Punjabi Chicken Curry

A few my lovely non-Indian girlfriends asked me to teach them how to make a few Indian dishes. So, we got a date in the calendar, a beautiful kitchen (thanks Vic), lots of wine and a few willing husbands.

The menu for the evening was Chicken Curry, matar paneer (peas and paneer), spicy dry aloo (Spicy potatoes), raita (yogurt with added extras), peas pulao (Pea rice) and ofcourse the ever faithful mango lassi. This is the first recipe in the series.....watch this space for more.

Ingredients:
Chicken 1 pack of boneless thighs
Onion, 1 large, chopped
Plum Tomatoes, 3 medium, chopped
Yogurt ¼ cup
Ginger, 1 tsp grated or finely chopped
Garlic 1 to 2 tsp, grated or finely chopped
Dry ground spices:
Paprika powder 1 tsp
Cumin powder 1 tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Turmeric a pinch
Salt to taste
Oil 1 - 2 tbsp
Fresh coriander, chopped 4-5 sprigs
Whole masala (spices):
Cumin seeds 1 tsp
Bay leaves 2
Black Cardamoms 2
Cinnamon 1 inch
Cloves 3

Use a deep wok or a deep pot with lid to make the curry.

Method:

Clean and wash chicken. Heat the oil in the pot, and add the whole spices. Once these start to crackle, add the chopped onion along with ginger garlic. Reduce the flame to medium, so that the onions do not burn. Fry this mixture till its golden brown. Add the chicken pieces and mix it well with the now golden brown onion mix. Add turmeric powder, paprika powder, coriander powder, cumin power and salt to taste. Again, mix it well, cover and let the chicken cook for about 3-5 minutes on low heat.
You will notice the formation of a gravy or curry; this is a good sign, as the chicken is now leaving water. Don’t worry if it doesn’t happen, it will happen soon.
Add the chopped tomatoes and mix it well with the half cooked chicken. Again, cover and let it cook on a low flame for 5 minutes. Do keep checking and mixing the chicken and tomatoes together.
Cook for a further 10 minutes, and you will notice the formation of a layer of oil on the top of the curry. This is a sign that it’s almost done. You will by now have a thick curry in the pot.
Add the yogurt 1 tbsp at a time and mix it well. Don’t add all together, as it could curdle. When the entire yogurt has been added, check if you are happy with the gravy consistency. If you would like it thinner, add a bit of water. Cover and cook for one final time, till the chicken is tender.
Garnish with the chopped coriander and serve with warm naan bread or pulao rice.

Tips:
Chicken – we used boneless thighs, you can use any type of cut chicken. Legs, thighs both work well. I tend not to use chicken breast, as it toughens a bit whilst cooking. Remember chicken cooks very quickly, so reduce the cooking time if you are using boneless pieces cut too small.
Tomatoes – we used plum tomatoes, because I think they taste nice. You could use any kind of fresh tomatoes, although canned tomatoes are alright too.
Ginger and Garlic – we chopped these, but for ease you could use ginger/garlic paste out of a bottle/tube.
Chillies – yes, we didn’t use any chillies. If you do like to, add half a tsp of red chillies whilst adding the ground spices, or 1 green chilli.
The wok or pot – use one with a lid, as you do need to cover and leave the chicken to cook. A deep pot works as well as an Indian wok.

Amazing coconut macaroons

My brother Anurag, absolutely loves coconut macaroons, so when my dad was on his way to visit Anurag, I decided to surprise him by making a batch of these moist and moorish delights. I'm sure they are not as great as the godiva ones he usually buys, but hey, they are good!

Ingredients: (makes 8-10 macaroons)

110gm desiccated coconut

75 gm caster sugar

1 egg white

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C.

2. Whisk the egg white till peaks form. If using an electric whisk, it'll take about 2 minutes.

3. Add the caster sugar and whisk again to mix it well.

4. Add the desiccated coconut to the egg and sugar mixture and mix well. The end mixture should be sticky, and still firm.

5. Roll the mixture into tablespoon size balls, and place on a baking tray lined with parchment (butter) paper. Flatten it slightly with your fingers or a fork.

6. Cook for 10 minutes or until golden.

7. Cool on a wire rack

These will stay fresh for 2 days.....enjoy!

Salmon and Dill Tart

Today was the last day of my easter holidays. Something special, something easy and very tasty was required. A tart is not very difficult to make. For this recipe, I cheated, I used readymade pastry and just rolled it out.

I served the salmon tart with garlicy buttered broccoli and green beans.

You will need:
1 Pie dish
Greaseproof paper
Baking beans, used for blind baking

Ingredients:
Shortcrust pastry 500 gms
3 salmon fillets, about 200 gms
2 eggs
Chopped fresh dill, about 2 tablespoons
Single creams 284 ml

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
2. Roll out the pastry to line the base and the sides of the pie dish. Prick the pastry with a fork, cover with a circle of greaseproof paper and then fill with one layer of baking beans. Concentrate on the edges, as that's where the pastry is most likely to shrink.
3. Bake for 10 minutes, then take out of oven, remove the paper and beans and return to the oven for another 7 minutes or till golden. Take out and let cool.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 160 degrees (gas mark 4)
5. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper, and bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or till done. Flake the salmon and keep aside to cool.
6. Whisk the egg, add the chopped dill and cream. Season with freshly ground pepper and salt.
7. Fill the now cooled pie base liberally with the flaked salmon. Pour the whisked cream and egg mixture over the salmon and fill the pie base.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the liquid has set and the top is golden.

Garlicy Butter Broccoli and Beans
1 Broccoli, cut into florets
1 pack dwarf beans
2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
1 tablespoon butter
Freshly ground pepper and salt to taste

1. To a pot of boiling water, add 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the broccoli and beans and boil for 2 minutes. Quickly run the vegetables under cold water. Drain.
2. Melt the butter in a wide base pan, add the chopped garlic. When the garlic sizzles, add the broccoli and beans.
3. Season with freshly ground pepper and salt.

Cut the tart into quarters and serve with the garlicy vegetables and wedge of lemon.

Enjoy.