Sri Lankan Chicken Curry (Hot)

This is not a traditional dish but rather how i make simple chicken curry in Sri Lankan Style with simple ingredients at home. Its quite a hot curry and goes well with side dishes like pol sambal and dhal curry.

Ingredients:

750g chicken cut in to pieces

1 medium onion chopped fine

2 clove garlic minced

1'' lemon grass cut in to 3 pieces

spring of fresh curry leaves 

2 green chilies roughly chopped

2 tsp roasted red chili powder

1 tsp roasted curry powder

2 cardamons

2 cloves

1 tsp of pepper

1tsp salt or to taste

2 tsp white vinegar

1tsp tamarind paste

1 cup coconut milk

2tbsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp brown sugar

Method:

Marinate the chicken with pepper, salt, vinegar and tamarind paste dissolved in 1/4 cup of hot water.Keep for 30 minutes.

Heat a pan with oil, add the onions, garlic, lemon grass, green chilies, cardamons, cloves, curry leaves and fry till the aroma goes off for a minute or two. 

Add in the chicken pieces (with out the marinade) and stir fry for a minute. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add the left over marinade and 1/2 cup water( depend on how much gravy is preferred) and cover and cook stirring occasionally till chicken is tender. Simmer for 40 minutes.

 Adjust seasoning and add coconut milk and cook uncovered for 10 minutes.

Take off heat and sprinkle sugar and mix well. 

Serve with plain rice.

Chicken Piri Piri Style

Got the inspiration for this dish from Jamie Oliver. I was lovely but next time I would like to make the chicken bit more crispier by using the chicken with the skin for baking! :D

Ingredients: Serve 4

4 large chicken thighs/ legs

1 yellow or red pepper

1/2tsp thyme

For sauce 

1  red onion

2 cloves of garlic

3 green chillies

1 tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp chilie flakes

1lemon (I added zest of lime and juice)

2 tbsp white vinegar

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

A bunch of fresh parsley

salt and pepper

Olive oil 1tbsp

Method: Put the chicken thighs on a chopping board and slash the meat on each side few times. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Then put on the griddle pan that is heating up.Cook until golden on each side. 

Make Piri Piri sauce: Peel and roughly chop the red onion  and add to the liquidizer with 2 peeled cloves of garlic. Add the chillies (stalks removed), 1 tablespoon of paprika, the zest of 1 lemon and juice of ½ a lemon. Add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, a good pinch of salt and pepper, the bunch of parsley and a swig of water. Blitz until smooth. 

When the chicken is golden brown,pour the piri piri sauce into a snug-fitting roasting tray.  Add the chicken to the roasting tray with the sauce. Scatter over the thyme, then put the tray on top shelve of oven. Bake in a 210C oven for 10minutes.

  Slice the peppers into strips and add to the griddle pan. Turn the heat down to medium and keep moving the peppers around till gets soft and brown patches occurs. 

Serve chicken on a serving plate with the sauce from the bottom of baking tray spooned over the chicken and with grilled peppers. 

Greek Lemon Chicken with Potato

This is a simple yet a delicious one pot dish. But I had to use lime instead of lemon for the baking as I didn't have any lemon at home, yet the dish was very delicious. 

Ingredients: Serve 4

700g skinless chicken cut in to pieces

Potatoes 300g cut in to quarters/ cubed

Chicken broth 1/2 cup (chicken cube dissolved in 1/2 cup hot water)

Oregano 1 tsp

lemon juice ( I used juice of 1 lime) 1/2 cup

olive oil 1/4 cup

salt and pepper

10 cloves of garlic cloves with shells

Season chicken with salt and pepper and keep for 1/2 hour.

Arrange baking tray with chicken, potato and garlic. Mix together chicken broth, olive oil, lemon juice, oregano.

Drizzle over the chicken and potato.

Bake in a pre heated oven of 210C  for 40 minutes or until chicken are cooked through and golden brown and potatoes are tender, basting occasionally with pan juice.

