Chicken

Roasted chicken with spices

| Rekha Vengalil
Roasted chicken with spices
You need –
  • Chicken – 1, small and cleaned
For the marinade
  • Saffron strands – a pinch
  • Ground black paper – 1 teaspoon
  • Ground cumin – 1 teaspoon
  • Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
  • Kashmiri chilli powder – 3 tablespoons
  • Ground cardamom – ¼ teaspoon
  • Ground cinnamon – ¼ teaspoon
  • Ginger and garlic paste – 1 tablespoon each
  • Lime juice – 1 tablespoon
  • Yogurt – 2 tablespoons
  • Vegetable oil – 2 tablespoon s
  • Salt to taste
How to –
  • Clean and wash the chicken. Dry the chicken inside and out.
  • Soak the saffron strands in 2 teaspoon warm water.
  • Mix all the ingredients under marinade (including the soaked saffron). Rub the chicken with the mixture inside and out. Leave in the fridge overnight or atleast 6 hours.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 170 C .
  • Place the chicken in the baking tray and roast for 1 ½ hours turning the chicken halfway through so that it cooks evenly on all sides. 
    • Roasted chicken with spices

Kerala chicken stew

| Rekha Vengalil
A comfort food.This is a mild stew where chicken is cooked in coconut milk and whole dried spices. This is my mother’s version, and to me she makes the best appam and stew..

 
You can cook this with lamb or beef. For Vegetarians, omit the meat and add more veggies. The stew is best with appam.

Kerala chicken stew
You need –
  • Chicken – 500 grams
  • Onion – finely chopped 1 cup
  • Potatoes – 1 large. Cut into cubes
  • Carrot – 2. Cut into cubes
  • Ginger – chopped 2 teaspoon
  • Garlic – chopped 2 teaspoon
  • Green chillies – 2 slit length wise
  • Curry leaves – 10-15
  • Dried spices
    • Cinnamon – 1 small stick
    • Clove – 2
    • Cardamom – 2
    • Star anise – 1 small
    • Fennel seeds – ½ teaspoon
    • Crushed pepper – ½ teaspoon
    • Bay leaf – 1/2
  • Thin coconut milk – 2 cups
  • Thick coconut milk – 1 cup
  • Coconut oil – 2 tablespoon
  • Salt – to taste
How to –
  • Heat oil in a pan. Add all the dried spices and fry until the raw smell is gone.
  • Add the onions, Ginger, garlic, chilies, curry leaves and continue to fry until onions turn soft.
  • Add the chicken piece, potatoes and continue to fry for 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the thin coconut milk, salt, cover and cook.
  • When the chicken is half done, add the carrots and continue to cook till the chicken is fully done.
  • Add the thick coconut milk and bring to boil.
  • Turn off the heat and serve with appam.
Kerala chicken stew
 

Chicken Korma

| Rekha Vengalil

This curry is mild and aromatic. Goes well with roti or rice.

Chicken Korma

You need –

  • Flaked almonds – 25 grams
  • Ginger grated – 1 teaspoon
  • Garlic grated – 1 teaspoon
  • Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
  • Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
  • Chili powder – 1/2 teaspoon
  • Paprika – 1 teaspoon
  • Greek Yogurt – 4 tablespoons
  • Chicken breast – 2
  • Chicken thigh – 2
  • Onion – 1 cup
  • Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
  • Water – ½ – 1 cup
  • Double cream – 150 ml
  • Coconut milk – 2 tablespoon
  • Coriander chopped – 3 tablespoons
  • Garam masala – 1 tablespoon
  • Oil – 2 – 3 tablespoon
  • Salt to taste

How to – 

  • Roast the almonds on a baking tray in a hot oven for a few minutes till the almonds turn light golden brown or dry roast in a pan.
  • Combine ginger, garlic, cumin seeds, ground coriander, paprika, chili powder, almonds and the yogurt and marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.
  • Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion and cook until golden brown.
  • Add the marinated chicken, salt and lemon juice and combine well. Cook for 5- 7 minutes.
  • Add the required water, cover and simmer until the chicken is done and stirring occasionally.
  • Add cream and simmer for another 5 minutes then add coconut milk, chopped fresh coriander, garam masala and cook for a further 3 -4 minutes. Stir occasionally. 
                                                                  Chicken Korma
Turn off the heat and garnish with flaked almonds.

Balti chicken pasanda

| Rekha Vengalil

The quest to make something new landed me with this. A sure treat for chicken lovers! Having done a little browsing about this, I understand this dish originates from North Pakistan and getting very popular in the west. The term “Balti” refers to the cooking vessel in which the food is both cooked and served. It is a round cast iron heavy bottom pan, looking more like a wok. The word pasanda is an urdu word meaning “the favourite one”. The bust of flavours is incredible. It’s a must try. There are a couple of recipes online and this one especially look quite appetizing http://shabscuisine.blogspot.sg/. Since I have used 1 kilo chicken I have changed the quantity of the ingredients accordingly.

Balti chicken pasanda

You will need –
Chicken – 1 Kg cut into pieces
Onion –1 cup finely chopped
Vegetable oil – 2 tablespoon
Chopped coriander – 2 tablespoon
Chili – 1 slit
Light cream – 1 cup
  
For the Marinade:
  • Greek yogurt – 6 tablespoon
  • chilli powder – 1.5 teaspoon
  • Minced garlic – 2 teaspoon
  • Minced ginger – 2 teaspoon
  • Garam masala – 2 teaspoon
  • Ground almonds – 2 tablespoon
  • Cardamoms – 5
  • Cinnamon – 1 medium sticks
  • Paper corns – ½ teaspoon
  • Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon
  • Salt to taste
How to – 
  • In a large mixing bowl combine all the indigents as above for marinating. Add chicken pieces and leave to marinate for a minimum of 2 hours (more the best). Cover and refrigerate.
  • Heat oil in a large shallow pan. Add the onions and sauté until it is golden.
  • Add the marinated chicken along with the marinade and stir well until it is well blended with the onions. You can add little water if the chicken looks dry but I did not.
  • Cook over medium heat for about 20-25 minutes or, until chicken is cooked.
  • Add green chilies and chopped coriander leaves. Pour in the cream and bring to boil.
Garnish with coriander leaves. Perfect with naan, roti and pulao.
Balti chicken pasanda

Please note – Alter the cream quantity as required if there is more gravy since the chicken does release water as it cooks if you have not drained it completely before cooking. Your gravy should not be runny.