Chicken Recipes - 1

Some of my friends wanted Chicken recipes. I am posting here some from India and from across the world. These are the recipes which I have collected over the years. Since I don't eat any meat, I have not cooked any and cannot add my experiences to these recipes.

Chicken 69

Ingredients:

Chicken  (boneless)   500gms

Ginger Garlic paste    20 gms

Pepper powder         20 gms

Garam Masala           15 to 20 gms

Oil                             150 gms

Salt                            To taste

Coriander greens        one bunch

Method:

• Cut chicken into big pieces.
• Chop the coriander greens finely
  
• Mix together, ginger garlic paste, pepper powder, salt and garam masala powder
• Apply this mixture to the chicken pieces, coating them well and leave them for half an hour
• In a pan place the chicken pieces and add a cup of water. Cook on low flame till done.
• In a separate pan heat oil, add chicken pieces few at a time and fry well
• Place them on a platter, garnish with finely chopped coriander greens
  

 Chicken 65

Ingredients:

Chicken  (boneless)      350gms

Egg                               one

Curds                            1 cup

Corn flour                      100 gms

Refined flour (Maida)     100 gms

Green Chilies                 10-12

Curry leaves                   one big bunch

Ginger Garlic paste          3 tsp

Red chili powder           1 tsp

Garam Masala powder    1/4th tsp

Chinese Salt                    1/4th tsp 

(Mono sodium Glutamate)

Orange Red food colour    a pinch

(mixed in little water)

Salt                                 To taste

Oil                                   For deep fry

Method:          

• Cut chicken into pieces 
  
• Break open the egg and beat it lightly
• In a vessel mix together cornflour, refined flour, red chili powder, china salt, ginger garlic paste. Mix well
• Add the beaten egg and mix well. Add a little water and mix the batter to a little thinner than the dropping consistency
• Add the chicken pieces and mix well so that the pieces are coated with the batter all over. Leave it for at least half an hour
• Now in a pan heat enough oil for frying.
• Once the oil is hot, fry the chicken pieces in it till browned. Leave them on a blotting paper to remove excess oil
  
• Now heat 2 tbsp of oil in a pan
• Slit the green chilies length wise and add to the oil. Let them fry for a minute
• Add curry leaves (separated from the sprigs), mix and fry for a minute
• Add curds, red colour, garam masala powder, salt and chicken pieces
• Mix well and fry on low flame till the entire curd dries up. Keep stirring from time to time
• Serve it hot on a platter decorated with cucumber, onion slices and lemon wedges accompanied by tomato sauce
  

Chicken Jaipuri 

Ingredients:

Chicken(boneless)            500gms

Onions                             100 gms

Tomatoes                         75 gms

Ginger                              50 gms

Garlic                               25 gms

Coriander greens              one bunch

Fresh cream                     50 ml  (Malai)

Cumin seeds                     1/2 tsp  (Jeera)

Fennel seeds                     1/2 tsp  (Saunf)

Turmeric powder               1/2 tsp

Garam Masala   powder    1/2 tsp

Red chili powder              1 tsp

Salt                                   To taste

Oil                                    75 to 100 gms

Method:

• Wash and clean the chicken
• Chop tomatoes finely and keep aside
  
• Grind together, chopped onion, chopped ginger, chopped garlic, cumin, fennel, turmeric, red chili powder.
• Now divide the masala (spices) paste into two parts. Apply one half to the chicken, coating the pieces well. Leave them for half an hour to marinate
• Now in a pan heat oil, add the spices paste kept separately. Fry well on low flame taking care to keep on stirring it so that it does not get burned. Fry till you can see that the oil separates from the spice paste
  
• Add garam masala powder. Mix well
• Add chicken pieces, salt and cover it. Cook on low flame. 
• Cook till the chicken is almost done. Now add finely chopped tomato. Mix well and fry for another five minutes or so
• Serve hot garnished with finely chopped coriander greens with steamed Rice or Rotis
  

Butter Chicken

Ingredients:

Chicken                     500 gms

Onions                       100 gms

Tomatoes                   250 gms

Ginger Garlic paste     3 tsp

Green Chilies             5

Coriander greens        one bunch

Lemon                        one

Cashew nuts               50gms

Poppy seeds               25 gms

(Khus Khus-Hindi/ Gasa Gasaalu-Telugu)