Chicken Vindaloo

''Vindaloo is an Indian curry dish from the region of Goa. Its quite spicy and hot.''

Ingredients:

500g chicken

1 cup sliced onions

4-5 dried red chillies

6-7 garlic cloves

1'' ginger

1/4 cup white vinegar

2-3 cloves

2-3 cardamoms

1'' cinnamon

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp mustard paste

Salt to taste

sunflower oil 3 tbsp.

Method:

Grind red chilies, garlic and ginger along with vinegar to a paste. Marinate the chicken with the paste and salt and other spices mentioned. 

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onions till golden brown. Take them off the pan and drain excess oil with help of kitchen paper. When its cooled down, grind it to a paste. 

Mix with chicken and allow to marinate for 1 hour.

Heat the pan with the remaining oil again. Add the chicken and fry for few minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and cover and cook till chicken is done.Simmer till gravy reduces.

Serve warm with rice or bread.

Chicken and Sweet Corn Soup

'' A perfect dinner idea, served with couple of toasted bread slices''

Ingredients: Serve 4

1 L of hot water

1 knorr chicken cube

chicken breast fillet 200g

one onion sliced

1 tbsp of soya sauce

1 tbsp of corn flour 

1/4 cup water

420g creamed corn can

1 egg, separated

1 clove garlic minced

1 tsp sesome oil

salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Cook the chicken in a microwave seasoned with salt and 1/4 cup water.

When its cooked, cool and shred the chicken finely.

 Dissolve knorr chicken cub in 1L hot water. Pour it in to a large pan.

Add in sliced onion, soya sauce, minced garlic, whisked egg yolk and any juice remained while cooking chicken.

Dissolve corn flour in 1/4 cup water and add in to the stock gradually.

Cook stirring occasionally until stock thickens slightly.

Add chicken and cremed sweet corn and cook stirring or 2 minutes.

Whisk egg white with a fork in a small bowl and gradually pour the egg white in to the soup, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.

Cook for 2 minutes or until white ribbons swirl through the soup.

Remove from heat and add sesame oil and garnish with some green shallots if desired.

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Ladle the soup to serving bowls and serve immediately.

Chicken Escalope (Breaded Chicken)

''Made these last night to go along with my spinach sandwiches ''

Ingredients: Serve 4

2 boneless chicken breasts 

1 cup plain flour

1 cup whole milk

1 egg

2 cups breaded corn flakes 

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp chilie powder

1/2 tsp minced parsley

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp black pepper powder

salt to taste

oil to grease the baking tray

Method:

Cut the chicken in to 1/4'' flat pieces and season them with salt and pepper. Pound the chicken lightly with a meat hammer or back of a large spoon to flatten the meat.

Pre heat the oven to 350F

Spray/ grease baking tray.

Beat egg and milk in a shallow bowl and season with pinch of salt : A

Mix corn flakes and spices in a shallow bowl :B

Place flour in a shallow bowl: C

Drench the chicken first in C, then B and finally in A.

Place the chicken on tray.

Bake for 8minutes and turn over and bake for 5-8 minutes or until the chicken are golden and crispy out side. 

Serve with tomato sauce, mayo or cheese. Can used to fill sandwiches too.

Cheesy Macaroni with Chicken and Tomato

''Made this dish today for dinner after reading some recipes online and making it my own version with ingredients I found at home :)''

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 fillet of a chicken breast (skin less) cubed in to1inch pieces 

1 onion sliced thin

1 large tomato cubed

1 cup macaroni

400ml not fat milk

1 tbsp olive oil

Dash of snipped parsley

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

For marination of chicken:

1/4tsp ground pepper, salt to taste,1/4 paprika, 1/4 oregano

Method:

1.Marinate the chicken and cook in microwave oven on full power for about 7-8minutes until its done. (if the chicken is dry add little water to the marination stop it from burning)

Keep it aside.

