Curry Leaf Chilli Chicken

It was a refreshing holiday this time. A holiday reserved for cooking, travelling and resting. A holiday to admire Mother nature and for family reunions. A holiday that slowed down the normal frenzy of activities. All 4 days went by like a whirlwind. From short picnics to park walks and enjoying the beauty of the nature's simple pleasures, sitting by the passing springs, chatting with friends, barbeque time near the beachside, and yeah, lots of sleep.

The holiday hangover seems heavy now. Today, I am sitting at my desk keen to catch up on the piles of messages that were left behind. I have a few pictures from one of the picnics that we had. We visited the largest dam in Oman called the Wadi Dayqah dam which is a favorite picnic spot for most tourists. It is a one-hour drive from Muscat and is located in a place called Quriyat.  With sprawling lawns and breadth-taking views, it is a pleasure to travel to this land locked with mountain ranges all around. This dam serves as a major source for drinking water to most regions of Oman. It was opened in 2012. Have a look at some of the pictures below.

Holidays also means cooking. We were out most days, but the cooking never stopped. I got a chance to make simple picnic lunches ranging from appetizers to finger foods and one pot meals. Today's recipe was also one of the new appetizers that I tried out for the picnics. We call it curry leaf chilli chicken. The dish is a spicy treat donned with a marinade dominated with curry leaf flavors and then baked to perfection. A new flavor to be marked and it is sure to win hearts with its appetizing looks.

Have a look at the recipe below:

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Kg boneless chicken cubes

1 mediun sized cinnamon stick

1 tsp green cardamom pods

1 tsp whole cloves

1/2 tsp black peppercorns

1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves

18 fresh curry leaves

1 lemon juice2 tsp finely chopped green chillies
2 tsp fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp tamarind concentrate
2 tsp garlic, crushed

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp Oil

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Grind the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and peppercorns to a powder.

 

2)  Add the coriander leaves, curry leaves, lemon juice, chilli peppers, ginger, garlic, tamarind, turmeric and salt. Process to a paste.

 

3) Marinate the chicken pieces with this spice paste for at least 30 minutes, sprinkle oil on top and bake in  a pre-heated electric oven at 240 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes or till done.

 

4) I also deep fried a handful of curry leaves until crisp and sprinkled on the chicken after baking. Serve hot.

 

 

Fried Bangalore chicken

 

The reflection of sparking city lights on the calm waters of the Corniche as darkness approaches us, the array of docked boats near a small piece of land on the water, the white flocks of birds diving into the blue waters, the crowded pavements and the beautifully lit city skyline - these are the typical scenes at the Muttrah Corniche here in Muscat on a usual weekend evening. And that was where we had been last weekend for an evening outing.  This is the best place to observe a mix of cultural traditions, urban sophistication and multiculturalism—all this amidst quite scenic settings. You can spend the whole evening out here watching the silent waters and draining yourself out from the weekly stress.

I am excited this week as we have only three working days before we have a long weekend off for the National Day holidays. We haven't made big plans yet for the off days and we just want to plan a day ahead one at a time. The magic of holidays enveloped with warmth and laughter and plenty of memories to save.

Inspired by all this excitement and to tantalise your taste buds, I have a very simple recipe here for a fried chicken. Nothing new in fried chicken and nothing to learn in it. But yes, the recipe has a new combination of spices which is worth noting. We also call it Bangalore chicken sometimes because it has its origin from the city of Bangalore which is also my birthplace.

INGREDIENTS:

 

1 Kg Chicken cut into  8 pieces
Oil for deep frying
 

 To marinate:

1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
2 tbsp Yogurt
1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1/2 tsp cumin powder
A pinch orange color
A pinch turmeric powder
2 tsp Chili powder
2 tsp crushed coriander seeds
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp Vinegar
1 egg
4 tbsp corn flour

 

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Marinate chicken with all the ingredients. Keep for a minimum of 2 hours.