Sunflower Seeds         25 gms

(Chironji -Hindi/Saara Pappu -Telugu)

Red Chilies                 6-8

Kasuri Methi               1tsp

(dried Fenugreek leaves)

Garam Masala Powder    2 tsp

Orange Red food colour   a   pinch

(mixed in little water)

Salt                                 To taste

Curds                              1 cup

Butter                              100gms

Oil                                    75 ml

Method:

• Clean chicken in water, squeeze out the water, cut into pieces
• In a vessel, put the pieces, add salt, lemon juice, garam masala (1 tsp), ginger garlic paste (1 tsp). Mix well so that the pieces are coated well. Marinate for an hour or so
• Chop tomatoes. 
• Finely chop onions
• In a vessel, take tomatoes, half of onions, red chilies, garam masala (1tsp), salt and 1/2 cup water. Cook well. Cool and grind them to a paste
• Grind to a paste, Cashew nuts, khus khus, Sun flower seeds and a little water
• In a pan heat oil, add chopped onions (remaining), fry till golden in colour
• Add ginger garlic paste, fry till it loses its raw smell
• Now add the first  paste (tomatoes and others)  little by little, mix well and fry till the oil separates.
• Add the second  paste (cashew nuts and others. Fry well
• Add chicken pieces mix well so that the gravy covers the pieces. Now cook it on low flame
• When the chicken is cooked, add green chilies (slit length wise), orange red colour, butter, kasuri Methi and cook for few more minutes.
• Serve hot garnished with finely chopped coriander greens
• This goes well with  steamed Rice, Rotis or Pulao
  

Chili Chicken Curry

Ingredients:

Tender Chicken       500gms

Onions                     100 gms

Ginger Garlic paste   25 gms

Red Chilies             10-12

Cumin  seeds           1 tsp

Cloves                     5-6

Tamarind pulp         1 tbsp

Salt                        To taste

Oil                         50 ml

Method:

• Finely chop onions
• Grind together red chilies, ginger garlic paste, cumin, cloves and half of chopped onion to a paste
• Heat oil in a pan, add remaining onions till pink in colour
• Add the masala (spice) paste fry for few minutes
• Now cut chicken into pieces, and add it to the pan along with salt. Mix well, cover and cook on low flame
• When chicken is done add tamarind pulp mix and cook for few minutes
• Serve hot with steamed Rice or Rotis
  

Soups-2

Soups-Green n Healthy

Here are some recipes using green vegetables...But before that some tips:

• Use fresh greens. They should be green, healthy and not infested with bugs or insects.
• Clean the greens thoroughly to remove dirt etc.
• Better to separate the leaves or sprigs form the bunch and wash it thoroughly under running water.
• While cooking them, cover the vessel with lid.

Spinach (Palak) Soup

Ingredients:
Spinach (Plalak)    one big bunch/1-2 cups (chopped)
Onion   1
Garlic flakes   5-6
Milk   1 cup
Refined flour (Maida)    2 Tbsps
Pepper (black) powder   1/2 tsp-1 tsp
Sugar  1 tsp
Salt To taste
Oil    1Tbsp to 1and1/2 Tbsps
or
Butter 2 to 2 -1/2 Tbsp

Method:

• Clean spinach thoroughly
• Chop finely spinach, onion and garlic, separately
• Heat oil or melt butter in a thick bottomed deep vessel Add onion and garlic. Fry till the onion turns golden colour
• Now add chopped spinach and fry till it is cooked or becomes soft
• Add refined flour and fry till it loses its raw taste/smell
• Now add one and half cup water, mix well. Add salt sugar and pepper powder, mix well. Cook for few minutes
• Cool and liquidise the mixture
• Add one cup of water and milk
• Mix well and heat it. Bring to a boil
• Serve hot with a dollop of cream or grated cheese

Spinach N Lentil Soup (Palak Dal Soup)

Ingredients:
Spinach (Palak)  one big bunch/1-2 cups (chopped)
Pegeon pea (Tuvar/Masoor Dal)    }
or                                                  } 1/2 cup
Split green gram (dhuli Moong dal) }
Tomatoes       3
Onion            1 (big)
Garlic flakes   5-6
Milk               1 cup
Red chilly powder  1/2 tsp-1 tsp
Sugar    1 tsp
Salt      To taste

Method:

• Clean spinach thoroughly
• Chop finely spinach, onion, tomatoes and garlic separately
• Add 5 -7 cups of water to the chopped vegetables and lentil
• Cook in a pressure cooker
• Churn/mash it well with churn stick or liquidize it.
• Mix well and heat it. Add red chilly powder, salt and milk. Bring to a boil.
• Serve hot with a dollop of cream or grated cheese or finely chopped coriander greens..

