Extra Spicy Chilli chicken

We do welcome indulgent meal on weekend with family/friends after five days of busy weekdays anybody would crave for fulfilling lunch/dinner. Make this perfect fulfilling meal at your ease in your kitchen and get loads of appreciation serving it to family and guests while you enjoy with them, leaves them craving for more!

     Today's lunch menu had Biriyani, Steamed white rice that is slow cooked, gently simmered with aromatic Indian spices and herbs accompanied by a spicy, hot and sour crunchy chicken. Here I post the recipe of Chili chicken. I already have a post on chili chicken. But this really inspired me, when I first had it in a party. It’s full of flavours and heat coming from chilies is a real treat to your taste buds to uplift rest of your day.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breast pieces/boneless chicken, cut into cubes

4-5 tbsp oil

2 Dry red chillies

½ green bell pepper, cubed

2 green chillies, halved

1 medium onion, cubed

2 tsp Ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

¾ tbsp corn flour

1 tbsp dark soya sauce

1 tsp chili sauce

Spring onions to garnish

Salt to taste

For marinating

1 tsp black pepper powder

2 tbsp corn flour

1 tsp Salt

Directions:

 Step 1: Wash and pat dry chicken pieces. Marinate chicken with ingredients listed under marinating.   Let stand for 15 minutes.

Step 2: Roughly chop green chilies, break dry chilies into pieces and keep aside. Chop spring onion greens. Mix corn flour with half a cup of water and keep aside.

Step 3: Heat 4 tbsp oil in a non stick frying pan, fry marinated chicken in medium low heat. Flip over to cook pieces evenly from both sides and transfer chicken pieces to plate. Simmer the same pan, add dry chilies, sauté, add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw aroma vanish. Add bell peppers, green chilies, fry for two minutes in medium low heat.

Step 4: Add soya sauce, corn flour mix, salt and stir until gravy thickens. Add fried chicken, chili sauce and toss well to coat them evenly. Garnish with spring onions.

 Note:

• As I always say adjust spices according to your taste.
• Give finishing touch with pinch of pepper powder if you are a spice lover. 
• You can add oil while reheating pan if required.

Lentils kheer/Hesaru bele payasa

Any meal is incomplete without a good dessert! This recipe is loaded with health, with all the richness of powdered split green gram and poppy seeds. Jaggery gives that humble touch to the dish and uplifts the flavors of fried and powdered lentils. Garnish of cashews, pistachios brings additional flavor. Finishing touch is given by dropping few drops of ghee/Clarified butter to relish that magical aroma when you put in your mouth. Ah what more can anyone ask for!

    This rich delicacy comes to rescue when you have urge for desserts, it gets done in 15 minutes. This is a prepare- in- advance recipe. Serve hot with drops of ghee or chilled with nuts topping.

Ingredients

3 tbsp moong dal/green gram lentils

1 tsp poppy seeds

3 tbsp grated coconut

½ cup grated jaggery(about 100gm)

Cashews and almonds for garnish

2 tsp ghee/clarified butter

Directions:

Step 1: Dry roast lentils and poppy seeds in low heat for about 1 minute or until slight change in color. Do not burn, which tastes awful!

Step 2: Powder the roasted ingredients in a mixer/grinder. Add coconut and ½ cup of water to it blend it to smooth paste and turn off. Boil 2 cups water with jaggery and filter the syrup to ensure purity and set aside.

Step 3: In a cooking pan heat 1 tsp of ghee and fry the nuts and transfer to plate. In the same pan mix the paste, syrup, add 2 cups water and boil in medium low heat for thick consistency kheer and turn off. Boiling doesn’t take more than 5 minutes. Keep stirring to avoid sticking to the bottom.  Increase or lessen the quantity of water based on desired consistency. If it gets too thick milk can be added to dilute to required consistency.

Step 4: Transfer to the serving bowl, garnish with fried cashews and drops of ghee. Enjoy!

Fried Chicken

I was planning to make chicken curry but Mr.Husband wanted some nice starter for dinner, It has to be chicken as it was his day I had to agree to it, offcourse it's his Birthday.  Well, I made crispy fried chicken! Yes, you read it right crispy, juicy, tender chicken. As you know I had made this before and now to make it more flavorsome updated with few changes. Instead of dipping in milk  I first marinated chicken in milk and ginger paste, everything else remains same. 

    Chicken pieces dipped in egg then coated with bread crumbs bring in right amount of crispiness. It is simple and quick recipe. Chicken is crispy from outside and tender inside with mild spices with a hint of milk flavor.

Ingredients

Oil for deep frying

2 chicken breasts/Boneless chicken pieces, 1 inch pieces
1/2 tsp ginger paste (optional)
2-3 tbsp milk

1 tsp all purpose flour

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp black pepper powder (optional)

3 tbsp bread crumbs

1 large egg
salt to taste

Directions:

Step 1: Wash, wipe chicken pieces and marinate with milk,salt and ginger paste for 20 minutes. Drain and discard the excess. Mix chicken pieces with paprika, flour and set aside.

Step 2: In a plate spread bread crumbs. Break egg into a bowl andmix gently.

Step 3: Heat oil in a wok. Take a chicken piece, dip in egg, coat with the crumbs, dip it in egg again.  Then again roll it in bread crumb until evenly coated and keep on a plate. Repeat for rest of chicken pieces and keep ready.

Step 4: Deep fry in batches 5 at a time depending on wok size, it takes 4 to 5 minutes in medium heat. Flip over to get nice golden brown color and to ensure evenly cooked. Transfer to absorbent paper. Serve hot with mint chutney/tomato sauce with chilled drink :) Enjoy!

Note:
As I always say, spices can be adjusted according to your spice level.

Bhindi Curry/Lady Finger curry

At times we want it that simple, yes! The making of this curry is very simple with chili and coriander being the only spices used. Bhindi, known as okra/ladies’ finger is a nutritious veggie that can be consumed raw, stir fried, deep fried. The geographical origin of okra is disputed, with supporters of West African and South Asian origin. Due to suitable weather condition it is cultivated in tropical and sub tropical regions around the world.

    It is served with roti, chapatti or with rice. This being simplest recipe it can be tried by new bees and a quick fix for weak day meal. This is vegetarian and vegan recipe and is also loved by many non vegetarian friends of mine. 

Ingredients

250 gm Lady Finger

2-3 tbsp oil

1 ½ tsp red chilli powder

2 tsp coriander powder

Pinch of turmeric

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 small tomato, finely chopped

4 tbsp grated coconut

Salt to taste 

Directions:

Step 1: Wash, wipe and cut lady finger into half inch pieces.

Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok, stir fry lady finger for about 3 minutes in medium heat (to reduce the stickiness)

Step 3: Transfer the wok to a plate. Heat the remaining oil in the same wok, add chopped onion and sauté till translucent. Add fried veggie, salt, sauté and cook covered in medium low heat for 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 4: Add tomato, chili powder, coriander powder, coconut and stir fry for minute or two. Cook covered until tomato is mushy, giving a quick stir in between and turn off.

Note:

As I always say, spices can be adjusted according to your spice level.

Use of turmeric is optional.