2.Heat olive oil in a pan and when its heated add in the sliced onions and stir fry until its translucent and becoming brown. Add in the cooked chicken and fry for a minute or two. Then add in the juices escaped from chicken when cooked along with the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Keep aside.

3.Add not fat milk in a pan and add the half packet of soup and mix well. Heat the pan in low heat, consistently stirring until it becomes thick. Take off fire. Keep aside.

4.Cook the macaroni as instructed in the packet. ( Boil 1.5 L water in large vessel, add macaroni and about 1tsp salt and 2 tsp butter. Cook until just cooked. Drain water.) Keep aside.

5. Add the chicken and macaroni to the soup mixture. Add in the grated cheese. Mix well. Adjust seasoning for salt and pepper if needed.

6. Put the prepared macaroni mixture in to a lightly greased casserole dish and Bake in a pre heated oven of 250C for 10-15minutes. Bake till top browned and its bubbly.

( But i didn't bake till its browned as my mother doesn't like it browned)

7. Sprinkled with parsley and serve hot.

Baked Chicken with Honey and Mustard

''I got this idea from some recipes I read by made it my own by throwing in different marination ingredients. It was very delicious''

Ingredients:

1 kg of large chicken pieces (skinless or with skin)

1 full tbsp of real honey

1 tsp mustard paste

3/4 black pepper powder

12 cloves of garlic with the skin on

1-2 large onions sliced

1 1/2 tsp vinegor

1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp of oregano

salt to taste.

1-2tsp soya sauce

1/2 knorr chicken bullion cube

olive oil 1-2 tbsp

Method:

Wash and drain water from the chicken.

Pre heat the oven to 220C.

Grease the baking tray with olive oil. Then spread the sliced onions and garlic on the tray.

In a bowl, add in the chicken and marination ingredients. Mix well with the hands, ensuring that chicken get well coated with the marination.

Keep aside for 20 minutes.

Bake for about 20 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces around and bake for another 15 minutes. 

(Make that the juices came from the chicken does not dry out in the tray, otherwise the chicken will get burnt.

I removed the onions and garlic after about 30 minutes but if u prefer it can be left to get browned and caramelized)

Oven Fried Chicken

Serve 4

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast cut in to about 6 pieces(skin less)

1 yogurt  

1 egg

3 clove of garlic ground finely

oregano 1/2 tsp

1 cup bread crumbs

3/4 cup plain flour

paprika or red chille powder 1/4 tsp

salt and pepper to taste

Sunflower oil

Method:

Wash, dry and marinate chicken with salt, pepper, oregano, garlic and keep in fridge of about 1 hour.

Mix the egg with the yogurt and keep aside.

Make the breading mixture by mixing bread crumbs, flour, paprika, salt and pepper. keep aside.

pre heat the oven to 180C

Grease baking tray with heavily with sunflower oil.

Dip the chicken pieces in yogurt egg mixture and add transfer to breading mixture and coat well with it. Lay the chicken pieces on the tray. When all the pieces are done coating like this bake them for about 50minutes to 60 minutes in 180C oven. Make sure to turn the pieces every 20 minutes to evenly brown.

Enjoy.

Roast Chicken Breast with Potatoes

''When roasting its better to use chicken with the skin but in this dish I used skinless chicken as a healthier option. This is a very simple roasting method in western style. ''

Serve 4

Ingredients:

Skin less Chicken Breast 1

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

2 carrots

4-5 baby potatoes ( small potatoes)

5 cloves of garlic

1 chicken stock cube

Method:

Pre heat the oven to 190C for 20 minutes.

Wash the Chicken breast in cold running water. Pat fry with kitchen paper. 

Rub the chicken breast with good amount of olive oil. Season with salt the pepper. Leave till the oven is ready.

Wash well and cut the potatoes in to half or quarters with the skin on. Peel and cut the carrots in to large rounds. Cut 3 cloves in half with the skin on and retain the other 2 cloves as a whole.

Grease the baking try with olive oil and place the carrots, potatoes and garlic cloves in the middle.