2) Deep fry these chicken pieces untill it turn lightly brown and crisp outside and tender inside.

3)  Serve with onion rings.

 

Schezwan Fish

We love Chinese cuisine. Everyone in my family does. Hubby, who wasn't a fan of Chinese dishes earlier now adores them. Eating nutrient rich food does not mean sacrificing on taste. We are all looking on new ideas to eating healthy, home cooked meals, without going on a diet .Sea food has amazing nutritional value that can significantly lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and obesity. It is protein rich, gives us strength and energy and has a good satiety factor. Off late, it has become our first choice for a value based meal. So, don’t hesitate to treat your family to the myriad sea food available and eat your way to longevity!

Boneless fish or fish fillets are so easily available in the market now without hefty price tags. They have replaced the usual fish fries that we would serve in parties as they are not as cumbersome as whole fish to eat. Besides this quality, they are soft and spongy thus making it an amazing starter for a party meal.

This Chinese type Schezwan fish is mildly flavored with a dipping sauce made at home. It is easy to prepare and can be called a meal in itself. Scrumptious and finger-licking is what I would call it.

INGREDIENTS:

200 gms boneless fish cut into finger shapes or strips or squares
1/4 cup All purpose flour
1/4 cup corn flour
2 green chillis
1 tsp coriander leaves
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ajinamotto
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt to taste


For sauce:

1 tsp ginger chopped or powdered
1 p ginger chopped or powdered
1 tsp green chilli chopped
1 tsp coriander leaves
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp sugar
2 tsp tomato sauce
2 tsp soya sauce (optional)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp pepper

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Marinate fish fillets in salt for 10-15 minutes.


2) Mix all the sauce ingredients together well and keep aside.


3) Prepare a batter out of batter ingredients. Use enough water if needed. The consistency of the batter should be of dipping consistency.. not too thick and nor too thin.


4)  Heat oil in a wok . Dip these fillets in the batter and deep fry them till golden brown.

5) Serve deep fried fish along with the sauce separately in a bowl.

Chicks in a blanket

This is arguably the most loved appetizer at our home now. Even for a non-sausage lover like me, this is an amazingly satisfying dish because it tickles every taste bud on your tongue, the sweet, sour, salty, spicy. We have eaten it many a times from the bakeries here. I never imagined that they could be so easy to make at home.

I found a few perfect recipes from the internet with little substitutions to make. Undoubtedly, Yeast plays the most important role here. It is wholly responsible for the soft and fluffy texture of the bun wrapped around the sausage. I bought sausages from the store. You can also buy ready-made crescents and wrap them round the sausages. But I preferred the home made versions. And it was a great option.

Serve them with a sour cream dip and you will not be able to stop yourself from clearing the plate.  It is a match made in heaven. For a family favorite appetizer like this that can transform your table into an extraordinary spread, you must not delay in trying it out.

Recipe follows

INGREDIENTS:

For the Dough:

1 cup Flour

1 tsp Instant yeast

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tbsp oil/ melted butter

For the Filling:

4 Sausages (chicken or beef or mutton or veg)
2 tablespoons salted butter
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 small clove garlic, minced
 

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and set aside.

2)  In a mixing bowl, add flour, salt , yeast and mix well to form a soft dough. Add in the Oil and knead for 5 min. Let it sit for 30 min or until it doubles in size.

3) While the dough is resting, you can make the garlic butter. In a small bowl, melt butter together with Italian seasoning and garlic. Keep aside.

4) Punch the air out of the dough and knead for 5 min. If the dough is very sticky, you can use very little flour and mix well. Make a smooth dough.

5)  Make small balls from it and roll out each ball into thick circles. With a knife or a pizza cutter, you can cut the circle into 4 equal quarters.

 

6) Separate each quarter from one another. Now they resemble triangles with one circular edge.

 

7) Brush the tops of the quarters with some garlic butter. Place half a sausage at the wide end and roll up.
 

