Easy Butter Chicken

Last Evening I had prepare Butter chicken, as you all know it takes a lot of time to prepare and I had loads of work to finish before dinner and also prepare dinner on time. So I tried the short-cut method to prepare this makhani gravy. There is nothing you can do about marination and grilling process for chicken. It takes the usual time it is suppose to take. But once that is ready you can prepare this gravy within like 10 mins. of course if you have all the ingredients in place. Just Read further for a simple Makhni Gravy which you can use to make Butter chicken, Veg. Makhanwala, Paneer Makhanwala etc.


http://i-m-not-a-chef.blogspot.com/2011/01/butter-chicken-murg-makhani.html is the link for your reference. Please follow the directions for the list of ingredient of Marination and Process.

and now for the Gravy:-

You will need:-
Fresh minced garlic 2 tbsp.
Ginger juliennes of 1 inch piece
Green chilli juliennes of 2-3
Mace Powder - 1 tsp.
Green Cardomom Powder- 2 tsp.
Kashmiri Red chilli powder - 2 tsp.
Coriander Powder-  1 tsp.
Kasoori Methi - 1 tsp.
Salt to taste
Honey 1-2 Tsp.
Cream - 1/2 cup
Butter - 2 tbsp.
Store bought tomato Puree/Paste- 1 cup

phewwww...lot of ingredients..but trust me...the gravy gets ready in 10 mins.

1. Just to remind again Please follow the process for marination and grilling the chicken.
2. Heat Butter in Pan and add minced garlic. Saute for a minute or two. Add Chopped ginger and green chilli juliennes. Saute.
3. Add tomato paste/puree and saute. Incase you are using paste and 1/2-2/3 cup water(not for puree).  Add Mace powder, Coriander Powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder and salt.
4. Saute till the raw flavour of tomatoes goes away. Once oil starts oozing out; add Cardomom powder.
5. Add Cream and mix well. Add chicken, mix well. Let it come to a boil.
6. Add Honey to kill the sour taste of tomaotes. Finally add the kasoori methi rubbed between your palms; give a good mix and remove from heat.
7. Garnish it with fresh cream and serve hot.

Strawberry CheeseCake

This is what I made some time back for my Anniversary. It's a no-bake cheesecake, very easy to prepare and extremely yummy and delicious. This needs little bit of preparation and planning. You will need time on hand to prepare this as it takes about 6-7 hours to set the cake. Read further for the recipe.

250 gm strawberries 

200 gm Digestive Biscuits ( Mcvities biscuits work fine)

3 tbsp melted butter 

1 tin Milkmaid ( sweetened condensed milk)
1 cup hung curd
1 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp granular gelatin / 4-5 gelatine sheets soaked in water
4 tbsp water

Chocolate vermicelli for garnishing (optional)

2 tbsp. Strawberry Crush for Garnishing (optional)
6-8 fresh strawberries - for garnishing

1. Grind the biscuits and mix in the melted butter with it. 

2. Line the base of the cake tin evenly and smoothly with the biscuit mixture. Put in the freezer to set for 15-20 mins / in the refrigerator for 1 hr.

3. If you are using granular gelatine/ gelatine sheets; it is necessary to soak them for 10 mins. before using.
4. Puree the strawberries in a mixie.

5. Beat the hung curd and condensed milk together in a different bowl.

6. Whip the cream in another bowl and blend well into the previous mixture of curd and condensed milk, also mix in the strawberry puree to make a smooth mixture. 

7. Melt the gelatine over double boiler/ in the microwave. When hot gelatine is added into the mixture, there will be some lumps that will form, to avoid this when gelatine is melted; add 2 tbsp. water to make it thin. 

8. Then pour the gelatin slowly into the strawberry mixture. Keep stirring continuously to avoid any lumps. It is very important that all the ingredients are at room temperature; not hot/cold.
9. Take out the frozen biscuit base from the refrigerator and pour the strawberry mixture onto the set biscuit base. Put in the refrigerator to set overnight/ at least for 6-7 hours .

10. Once set Decorate the cake with Chocolate Vermicelli, thinly sliced strawberries, and strawberry crush. Serve chilled. 