Lay the chicken breast on top of them.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Dissolve 1/2 a stock cube in quarter cup hot water and put in to the baking tray and bake for another 10 minutes.

After 40 minutes are gone remove the baking tray and remove the potatoes, carrots in to a serving dish. Reheat the oven to 230C. wash the chicken with drippings by spooning over.

Place it back in the oven for further 8- 12 minutes to brown the chicken.

Make sure to check the chicken once in a while to make sure the drippings from the chicken hasn't dried out. If the water drys out put more stock in to the pan.

Take out the chicken and test for readiness by poking the breast with a metal spoon. If it isn't spongy or the metal fork stuck inside the chicken comes out warm to touch, the chicken is ready. otherwise put is back in the oven for 5 minutes.

Note: The oven heat varies so make sure to check the chicken while baking.

Once baking is done put wine or more stock (1/4 cup) in to the roasting pan and scrape the browned bits to mix. Heat it on top of a stove if the baking dish is stove proof to make a sauce or pour it in to a pan and heat till thickened to make a sauce for a roasted chicken.

Chicken Mushroom Pizza

Makes: 2 medium pizzas

Ingredients:
For the Crust :
1/2 cup warm water (110C)

2 1/4tsp dry instant yeast

1 cup water at room temp.

2tbsp olive oil

3 1/2 cups plain flour 

2 tsp sugar

2 tsp salt

Method for Making Crust:

To make dough, measure the warm water in to 2 cups measuring jug/cup and sprinkle yeast. Stir until yeast dissolves and dissolve 1tsp of sugar. Keep for 5 minutes till u can see forms are creating and swells.

Add the room temperature water and olive oil and stir to combine.

Mix flour, salt and remaining 1tsp sugar adding the prepared liquid little by little until dough forms to a ball. (mix with wooden spoon)

Then knead the dough until forms a smooth and elastic dough.

Form the dough in to a ball and place in a deep bowl and cover the bowl with dampen kitchen towel and let the dough rise to its double size. (Keep covered for 2 hours.)

Then press the dough to re-flat it.

Pre heat the oven to 250C for atleast 30 minutes. (preferably with the pizza stone/ pan in if u have one)

Turn the dough in to lightly floured surface and divide in t tow pieces.

Form both pieces of dough in to balls and keep back in the bowl covered with damp cloth and allow to rest and rise for 30 minutes.

Working with one dough at a time, shape the dough in to round ball and place in the middle of round parchment paper dusted with corn flour. (I used square/ oval shape and my oven is small to make a round

pizza) 

Top with desired ingredients.

Place the pizza on the baking tray or pizza stone and  bake for 15-18 minutes until cheese is golden and brown in spots.

Ingredients for the Topping

200g boneless chicken

100g mushroom cut in to small pieces

11/2tsp vinegar

1tsp salt or to taste

1tsp black pepper

1/4 cup soya sauce

1/4 cup tomato sauce

1 tbsp corn flour

3/4 tsp curry powder

1tsp garlic paste

1tsp ginger paste

2 large tomatoes cut in to rounds

4 capsicum cut in to rounds and de-seeded

2 large onions cut in to rounds

100g mozzarella Cheese grated.

2tbsp oil

1egg white

tomato sauce mixture:(1tbsp tomato sauce + 1 tsp olive oil + salt and pepper to taste)

1tsp Oregano + mozzarella cheese 50g

Method:

Cut the chicken in to small pieces and boil with vinegar, salt and pepper in little water.

Drain the chicken pieces and keep the gravy aside.

Dissolve soya sauce and tomato sauce to 1:1with the gravy and thicken it with corn flour under low flame. Keep aside.

Heat pan with 2tbp oil and ginger and garlic paste and stir for few minutes, add mushroom and little salt along with curry powder and stir fry few minutes.Add the chicken pieces and mix well.

Add the prepared sauce and stir till the mixture thicken.

Now the chicken mushroom mixture is ready.

 Assembling the Pizza:

Brush the pizza with egg white. Tomato sauce mixture.