8) Arrange in a foil lined tray. Let it rest for 30 more min or until they double in size. Repeat the same for all the rolls. Brush all of them with more garlic butter.

 

9) After they double in size, bake them in an oven till light golden brown.

 

10) Serve them warm with sour cream or Ketchup.

 

Note : If you find your baked buns or rolls hard or crispy on the outside, you have to cover them with a wet clean towel soon after they are out of the oven. After 10 minutes, you will find them softened.

 

Tandoori wings with cucumber yoghurt

During our Eid holidays, we decided to travel 270kms from Muscat to the famous and the highest Mountain range of Oman called the Jebel Shams.

Jebel Shams is to Oman, what the Grand Canyon is to the US.  It is a part of the Al Hajar Mountain range in Oman which is a popular sightseeing place. When I say mountains here, they are plain rocky ones with almost no vegetation on them. In other words, they are dry and you get to see a few water falls here and there. Also, you often see the mountain goats and camels grazing extensively. The sceneries are tremendous and offer you spectacular views of the dense rocky mountain ranges spread majestically. The weather is pleasant all through the year and is heavenly during the winters.

So we had planned to travel for the day to this beautiful place as we were trying to flee hot weather from our Muscat city. And we were not very happy after reaching there as it was quite warm even on the hill. We decided to finish our lunch and then travel to the nearby cities and explore them. We had no maps, no plans. Only a drive using the directions. And then we were lucky as we drove to see the clouds gathering up quickly over the mountain range. We continued to climb on a hill that enveloped the city of Al Hamra. When we reached it, a captivating sight welcomed us. Rain !!! It rained heavily with strong thunders and lightining. Now rain is something we haven't seen since the last 6 months here and getting to see it on a holiday is something beholding.

It rained for an hour and we knew that our day was made. Our travel was worth the effort and the long distance. The place was called as Misafat Al Abriyeen.  It was a water spring and we enjoyed it. Then we travelled back down the hill and entered the beautiful city called Bahla to explore it. It was 9 p.m. when we started back to Muscat.

Interiors in Oman is where you get to see the real Omani culture. It is 5 years now since I came to Muscat and I have been living here watching the locals and adopting their styles, enjoying their cuisine and culture. But when I travel to the Interiors of Oman, I get to see the actual Omani culture, their hospitality, their living styles etc etc.

We all know that Omanis are lovely, friendly and hospitable people. I have many examples which demonstrate their generosity and their loyalty. We have witnessed it on many occasions and I feel very lucky to have been given this chance to live in this amazing country. I have many good Omani friends at my workplace with whom I do spend a lot of time. We chat about everything on this earth, we share pictures of our families, we talk about our past lives and our culture, we go out together, share food, exchange recipes etc.

And this is how and why I keep trying out mostly Arabian influence dishes these days and I do it by giving it some Indian twist and we love them.

I could not contain my excitement when I found another appetizer recipe for chicken wings. It was surreal. I had  found my way back to India but via the Arabian peninsula.

The below pictures will give you a fair idea of where and how I spent the Eid holidays.

Here is the tantalizing recipe for the tandoori Chicken wings:

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup tandoori curry paste
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
1.5 kg chicken wings

Cucumber yoghurt

1 cucumber, grated
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 cup plain yoghurt

HOW TO MAKE:

1)  To make the cucumber yoghurt: Combine cucumber, mint and yoghurt in a bowl. Season with pepper. Cover. Refrigerate until needed.

2) Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Combine curry paste, yoghurt and coriander in a large bowl. Add wings. Toss to coat. Transfer to prepared tray.

3) Bake for 50 minutes or until browned and cooked through. You can also grill them if you like. 

4) Serve tandoori wings with cucumber yoghurt, rice, mint and lime wedges.