 

Dum Aloo

Dum Aloo belongs to North Indian or more specifically Kashmiri cuisine. The potatoes, usually smaller ones, are first deep fried, then cooked slowly on low flame in a curd based gravy with Indian spices. The recipe that I am posting here has a little change in the original recipe. Read further.......

Baby potatoes 8-10 

Oil to shallow fry  + 1 tbsp. 

Onion , roughly chopped 1 small  

Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp

Ginger-Garlic paste 2 tsp. 

Red chilli powder 1 tsp. 

Coriander powder 1 tbsp.

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp.

Cashew nuts handful of them 

Tomato puree 1/2 cup  

Yogurt, whisked 1/4 cup  

Salt to taste 

Honey To taste

Dry fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) 1 tsp.

Fresh cream  3-4 tbsp

1. Peel, wash potatoes. Par-boil them till they are half or 3/4 done. Remove them from water and pat dry them.

2. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai to shallow fry the potatoes and  fry the potatoes till lightly browned. Drain onto an absorbent paper and keep aside. 

3. Boil onion and cashew nuts with very little water for two to three minutes. Grind into a fine paste. 

4. Heat 1 tbsp. of oil in a pan. Add boiled onion - cashew paste. Cook till fat starts to separate. 

5. Add ginger paste and garlic paste. Stir for some time. Add the tomato puree and stir fry again for 2-3 mins.

6. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and yogurt. Mix well. 

7. Add deep-fried potatoes. Add approximately two of water and salt. Let it simmer for some time. Finish with kasoori methi, fresh cream and honey. Serve hot.

Fikabröd/Vetebröd

This bread is a ubiquitous Scandinavian holiday treat, but can be made year round to enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee.  In Finland, this bread is known as Pulla or sometimes Nisu depending on the region and often formed into pitko, a braid shaped loaf.  In Sweden, this bread may be referred to simply as Vetebröd or specifically as Kardemummabullar (bullar for buns) or Kardemummabröd (bröd for bread loaf).  In Norway, this bread is called Julekake (direct translation yule cake) and is almost always made with raisins.

This bread is a typical Fika Item; Fika means "to drink coffee," usually accompanied by something sweet. Fika is a social institution in Sweden; it means having a break, most often a coffeebreak, with one's colleagues, friends, date, or family. The word has quite ambiguous connotations and can mean anything from taking a break from work or other activities, to going on a date. This practice of taking a break, typically with a cinnamon roll or some biscuits or cookies, or sometimes a smörgås or a fruit on the side, is central to Swedish life, and is regularly enjoyed even by the government.

Although the word may in itself imply "taking a break from work," this is often emphasized using the word fikapaus ("fika pause") or fikarast ("fika break"), with kaffepaus and kafferast, respectively, as near synonyms. Fika may also mean having coffee at a café or konditori (a "patisserie-based coffeehouse").

Traditionally, fika requires sweet, baked goods, especially cinnamon rolls. It is also combined in words such as fikabröd ("fika bread") which is a collective name for all kinds of biscuits, cookies, buns, etc that are traditionally eaten with coffee. Non-sweetened breads are normally not included in this term (even though these may sometimes be consumed with coffee). It is also used as a noun, referring to fikabröd and coffee combined.

This is something I had it for the first time here in Gothenburg and absolutely loved it. Don't get disappointed by the length of the post as it is very easy to make and requires only 7 ingredients. So let me share the recipe with you all guys:-

So here goes...

2 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cups milk

1/8 cup sugar, plus one spoonful for glaze

1/8 cup butter

1 egg

2 teaspoons cardamom, preferably seeds but may substitute powder if desperate

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast

Makes about 2 medium size loaves.

1. Let’s start with crushing the cardamom seeds.  You can substitute powdered cardamom, but using crushed seeds will give a more authentic appearance and taste to the bread. 

2. Now to start the bread.  Timing is a bit important, as yeast only survives for a few hours and you want it to be as happy as possible so your bread comes out fluffy.  So don’t plan to start this recipe and then stop halfway through and try to pick it up the next day.  You need a somewhat undisturbed four hour window to complete the process.

