AMBUR STYLE CHICKEN BIRIYANI

 

To vent out the stress of cyclone Nivara I made this awesome  biriyani today. This is a very simple but delicious biriyani recipe..The very first time I had biriyani from  chennai I didn't like it at all because I was sooooo obsessed with our kerala biriyani. But now the scenario has changed😉🤩

Biriyani is actually a simple dish. It doesn't need a lot of masalas to make it rich n delicious ;that is what  i have learned over years..I was under the impression biriyani is a tough dish to make as it used to be the special dish any house we visit or when we had any guest .I wish I had papadam, pickle and boiled biriyani to pep up the biriyani combo.

And also this is first time I am ever posting a video in my blog

 

INGREDIENTS 

chicken  - 1kg

Oil - 1tbsp

Ghee - 1tbsp

Cardamom - 3

Cinnamon - 1 stick

Fennel seeds - 1tsp

Cloves - 3

Onions  - 3 big

Ginger garlic paste - 2tbsp

Tomato - 2 medium

Chilli powder  - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder  - 1tsp

Curd - 2tbsp

Salt - as per taste

Mint leaves  - a handful 

Basmati rice/any biriyani rice - 2 cup

Water - 3cups

METHOD

Wash the chicken pieces and keep aside to drain water

Heat a vessel 

add oil ,ghee,Cardamom, cinnamon,fennel seeds and cloves

Add thinly sliced onions and saute well for about 15minutes

Add ginger garlic paste and give it a mix for about 2 minutes

Add tomato and saute till tomatoes turn mushy

Add the chilly powder ,turmeric powder and salt

Add the chicken pieces and give a good mix 

Add the curd and mix well

Check salt ,cover and cook for 15 minutes 

by now chicken will ooz out a lot of water 

Now add the washed and drained rice into the chicken masala along with 3 cups water because already there is around 1 cup water from the chicken.

Check salt and add mint leaves 

Cover the vessel with a lid and on top of the lid keep some weight so that steam doesn't escape 

After 10 minutes check if the rice is cooked and switch off the flame 

Keep the lid closed for another 10minutes or untill serving

Your yummy is biriyani is ready to serve

KERALA PAROTTA

During this lockdown while having a video chat with my mom in law she mentioned about her craving for parotta since she saw a parotta making video in YouTube. And she said someday after this lockdown when we go home we Must try making .Oh .needless to say she just easily passed on that temptation or craving on me...I never before thought of making parottat at home because of the rumuored difficulty in the process. The notorious swinging and hitting of the dough during parotta making which is a common sight in the street food/restaurants has given me an impression that parotta is something impossible to try at home.And this recipe doesn't require much hardwork with swinging or hitting..all it needs is ample time for the dough to rest and lot of oil.But i have used very less oil 

But I consider this one among the numerous advantages of lockdown that i decided to give it a try and the result was so overwhelming for me.These parottas were flaky soft and layered.

Parottas are the most popular street food in kerala.I remember the delicious soft flaky parottas served with mutton/beef curry during wedding receptions or other religious occasions when I was young.......ooooooh......heavenly combo....I miss those golden moments...still parottta n beef/mutton combo is considered a priceless feeling/emotion among typical nonveg keralites😁.But parottas are so humble that they go well with any kind of vegetable kurma or chicken gravy or salan as well.so lets go the recipe now

INGREDIENTS

All purpose flour - 2cups
Egg - 1
Baking soda - a pinch
Baking powder - 1/4tsp
Salt - as needed
Sugar - 2tbsp
Milk  - 1/4 cup
Oil/ghee - 1tbsp
Water - 1/2 cup or more if  needed

How to make

In a bowl, add the flour salt sugar baking powder baking soda and mix well
Now make a well in the center and add egg and milk
Mix everything together
Add water slowly and make a soft dough
Knead it for about 5minutes
Apply oil on top and keep it covered with a wet  cloth for atleast 2hours

Now take the dough and knead it well
Make 4 big balls or 6 medium sized balls
Keep them covered with a wet cloth for half n hour

Now take each ball and roll it very thin as shown in the pic
Then cut the dough lengthwise into long strips
Apply oil on the strips
Gather the strips together from one end and join them together into a single ong strip
Now keep one end of the strip in your hand and roll it as shown in the pic
Keep the roll aside and apply oil on top
Repeat the same steps for each ball
 Now heat a pan in the stove
Take each ball  keep on the surface and press it using your paw into thin parotta and place it in hot pan
Apply oil and flip it until brown spots appear on either sides or when its cooked on both sides
 When all the parottas are done place each one on top of other and tap all the parottas together from all sides..this is to separate the layers.
Now our parottas are ready to serve

BUTTER CHICKEN

 