 

Arabic Style Herbed Chicken

Well, I had been away from blogging since quite a while and its awfully a long time actually due to petty reasons such as a busy Ramadhan month that passed on us and the much awaited long Eid holidays. Today we all get back to work even though mentally I still miss the late waking up mornings of the Eid holidays or the afternoon naps & the early nights of  the holy month of Ramadhan. I realize that now its high time I seriously get back to my usual routine life.

With the onset of the Holy month of Ramadhan, all our schedules changed. And so did our daily eating menus.  High expectations from the family for a delectable table during Iftar is something I have been working on and I had been successfully trying out different recipes and creating strong menus for our daily Iftars, cooking tons  & spoiling the family.

And then the Eid holidays came gushing over with a mixed aura. So we planned picnics for each day, visited various places and enjoyed ourselves. Not to forget how the heat played spoilsport throughout the whole of last month. No doubt, it is the peak of summer here and the humidity seems to be quite high.

So, many recipes are lined up again in my drafts and you can happily expect something new popping up on my space every now and then.

When I stop posting regularly, it gives you the impression that some sort of crisis has been occurring with me, but there's not. I was just readjusting to having a few more plates to spin, and now it is business as usual for me. You can expect something similar again in a couple of months time, but I am clearing it all up now in advance that if I am away for more than a fortnight, you can assume that I have gone on a holiday or travelled abroad on some family trips.

So this is the background. And now I am starting back with an interesting recipe for Arabic style chicken wings - cloaked with green herbs producing a mild flavor of parsley, coriander and garlic. I liked the herb concept which sounded gourmet when I read about it and it could not take long for me to try it.

Here's the recipe for the Arabic Style hearbed chicken wings fry!!!

INGREDIENTS:

8 chicken wings, cut into 2 each
1 cup all purpose flour
Salt & Black pepper to taste
1 tsp paprika
Oil for frying
30g butter
4 cloves garlic crushed
2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped
1tsp parsley, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon


HOW TO MAKE:

1) Season the all purpose flour with salt, black pepper and paprika, set aside.

2 ) Place the chicken wings in a large bowl with the seasoned all purpose flour, and toss to coat the chicken completely with the flour.

3) Deep fry the floured wings till golden.

4) .Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small skillet, add the garlic and stir once, add the coriander and parsley cooking in the butter till wilted.

5) Sprinkle with lemon juice.

6) In a large bowl, mix the fried wings with the garlic coriander sauce and toss to coat.

7) Serve hot.

 

Broasted Fish Strips

It's been a good week. The weather's getting better, Its been a long working week but, I've had a great dinner yesterday in one of a famous Pakistani joint which sells box and combo meals for Biryani, broasted chicken and Haleem. Very reasonable and tasty too.

Luckily I've got only 3 days left for the weekend now. The plan is what it pretty much always is, lots of cooking, eating, reading,socialising and candy crush. I cannot believe we're in June already, it's terrifying. My most exciting plans for the week are on Friday evening and Saturday when we go outing to the new Mall that has been thrown open to all. Will be so nice to finally see what's in there, and eat food, lots and lots of food!

 

Recently we purchased some fresh fish fillets. An idea struck me to create my own replica of the KFC Chicken strips. So I marinated the fish with mild spices and dipped it in corn flour,rolled them in bread crumbs to lay a KFC replica version of fish strips on my table. You can also bake them. I deep fried them. They were crunchy and light.

 

My recipe was:

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

2 fish fillets

2 packets Knorr basil-thyme seasoning

1 cup cornflour

1 cup breadcrumbs

1 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp red chilli sauce

Salt to taste

Oil for frying or baking

 

HOW TO MAKE:

 

1) Cut the fish into strip size pieces. Horizontally or vertically depending on the shape you want.

 

2) Marinate the fish with the seasonings, garlic powder, chilli sauce and salt.

 

3) Freeze this for one to 2 hours.

 

4) Just before frying, dip the fish in the cornflour (mixed with some water) and roll in bread crumbs.

 

5) Deep fry/shallow fry or bake them using some oil.