3. Yeast is happiest when it is warm, but not too warm!  Heat 3/4 cups of milk to a little over lukewarm.  

4. Add at least 1/8 cup of sugar.  More is okay if you have a sweet tooth.  Sugar is yeast’s favorite food. Now add the 2 teaspoons of previously cracked cardamom seeds.

Stir to dissolve the sugar.  

5. Add 2 1/4 teaspoons of yeast to your slightly warm, sugary milk.  Your yeast is going to be very happy! Stir gently to dissolve the yeast. Beat the egg, add to the mixture leaving some for the brushing later on and stir gently.

6. Add the flour, starting with about 1 1/2 cups, mix in with a spoon, you will have to start using your hands to knead in the remaining 1 cup.  Kneading takes a bit of energy.  Just keep pressing the dough down as hard as you can, then folding in half and pressing down as hard as you can over and over again until the dough is more elastic than crumbly.

7. Once your dough is well kneaded, melt 1/8 cup of butter and pour over the dough.

This is a good time to turn on your oven to 200 degrees.  You want to preheat the oven to 200 degrees and then turn it off.  This is where your bread is going to rise for the next two hours.

8. Knead some more to integrate all the melted butter. You should end up with a nice ball of elastic-y dough that looks like it will barely make one loaf of bread.  

9. Hopefully by now, your oven is preheated to 200 degrees.  Turn the oven off.  Very important.  You don’t want to upset the yeast.  You just want to keep it from getting the chills.  The oven should be little more than lukewarm.  Leave the glass dish in your unheated oven for about two hours.  Or you can take it out a little earlier if easier for you, let’s say 1 1/2 hours, but then you should try to make up that 1/2 hour on the other side of the next step before baking.  After two hours, your ball of dough should be giant!  Now you can see it will make two loaves. 

10. Punch down into the ball of dough and knead a few more times.  It will deflate slightly when you punch it down in the middle.  Not to worry, it will rise again! now finally the dough is ready.

11. Now to braid the loaves, roll them out in a big oval shape and cut the edges as shown in the picture below. I prefer to roll them on a baking sheet  or a aluminum foil so that it becomes easy to lift and put it on the oven.

12. If you want to add any filling in this bread, its a good time to add it . Fill in the stuffing in the middle and start closing the the pleats one by one. At the end this is what you get.

13. Braid both loaves.  Let sit for about 20 minutes to continue rising.  Or add up to half an hour to that if you interrupted the rise earlier in the process.  Don’t let it sit for longer though because it will start to deflate as the yeast dies (remember they only live for a few hours) and then the bread will end up small and tough.

14. To glaze your cardamom bread, use the earlier beaten egg and brush on right before baking.  Sprinkle with a spoonful of sugar, or any topping you prefer, such as sliced almonds.  Glazing is an essential step for all cardamom breads in every region, whether you call it Pulla, Nisu, Vetebröd, Kardemummabullar, Julekake or something else.  

15. Bake loaves or buns for 20-30 minutes at 200 0 c. Bread browns easily, so keep an eye on it.  When you are able to stick a tooth pick in the bread and have it come out clean, the bread is done.

Home-Made Schezwan sauce (Sichuan Sauce), Vegetable Schezwan (Sichuan) Fried Rice, Chicken Schezwan (Sichuan) Fried Rice

This one is my favourite. But somehow I don't like the bottled Schezwan Sauce (why, i have no idea), but love the sauce that you get in good chinese restaurants. So I decided to make it at home as it is very easy to make.Read on for a simple recipe..........

Schezwan Sauce ( Sichuan Sauce):-
Dried red chillies, 10-12 (deseeded and soaked in water for 1-2 hrs)

Garlic 10-12 cloves finely chopped

Ginger, grated/finely chopped 1 inch piece

Oil

Red Chilli sauce (readymade) 2 tbsp.

Salt to taste

Sugar a pinch

Soy sauce 1 tsp.

Vinegar 2 tsp.

