becomes thick.

5. Pour the hot jam in the sterilized bottles quickly before it sets. Leave at least 1 cm space at the top.

6. Let it cool and spread it on bread, roti, puri, or eat it just like it is....like my boy!!