Mint (Pudina) Soup

Ingredients:
Mint leaves         1 big bunch
Green chilly         1
Ginger                 1/2 inch piece
Vinegar               1/2 Tbsp
Butter                 1 Tbsp
Pepper powder  1/2 tsp
Salt                    To taste

Method:

• Grate or grind ginger to a paste.
• Similarly, grind together, pepper powder and green chilly to a fine paste
• Separate Mint leaves, wash and grind to a paste.
• Heat butter in a pan, add ginger paste. Fry for a minute or two.
• Add water, chilly paste, salt, pepper chilly paste and vinegar. Mix well and bring to a boil
• Add the mint paste. Cook for a few minutes.
• Serve hot.

Spring Onion (Pyaz patta) Soup

Ingredients:
Spring Onions     1 bunch
Onion                 1 medium sized
Potato grated      2-3 Tbsps
Grated Cheese    2 Tbsps
Thick cream        3-4 Tbsps
Butter                 2 tbsps
Sugar                 1 tsp
Pepper powder   To taste
Salt                    To taste

Method:

• Wash and clean the spring onions thoroughly
• Chop them finely. Keep one - two table spoons of the finely chopped greens of the spring onion separately for garnishing
• Chop onion finely
• Melt butter in a deep but heavy bottomed vessel
• Add onions and fry till they turn pink in colour
• Now add grated potato, spring onion, mix well and fry for few minutes
• Add a cup of water, salt, pepper, cover with lid and cook for five minutes on low flame
• Remove from fire cool and then liquidise
• Again heat this along with 2 cups of water till it begins to boil
• Serve Hot garnished with spring onion greens and grated cheese

Soups -Hot N Spicy

Soups are served at the beginning of the meal. They introduce the food that follows during the coarse of the meal. They are splendid starters, appetizers, nourishing and good for health. They help in filling us in between meals, or good for young, old and convalescing. They can also help the dieting people. In fact sometimes soups themselves can a meal in themselves.

Hot spicy steaming soups in chilly winters can be invigorating and cold and sweet soups during hot summer months are always welcome.

Soups can be served in family dinners or on special occasions like parties. So any time is soup time.

There are many varieties of soups like thin clear soups or creamy thick, hot, cold. etc. Usually thin soups are to be served with heavy meals and thick soups with light meals.

Garnishing soups just before serving not only enhances its aesthetic appeal but it will also add to the taste.

Here I am sharing some of the recipes I have...

Some Tips: Before starting on the recipes, here are some tips in general.

• You can cook the vegetables in a pressure cooker, to save time, fuel and nutrients.
• Generally vegetable stock or stock is used instead of water. It will be more tasty and nutritious.
• The water in which rice, dals/legumes or chana (chick pea) etc, has been cooked can be used instead of throwing it away.
• Similarly, the peels of the vegetables which are usually discarded can be boiled in sufficient water, strained and used as stock.
• All this can be stored in refrigerator and used when needed. But the fresher the better.
• To thicken the soup, refined flour made into white sauce can be added. Corn flour is also usually added. For Chinese soups only corn flour is added if the soup has to be thick.
• For soups cooked in Indian style, daals or legumes cooked and mashed can be added. This will be more filling nutritious and healthy.
• Rice flour can be added. One advantage with rice four is that it blends well with soups made in any style, as it has no taste at all. Also rice flour is much healthier, as it is not as fine as refined flour or corn flour. So I prefer rice flour.
• Curds (hung) can be added to give taste and thickness depending upon the ingredients and style of cooking of the soups.
• If you want your soup to be fibrous, add grated carrot or radish(mooli) or finely sliced/chopped onions, cabbage etc.
• Soups can be garnished, with a dollop of fresh cream, butter,grated cheese or bread croutons. Fried Bhendi rings can also be added instead of bread croutons.
• Bread sticks, Fried vadias or papads can also be served along.
• Finely chopped, parsley, mint or cilantro (dhania), curry leaves, spring onion greens can be used for garnishing depending upon the soup..
• You can use peanuts, cashew nuts, almonds, pistachios, walnuts etc sliced and fried in butter or ghee (clarified butter) for garnishing.
• For those who like it sweet, raisins, dried figs (anjeer) etc can be chopped and added. Pomegranate seeds can also be added.
• You can add , roasted or fried pumpkin seeds, Chironji, melon seeds etc too.
• Pepper powder is usually added to give the soups a spicy taste. But you can add finely grounded powders of coriander, cumin, fennel, carom seeds etc either raw or roasted. Experiment with each spice or a combination of spices. Similarly, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, dried ginger etc can also be used.