 

6) Sprinkle some lemon juice before serving.

 

 

 

Chicken Achari Tikka

These few weeks of May were really special and inspiring time of year for anyone who loves to cook or barbeque. With the onset of June, outdoor visits to the park or the beachside becomes a nightmare with the humidity at its highest. The air around becomes hot and you just drip with sweat if you are not using an Air Conditioner. The hyper summer weather worsens this way until the end of September. The sun light starts to stream bright into your bedrooms by 5 a.m.  By 7 a.m. the window screens are hot as an oven. Sun strokes are also common in this part of the year and we are always drinking copious amounts of liquids to avoid dehydration.

While the summer weather may get us down, one of the best things this time of year is the incredible produce we can get from the warmer zones of the world . The weather in Oman has been so bizarre this year that we're lucky to be getting Oman's own produces since a while. All these years Oman depended heavily on exports until recently we started seeing our supermarkets flooded with local produce. So good news for the locals because things are much cheaper than before.

Now coming to today's recipe. I have a grilled chicken recipe here marinated with pickled spices. Quite an interesting concept. Its great to be served alongside a light meal.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 kg chicken boneless pieces
1 tbsp  ginger garlic paste
Salt to taste
1/2 tbsp  red chili powder
1 tbsp  turmeric powder
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp  kalonji (onion seeds)
2 tbsp  curd
1 tbsp any readymade pickle gravy (optional)
1 tbsp gram flour
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Grind finely all the ingredients except the chicken.

2) Marinate the chicken with the ground paste for at least 2 hours.

3) Now roast the chicken in microwave or an OTG on a griller for 12 min, but always pre heat the oven for 15 min at 250 degree.

4) Alternatively shallow fry them on a pan or use a grill pan. Serve hot.
 

 

Tawa Bihaari kebab

I love Kebabs for their ease & versatility. Add or minus an ingredient and you have a different taste. These Kebabs not only look yummy; but taste yummy too.

Made with only 6 ingredients, these can be grilled, oven-baked and even pan-fried. I pan-fried them coz I was too lazy to set up the grill; and they were on the table quickly and disappeared quickly too.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Kg Chicken / Mutton cubes
1/2 cup Oil
1 tbsp heaped Ginger garlic paste
1/2 cup Yogurt
1 tsp heaped Garam Masala Powder
1 tbsp heaped Raw papaya
1 tsp Chili powder
Salt to taste
1 tsp Roasted and crushed cumin
1 tsp roasted and ground Coriander seeds
1 tsp roasted and ground Poppy seeds
1 tsp Roasted gram

HOW TO MAKE:

1) Marinate the meat cubes with raw papaya and oil for 1 hour.

2) Then add in all the above ingredients and keep aside to marinate for another hour.

3)  Line the cubes on skewers.

4)  Heat ¼ cup oil on a flat pan or tawa and place the skewers on it. In case you don’t have skewers, you can fry the cubes as it is.  Fry on low flame till done.

5)  Light two pieces of coal and place in the center of the tawa. Pour a teaspoon of ghee on the coals and cover immediately. Let it rest for few minutes.

6)  Serve with onion rings, lemon slices, mint leaves and chutney.

Afghani Chicken Kebab

This week's looking like a goodun with some shopping out on Wednesday, a supper on Friday with friends, a weekend loaded with arrangements and planning and donno what else - so lots to look forward to. 

I have another succulent Kebaab recipe with me made a while back which is a bit different from our other chicken Kebabs. By using skinless and boneless Chicken Breasts and dunking  in a special marinade of herbs, yogurt and pepper, these Kebabs are so tender, most and delicious that you will never be content with eating just one.

So enjoy the Afghani Chicken Kebab.

