Green Chicken Korma - Indian recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unroasted cashew nuts
• 6 tbsps oil
• 4 medium onions, chopped
• 2 large handfuls coriander leaves
• 1/2 cup mint leaves
• 4 green chillies
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 green cardamoms
• 3.5 cm ( 1 1/2 in) piece of cinnamon
• 2.5 x 1.5 cm ( 1 x 3/4 in) peeled ginger, finely chopped
• 1 kg ( 2 1/4 lb) chicken, skinned and cut into 8 pieces.1 heaped teaspoon cumin powder salt to taste
• 1 tsp lime or lemon juice
• 65 ml cream
• 1 tbsp oil, butter or ghee
• 1/4 tsp mace powder or 1 blade of mace

Cooking Method:

1. Soak the cashew nuts in 200 ml of water, for at least 15 minutes.
   Pour 4 tbsps oil in a frying pan and fry the onions over a medium heat until they are crispy brown, but not burnt at the edges. This will take between 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the pan and the heat.
   When the onions are done, put in a blender with the coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chillies, soaked cashew nuts and 50 ml water and puree.
2. In the same pan, heat the remaining 2 tbsps oil over a low heat, and add the bay leaves, cardamoms, cinnamon, ginger and garlic. Then increase the het to ,edium, until the chicken is seared. Now add the coriander and cumin powder. Saute the chicken for 2 minutes, stirring so that the chicken doesn't stick to the pan. Add the green puree and saute the chicken for a further 2 minutes.
3. Add the salt, sugr and lime juice, and 200 ml water. Taste and adjust seasoning. Now bring to the boil and simmer until the chicken is cooked, then add the cream and stir well.
4. Just before serving, heat a little oil or butter in ladle and put 1/4 tsp of mace power into ladle. After 10 seconds put it into the pot and stir. Alternatively, if using a blade of mace, remove it from the oil after 20 seconds and just put the oil in. Mix well.

Chicken Vindaloo - Indian Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 large onions6 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon ground mustard
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick, crumbled
• 2 teaspoons chilli powder, or to taste2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 6 cloves
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 90 g ghee
• 11/2 kg chicken pieces

Cooking Method:

1. 1 Roughly chop 1 onion, combine in a blender or food processor with garlic, mustard, turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, chilli, cumin, cloves, vinegar and sugar. Blend until smooth.
2. Combine chicken in a bowl with spice mixture. Marinate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
3. Slice remaining onion. Melt ghee in a saucepan and saute onion for 2 minutes.
4. Add chicken pieces. Reduce heat to low, cover, simmer fro 45 minutes or until chicken is tender, stirring occasionally.

Chicken Tandoori - Indian Recipe

Ingredients:

• 6 chicken thighs
• 1/4 cups (60 ml/2 fl oz) lemon juice
• 1/2 small onions, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• 3 tsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp lemon juice, extra
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• pinch chilli powder
• 1 cup ( 250 g/6 oz) yoghurt
• red food colouring

Cooking Method:

1. Remove the skin from the chicken pieces and brush the flesh with lemon juice; cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Place the onion, garlic, ginger, coriander and cumin seeds, extra lemon juice and salt in a food processor and process until a smooth paste is formed. Combine the spice paste with the paprika, chilli powder and yoghurt, and mix together until smooth. Add enough drops of food colouring to make mixture a deep red colour.
3. Place the chicken pieces in large shallow dish, and spread liberally with the spicy yoghurt mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours or overnight for the best result.
4. Preheat the oven to moderate 180 C (350 F). Place the chicken pieces on a wire rack over a large baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the chicken pieces are tender and cooked through. Serve with rice.

Butter Chicken - Indian Recipe

Ingredients:
 

• 900 g full-fat yoghurt
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 cm square of fresh ginger
• 2/3 tsp red chillipowder or paprika
• 1/4 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
• a tiny pinch of tandoori colouring (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsps limejuice

Cooking Method:
 

1. Prepare the marinade. Place the yoghurt in a piece of cheesecloth and hang to allow the whey to drip away.Puree the garlic and ginger in a blender. Add this and the marinade spices, salt and lime juice to the yoghurt and mix well.
2. Scald the tomatoes for the makhani sauce and peel off the skin. Reduce to a semi-pulp with a fork or potato masher. Put the kashuri into a grinder and reduce to a powder.
3. Make gashes in the chicken if using pieces on the bone. Marinate the chicken in the yoghurt mixture for at least 1hour,preferably 2; for best results leave overnight.
4. When ready to cook, heat the oil in a large, thick-bottomed skillet and put in the chicken with the marinade. Cover and cook over a low heat until done. Turn the chicken over during cooking.
5. Put the tomato pulp into a frying pan and cook for 5 minutes or so until the liquid has evaporated slightly.
6. Add the chilled butter and paprika;after the butter has melted, let it cook for just 1 minute. Taste. If it is not sour, add a few drops of vinegar. Add the kasuri methi, garam masala powder and salt to taste. After 30 second, add the cream and stir. The sauce is now ready. Pour it into the skillet and mix well with the chicken. Serve immediately.

Balti Chicken in Saffron Rice

Ingredients:

(Serves 4)

• 1/4 c / 50gr butter
• 30ml / 2 tbsp corn oil
• 1.2 - 1.3kg chicken, skinned and cut into 8 pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 5ml/1 tsp crushed garlic
• 2.5 ml / 1-1/2 tsp crushed black peppercorns
• 2.5ml / 1 1/2 tsp crushed cardamom pods
• 2.5ml/1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 7.5ml/1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 150ml natural (plain) yogurt
• 50g ground almonds
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp saffron threads

• 150ml water
• 150ml single (light) cream
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)

Cooking Methods:

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/350 degrees F. Melt the butter with the oil in a wok or deep pan. Add the chicken pieces and fry until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the chicken using slotted spoon, leaving behind the fat.
2. Add the onion to the same pan, and fry over a medium heat. Meanwhile, mix together the next 10 ingerdients in a bowl. When the onions are lightly browned, pour the spice mixture into the pan and stir-fry for about 1 minute.
3. Add the chicken pieces, and continue to fry for a further 2 minutes stirring constantly. Pour in the water and bring to a simmer. Transfer the contents of the pan to a casserole and cover with a lid. Transfer to the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes.
4. Once you are sure that the chicken is cooked right through, remove it from the oven. Trasnfer the mixture to a frying pan and stir in the cream.
5. Reheat gently for about 2 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve with a fruity pilau or plain boled rice.