Tomato Soup I

Ingredients:

Tomatoes 6
Carrot 1 (big)
Onion 1 (big)
Garlic 5-6 pods
Mint fistful or 1/2 cup
Refined flour (Maida)  2 Tbsps
Cinnamon 2 one inch pieces
Cloves-4-5
Milk 1 cup
Sugar 1-2 tsps
Salt to taste
Pepper powder to taste
Oil  or butter 1-2Tbsp

Method:

• Chop tomatoes, onions and garlic finely but separately. Chop finely or grate the carrot.
• Heat 2 tbsps oil in a deep pan. Add cinnamon and cloves. Fry for a minute or two in colour.
• Now add tomatoes and carrot along with mint leaves. Add salt, sugar, pepper powder and half cup of water. Cover and cook till the vegetables are well cooked or become soft. Let it cool.
• Liquidise the vegetables. Strain it and keep aside.
• In a separate pan, heat 1 tbsp of oil, keep it on a low flame.Actually if you can use butter it gives a good taste. But when using butter just melt it. Don't heat it for long.
• Add refined flour (maida) and keep stirring it to avoid burning. This takes at least five minutes or so.
• Fry till it gives of a nice smell. Add milk slowly, a small quantity at a time and keep on stirring so that no lumps are formed. Keep on stirring. Cook this until it thickens to your liking. This is known as White Sauce.
• Now add two/three cups of water to the strained vegetable soup, add the white sauce and mix well. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Heat it again and bring it to a boil and until it reaches the desired consistency.
• Serve hot garnished with a dollop of cream or croutons.

Tomato Soup II

Ingredients:

Tomatoes chopped finely 2-3 cups
Bottle gourd chopped finely 1 cup
Onions chopped finely 1/2 cup
Ginger grated 1 tsp
Garlic grated 1 tsp
Corn flour 2 tbsp
Cinnamon 2' piece
Black pepper to taste
Sugar to taste
Salt to taste

Method:

• Take the tomatoes, gourd, onions, ginger, garlic and cinnamon in a vessel. Add 1-2 cups water.
• Cook them till they are well cooked. Cool it and mash the vegetables well.
• Now sieve/strain the cooked mixture. To this add 2-3 cups of waterand heat it on a low fire.
• Make a paste of corn flour with little water. Add this to the soup, stirring thorougly.
• Bring it to boil. Add salt, sugar and pepper powder. Boil till it reaches the required consistency.
• Serve hot with a dollop of cream.

Tomata Shorba

Ingredients:

Tomatoes 500gms
Mint leaves one bunch
Coriander greens one bunch
Lemon juice of 1/2 of a lemon
Black pepper 10-15 gms
Cloves 4-5
Red chillies (dried) 2 (optional)
Bay leaf one
Kasoori Methi 2 tsp
Sugar 1tsp
Salt to taste

Method:

• Clean the tomatoes, and the greens thoroughly.
• Chop the tomatoes finely. Chop the greens too. Crush cloves and black pepper.
• Now take the chopped tomatoes in a vessel, add three-four glasses of water, sugar and salt.
• In a muslin cloth take the crushed black pepper, mint, three fourths of coriander greens, Kasoori Methi (dried fenugreek leaves), bay leaf and red chillies. Tie it into a bundle. Place this in the vessel and cook until the tomatoes soften.
• Remove the bundle. Mash the tomato pieces with a wooden spoon. Strain it and retain the liquid.
• Boil for a few minutes.
• Serve hot garnished with finely chopped coriander greens and a dash of lemon juice (optional)

So please try these and let me know. I have loads of soup recipes. But I could not key in all at one go. I will be sharing some more next time. Since this is winter time every where, I hope you enjoy these hot and spicy soups.

Please leave your comments, so that I can improve myself .