Make holes by piercing the bottom with a fork to allow heat/ air to escape.

Sprinkle with oregano and mozzarella cheese.

Top with the chicken mushroom mixture prepared.

Top again with fresh tomatoes, onions and capsicum.

Finally top it with mozzarella cheese.

Bake in a preheated oven of 250C for 15- 18minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden and brown in spots.

 

Chicken Chettinad

'' Chettinad is a popular south Indian way of cooking'' 

Ingredients:

chicken 1kg

poppy seeds 2tsp

grated coconut 1/2cup

fennel seeds 1tsp

coriander seeds 1tsp

cumin seeds 1/2tsp

red chillies 8

cinnamon stick 1''

cardamom 3

cloves 3

ginger paste 2tsp

garlic paste 2tsp

turmeric powder 1/2tsp

chillie powder 1tsp

tomatoes chopped medium3

onion 1

vinegar 1tbsp

oil

salt to taste

1tsp pepper

Method:

marinate chicken with salt, pepper and vinegar.

Keep 2 hours for marination.

Roast red dried chillies, grated coconut,poppy seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon in hot pan separately and grind till smooth. heat 1tbsp of oil in non stick pan mix the grinderd paste with ginger and garlic paste and saute for few minutes.

Heat oil in a large pan and fry onions until golden and add grounded paste and saute.

Add the tomatoes, red chillie powder, turmeric powder and saute.

Add chicken, mix well and cook for 5 minutes.Add chicken and marinade and 1cup of water and cover and cook till done for like 30 minutes.

Serve.

Butter Chicken/ Murg Makhani

This is a Dish from Indian Punjab Region.

Ingredients:

First marination:

Chicken 1kg

1tsp black pepper

Salt

2 tbsp lemon juice.

Second marination:

1 and 1/4 cup plain yogurt/curd (if there is excess water hang yogurt in muslin cloth for 15 minutes to remove water)

1 full tsp red chillie powder

salt to taste

3 tbsp lemon juice

3/4 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp butter

For Makhani gravy:

1 tbp ginger and garlic paste

4 tbsp butter

3 cardamoms

3 cloves

1'' cinnamon stick

2 onion roughly grinderd to small pieces

2 tbsp SHAN tandoori BBQ mix powder (or red chilli powder 2 tsp, salt, 1/2 tsp garam masala, pinch of red food color, 1/2 tsp dried powdered methi leaves)

Tomato pureed 2cups (fresh tomato liquidized)

2 tbsp honey

1 cup fresh coconut milk

Method:

Wash and cut the chicken to desired pieces. Drain the excess water.

Apply the first marination ingredients to the chicken and mix thoroughly and keep for 1/2 hour.

Mix all the second marination ingredients in a large bowl. Apply chicken pieces to it and marinate for 3-4 hours or over night in refrigerator.

If was kept over night, remove from fridge and keep it out till reach room temperature/ defrost.

Pre heat a oven to 200C and cook on a oven dish till almost done for about 15 minutes. (line the chicken pieces on the dish and if there is no enough space, cook in two batches)

Drain the liquid from the cooked chicken pieces and keep the liquid and chicken pieces aside.

Heat a large pan and heat butter in it.

Add cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon stick and stir for 1 minute.

Add in ginger garlic paste and onions and saute for 2 minutes.

Add tomato puree, Shan tandoori mix, and marination liquid oozed out from chicken while baked.

Bring to boil and reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes till the sauce thickens a bit.

Add honey and stir.

Add chicken pieces and simmer for 5 minutes till oil starts to separate.

Add coconut milk and simmer further for 5 minutes.

Serve hot.