This butter chicken is a very easy and fool proof recipe and tastes amazing.I have tried this recipe many times and every time it came out well with the same taste and consistency. I found this recipe from one of my favorite blog,nags,years before

    The week before lockdown began,we planned for a potluck lunch at workplace.I did not think twice to choose what i was going to make.One of my colleague brought chapati and another one jeera pulav,both best combination for butter chicken. I also made hot chocolate pudding as dessert,while another friend brought paayasam /kheer that day.We thoroughly enjoyed our potluck. Now off to the recipe

INGREDIENTS 

1. Chicken  - 1/2 kg (boneless or mall pieces)
2. Onion - 2 big,finely chopped
3. Tomato - 1 (pureed)
4. Tomato sauce - 1tbsp
5. Ginger garlic paste - 2 tbsp
6. Kashmiri chilli powder - 1tsp
7. Corriander powder -1tsp
8. Garam masala  - 1tsp
9. Milk - 1cup
10. Cashewnuts - a handful (soaked and grinded into paste) or fresh cream
11. Butter or oil - 2tbsp
12. Kasuri methi - a big pinch
13. Corriander leaves- to garnish

HOW TO MAKE

• Heat a pan  and add butter 
• Add chopped onions and saute
• When onions turn golden brown add ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes 
• Now add turmeric ,chilli and corriander powders and saute for a minute
• Add the pureed tomato and the ketch up  close the pan with  a lid and allow it to boil  for 5 minutes
• Add in crushed kasuri methi ,milk and chicken pieces
• Keep the flame in sim
• Let it cook untill the chicken pieces are soft
• Chicken will let out water..so adjust the thickness of the gravy accordingly 
• Now add the cashew nut paste and salt and garam masala.mix well
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and remove from stove
•  Butter chicken is ready to serve .

CHEESY CHICKEN EGG OMLETTE

I made this few days ago when we were all very hungry and not in the mood of cooking breakfast. And that was a quick and yummy breakfast

We love the flavor of green chillies in omlette..It added to the taste when blended with cheese and oregano and chicken

INGREDIENTS

1. Egg- 3
2. Boneless chicken - 100gms
3. Green chillies - 2 
4. Milk - 2tbsp
5. Shredded cheese - 2tbsp
6. Oregano -1tsp
7. Pepper - 1/2 tsp
8. Salt - as needed
9. Oil /butter - 2tbsp

HOW TO MAKE

• Cut the chicken into small cubes and keep aside
• Beat eggs along with milk,chopped greenchillies ,salt andkeep aside
• Heat a pan add butter
• Add chicken cubes ans saute adding some salt and even a pinch of turmeric powder 
• When all the water oozes out and chicken cubes are cooked well, spread the chicken pieces evenly and add the egg mixture into the pan
• Sprinkle oregano and pepper
• Cover and cook for five minutes.no need to flip the omlette 
• Once the top is cooked spread the grated cheese on top and cover and cook for about 2minutes just to melt the cheese
• Switch off the flame and move to serving plate carefully 

CHICKEN STEW

I wanted to try a different version of chicken gravy and ended up making this yummmmmy chicken stew.My sister used to make mutton kurma most of the times when i paid a visit to her .

This stew is creamy and thick and goes very well with appam pathiri idiyappam. But i had it with dosa as i was lazy to make pathiri or idiyapam.Trust me it was a great combo...crispy dosa and chicken stew.....So let's go to the recipe

INGREDIENTS

1. Chicken-1/2kg
2. Oil - 2tbsp
3. Onion - 1 big.finely chopped 
4. Potato - 1 cubed
5. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp
6. Green chilli - 2 or 3
7. Pepper - 1tsp
8. Corriander powder - 1tsp
9. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
10. Fennel powder - 1tsp
11. Cashew nut  - 5 or 6 
12. Coconut milk - 1/4 cup
13. Salt - as required 
14. Cardamom - 3
15. Cinnamon - one small stick
16. Cloves - 4
17. Bayleaf - 1
18. Curry leaf - 1 spring

How to make

• Wash chicken and drain aside
• Soak cashew nuts in hot water 
• Heat oil in a pan and add the whole spices(cardamom, cloves,bayleaf,cinnamon)
• Add chopped onions and saute well
• When the onions become translucent add ginger garlic paste and crushed green chillies curry leaves and saute
• Now add the crushed pepper corriander powder,fennel powder , turmeric powder and saute for 2 minutes
• Add  chicken pieces cubed potatoes  and salt
• Add half a cup of water and close the lid and let it cook
• Meanwhile grind the soaked cashews into a fine paste
• Once the chicken is cooked add the cashew paste and give a stir keeping the flame in sim
• Check salt and add the coconut milk and mix well for 3 minutes.
• Do not let it boil after adding the coconut milk.
• Switch off the flame and now the stew is ready to serve.