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts, boneless and skin removed.(I also used chicken thighs)

For marinade:

• 2 tbsp yogurt
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tbsp kebab masala powder (as shown below)
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• A pinch of turmeric
• Salt to taste

For the kabab masala powder:

• 50 g saunf (fennel seeds)
• 50 g jeera (cumin seeds)
• 50 g cloves
• 50 g cardamom
• 50 g cinnamon
• 50 g bay leaves

Roast and grind the dry spices. Only 1 tbsp is required for the recipe, the remaining can be stored in an airtight container.

HOW TO MAKE:

1. Cut chicken in 2 -3 inch cubes.
2. Blend the ingredients of the marinade. Marinate the chicken for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Pre- heat the oven and grill for 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked.
4. Alternatively, skewer the chicken and barbecue on charcoal or an electric grill.
5. Serve with onion rings that have been soaked in lime juice and chili mixture.

 

Pencil Seekh Kebab

These Seekh Kebabs have all the elements of a classic Kebab roll up, grilled and can be eaten with a warm sauce.

I made these during the weekend and  teamed it up with a Salad and I was delighted to find my little toddler enjoying them as a finger food. This is a great meal to get your kids taking in mouthfuls.

These Kebabs are easy to do (although the instructions look long and difficult)  and perfect for a light kid-friendly meal or  an evening snack. You can also roll them up with flat breads for exciting wraps and rolls of your choices.

INGREDIENTS:

½ kg minced meat (completely drained of water)
2 tbsp gram flour
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
3 dried red chillies
1 tsp garam masala powder
Salt to taste
Juice of half a lime
5 to 8 finely chopped green chillies
1 big onion grated and squeezed of all water (use a muslin cloth)
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
Chopped coriander
¼ tsp meat tenderizer (optional – u can marinate meat in raw papaya for half an hour initially)
Oil for shallow frying

HOW TO MAKE:

1)  Mix all the ingredients and marinate for an hour or more.

2)  Make the seekh kebabs by rolling the kheema tightly over a skewer. If you don’t have a skewer, you can use a pencil and make short seekhs. Slightly wet your palms and keep pressing the meat against the skewer or pencil.

3) Once the seekh is firm, gently slide it out from the skewer or pencil.

4)  Shallow fry or grill on the top rack of an oven the seekh kebabs in oil, till perfectly done.

5)  Serve them hot with some chilli sauce or Ketchup.

 

Chapli Kebab

I've been a bit slack again with the posts waiting in my drafts and about updating my blog recently due to one thing or another so there is a massive backlog of recipes that I'll be posting over the coming days. I started this one last week and have written the remainder of it now from my office desk.

I've been struck down by some bizarre bug that feels like a weekend hangover but very definitely isn't. I feel lethargic for some unknown reasons and have been longing for a holiday which I want to utilize relaxing. Incidentally we have a public holiday coming soon but it is still a fortnight away from us. Sometimes life really is hectic!!! 
 
So this recipe was tried a few days back on one of the weekends when the menu was a bit low key. I was a slightly hesitant to follow it to the dot and wanted to make a few changes. Luckily I did not. Because I discovered how adding unique ingredients also can make a great Kebab.
 
The recipe below says the rest.
 
INGREDIENTS:
 
500 gms Beef or lamb mince
4 tbsp Gram or Corn flour
2 tbsp Coriander seeds (crushed)
2 tbsp Pomegranate seeds
3 tsp Red pepper (crushed)
1 tbsp Fresh ginger paste
2 beaten eggs omelette (or pan fried with little oil & salt)
Salt to taste
2 tsp Black pepper crushed
6 Tomatoes medium sized, chopped
2 Onion 2 finely chopped
5 Green chilies chopped
2 Egg
Oil for frying
 
HOW TO MAKE:
 
1)  In a mixing bowl add all the above ingredients (excepts oil which is for frying).

2)  Also add the omelette and mix so that omelette in broken into small pieces and mixed with all the ingredients.

3) Let the mixture set in a refrigerator for 2 - 3 hours.  Make flat medium sized patties out of it.

4) Deep fry the patties or grill them in a hot oven until golden brown.