Chicken Korma

'' Very lovely!! my friends and family loved this chicken dish''

Ingredients:

1.kg Chicken cut in to desired pieces
1 heaped tablespoon of finely grated fresh ginger
3 cloves of garlic, minced
150g thick (plain) yogurt

3dried red chilli
2 finely chopped onions
1 tbsp ghee or veg. oil
1 tbsp ground coriander 

 1 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala
water
75g creamed coconut
salt, to taste
2 heaped tbsps ground cashew nuts
finely chopped Coriander Leaves, to garnish
juice of  1/2 lemon

Instructions:

1. Cut the chicken into bite sized chunks
2. Mix the chicken with the ginger, garlic, salt and black pepper and yogurt. Cover and marinade for 12 hours or in the fridge overnight.
3. Liquidise the chopped onion and red chillies, add a little water if you need to. blend til smooth.
4. Heat the ghee/oil in a pan.
5. Add the ground coriander,  turmeric and garam masala and stir fry for about 1-minute over a low heat.
6. Turn up the heat, add the onion and chilli paste and stir fry for 10-minutes.
7. Add the chicken and the marinade and continue to stir fry for another 10-minutes.
8. Add the creamed coconut and enough water to just cover the chicken and bring to the boil, stirring until the coconut is dissolved. Stir in the ground cashew nuts. 

9. Reduce heat to low, cover the pan and simmer until the chicken is tender (30-40 minutes).
10. Remove from heat, add lemon juice to taste and salt to taste. Mix well.

11.Serve

Malvani Chicken Curry

''Malvani Cuisnine originates from the Western Coast of India. Its a coconut based hot and spicy chicken curry that is served with rice based main course.''

Serves: 6
Difficulty Level Expert

Ingredients:
1 Whole chicken (about 800gms) cut into medium pieces
1 Coconut grated
4 Onions, 2 finely chopped, 2 quartered

2 Teaspoon red chilli powder
1 Teaspoons turmeric powder
2 Teaspoons garam masala powder
8 Green chillies chopped
2 Tablespoons each of ginger and garlic pastes

1 Tomato pureed
2 Tablespoons oil
Salt to taste

Water 2 cups (depends on how much gravy want)

Instructions:
Marinate Chicken:
Grind half of the green chillies to a paste and mix it well with the ginger and garlic pastes and some salt.
Make cuts on the chicken pieces
Rub this mixture on to chicken pieces well
Marinate for at least one hour
Making Masala Paste:
Roast grated coconut in a little hot oil till light brown
Transfer the roasted coconut to a flat surface and cool it
Transfer roasted coconut into a food processor and grind it along with quartered onions to a paste
Cooking the Chicken:
Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan
Sauté chopped onions on medium heat till they are light brown in color
Add the remaining chopped green chillies and little salt
Add garam masala, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and fry for a few seconds
Add the marinated chicken pieces
Fry on medium level for about 7-10 minutes or till they are lightly browned
Add the Onion-Coconut paste, salt and stir well. Add Tomato puree and stir.
Add 2 cups of hot water and bring to a boil
Lid on and heat down
Cook over the slow heat for about 25 minutes
Check the seasoning and adjust salt
Serve hot with Pulow, Jeera Rice or even with plain white rice

Chicken Stew Curry

''This is an Indian Cuisine from Kerala. Its really a comfort food''

Recipe:

Ingredients:
1 kg chicken
4 tsp white vinegar
1 potato, cubed
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp garlic, chopped
1 tsp ginger, chopped
2 green chilies, chopped
4 green cardamoms
4-5 cloves
1 inch of cinnamon
2 cups of coconut milk
8-10 curry leaves
Dried red chilles
oil
salt to taste

Method:
Boil the chicken in a pressure cooker along with white vinegar, salt, potatoes and water. Keep aside after one whistle.

Heat 3 tsp of oil in a pan. Sauté the onion, garlic, ginger and green chilies till the onion turns transparent.

Lightly pound the cardamoms, cloves and cinnamon. Add the spices to the sautéed onions.

Add the boiled chicken to the onions along with the coconut milk. Cook well till the chicken is tender.

For the tadka, heat a tsp of oil in another pan. Add the curry leaves to it. Dried red chilles. Stir well till the curry leaves begin to curl.

Add the tadka to the chicken and serve hot.