BEEF VARATTIYATHU

Hello folks...Happy 2020 to everyone...as usual i am a bit late to wish you all..but its better late than never.So here i am with a simple and heavenly recipe .Once again wishing you all a wonderful and prosperous year ahead

This one is a typical kerala dish which is very easy to make.Taste depends on the quality of meat we use.I have used wheel beef which is tender and gets cooked in few whistles.

This beef varatiyat is a dry dish with no onions or tomatoes. It goes very well with rice dishes like puttu,pathiri idiyapam, appam,paalada etc

INGREDIENTS

To pressure cook

Beef - 1/2kg
Chilli powder - 1tbsp
Corriander powder-1tbsp
Ginger garlic paste-2tbsp
Fennel powder -1tsp
Turmeric powder -1tsp
Green chilli- 2 or3
Salt as needed
Water - 1/2 cup

To saute
Oil -2tbsp
Cloves -2
Cardamom-2
Cinnamon - one small piece
Coconut pieces
Curry leaves
Red chillies


How to make

• Pressure cook all the ingredients given under to pressure cook  for 7 or 8 whistles
• Once done heat a pan and add oil
• Crush the cloves cardamom and cinnamon stick using mortar and pestle or mixer and add
• Add coconut pieces and saute
• When the coconut turns light brown colour add red chillies and curry leaves
• Now add the cooked beef  into it and  mix
• Keep the flame in sim and let all the water gets evaporated and masala coats well on the beef pieces
• Switch off flame and garnish with curry leaves or corriander leaves

Netholi/Anchovy Fry

There has been lot of recipes lying in my draft.This nethili fry is one among them..I grew up eating fish almost every single day..Fish was inevitable in our house,mainly tuna ,sardines,mackeral,anchovy dominating the list.Chicken and other meat were something we used to have  only during eid or if some guests r visiting.Now the scenario has changed though because my husband is a chicken lover.

M not a big fan of nethili ;but the fact that its a fish helps me to have it.yesss..i am a fiiiiish lover..

INGREDIENTS

1. nethili/anchovy fish - 250gm
2. ginger garlic paste  -1tbsp
3. kashmiri chilli powder - 1tbsp
4. turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
5. pepper powder - 1tsp(i used freshly grounded)
6. fennel powder - 1/4 tsp
7. garam masala -1/4tsp
8. salt - to taste
9. oil for frying

METHOD

• clean the fish and pinch off the head part.
• in a bowl add all the ingredients except oil and mix nicely
• heat oil in a pan and fry the fish until nicely browned.
• serve with onion rings and enjoy with rice

                                                                                                                                

WHOLE GRILLED CHICKEN

Today is a very important day of fasting prior to ramadan..i was thinking what to prepare for "nombtura".Then striked the idea of grilled chicken.It's my husband's all time favourite.My little one love the skin of grilled chicken whenever we buy from outside

It is actually very easy to prepare this grilled chicken.But it takes sometime for marination and cooking.This is the second time i am attempting this preparation..The first time i made whole grilled chicken was 2years back and of course could not post it.This time i got it right too.i used homemade masala powders.That did make a very good difference this time.Masala was well coated on the chicken and was tender and juicy .It tasted perfect!!.I was super excited with the end result:)




Ingredients

1. One whole chicken

To marinate

1. Butter - 2tbsp
2. Ginger garlic paste - 2tbsp
3. Red chilli powder - 1tbsp ( i used kashmiri chilly powder )
4. Corriander powder -1 tsp
5. Turmeric powder - 1tsp
6. Pepper powder - 1tsp
7. Garam masala - 1tsp
8. Soyasauce 1tsp
9. Sugar - 1/2tsp
10. curd - 2tbsp
11. lemon juice - 1tbsp
12. salt - to taste

Method

• Wash and clean chicken and drain excess water.
• Poke the chicken with knife or fork all over and keep aside.
• Heat a pan and add butter and sugar to it.
• mix well and switch off the flame.
• Add all the marinade ingredients to it and mix well.
• Now apply this masala all over the chicken.
• Keep the chicken inthe fridge for minimum 2 hours and more. may be overnight..do not keep the marinated chicken in freezer.
• Take the chicken out.
• Heat a big pan .
• cover  and cook  the chicken in low flame  for 15 minutes.
• When the chicken is being cooked preheat the oven at 220 degrees for 10 minutes.
• In a baking tray keep an alluminium foil and place the chicken on that.
• Pour the chicken juice that came out while cooking on all over the chicken.
• Now bake the chicken for about 20 minutes.
• When done take the chicken out and pour the juice from the chicken all over again.
• Again keep the chicken back in oven and bake for about another 20 minutes.
• Repeat the same process and bake for another 15-20minutes.
• Now its done
• Garnish and serve hot.
• Enjoyyyyy your grilled chicken with your favouritr dip:)...