1. Remove red chillies and discard the water. Now grind them into a fine paste with fresh water. (watch out for consistency…..it should be a paste)

2. Heat enough oil (oil acts as a preservative in the sauce when stored for a longer time) and add garlic and ginger and sauté it well.

3. Next add the red chilli paste and continue to saute till the oil starts separating.

4. Next add the soy sauce (do not add too much just a tsp or two, otherwise the sauce will get a different colour) and red chilli sauce. Add salt and a pinch of sugar. ( adding sugar will not make sauce sweeter, but it will cut down the pungent flavour).

5. At this time add little water to get the sauce consistency. Add vinegar and give the sauce one last boil and switch off the gas. The home-made Schezwan sauce is ready.

Vegetable Schezwan Fried Rice:-

Cooked Rice 1 ½ cups

Carrot, finely chopped 1 medium

French beans, finely chopped 4-6

Spring onions with greens, finely chopped (Reserve some spring onion greens for garnish)

Green Capsicum 1 small finely chopped

Oil 1 tbsp.

Garlic, finely chopped 2-3cloves

Red chilli sauce (readymade) 1 tbsp.

White pepper powder 1/4 tsp.

Salt to taste

Vinegar 1 tbsp. 
and Home-made Schezwan Sauce

and for Chicken Fried rice - 2 breast pieces of boneless chicken cut into chunks




Heat oil  and add garlic, spring onions(white), carrots, frech beans, capsicum and stir-fry for one minute. Now reduce the gas flame and add the schezwan sauce, white pepper powder and salt and mix well. Add rice, red chilli sauce, spring onion greens, vinegar and mix it tossing continuously. Serve hot, garnished with the reserved spring onion greens.

 

For chicken Fried Rice:- 

Marinate the chicken in soy sauce for 30 mins. Heat oil and add garlic,saute for a minute. Now add chicken pieces ( not the soy sauce) and stir fry it. Let the chicken get cooked by stir frying it. Once chicken gets half cooked; add spring onions(white), carrots, french beans, capsicum and stir-fry again. The chicken and vegetables should be cooked together and the later is cooked to the  point that they don't lose the crunchiness.  Now reduce the gas flame and add the schezwan sauce, white pepper powder and salt and mix well. Add rice, red chilli sauce, spring onion greens, vinegar and mix it tossing continuously. Serve hot, garnished with the reserved spring onion greens.

Reshmi Kabab

February ...the Happening month  for me...really....Dad's visit....followed by Valentine's day.....followed by Birthday.....and gifts shifts n all...of course not to forget the World Cup.....then the Blogoversary......yayyyyy..yayyyy........!!!!

and cherry on cake would be tasty delicious dishes.....One of them that I am posting here...that is Reshmi kababs......

a perfect party snack...they are utterly delicious, irresistible,  tender, succulent and fragrant pieces of chicken that melts in your mouth as they are marinated in thick cream/malai, spices, mint and grilled to perfection. so just read on further...

Boneless Skinless Chicken –  2 breast pieces (1/2 Kg. boneless chicken)

Cream – 1/2 cup

Ginger & Garlic- 1 inch piece and 5-6 cloves respectively

Mint Leaves – a handful of them

Coriander Leaves – a handful of them

Green Chilies – 2-3

Salt – to taste

1.Grind together mint, coriander, ginger-garlic and green chillies. No need to add water.

2. In a large mixing bowl,take 1/2 cup cream and add salt. ( Watch out for the amount of salt; it should be enough for the marinade and the chicken as well)Mix well.

3. Now add the ground mixture and mix. Finally add chicken and mix well.

4. Cover it (with clink film) and keep in the refrigerator for at least 4-6 hours (If you have time on hand, it would be better that you keep it overnight).

5. Soak wooden skewers ( I did not have skewers so I used toothpicks) in water for 30 mins.

6. Take out the marinated chicken and pierce the chicken onto the skewers/ toothpicks and place on a greased baking tray.

7. Bake them in the pre-heated oven at 225 0 c for 10-15 minutes.

8. Make sure that you turn chicken over and continue to bake for another 5 – 7 minutes, until light brown.Reshmi kababs are ready to serve. Serve them with mint chutney.

P.S. I had some 6 paneer pieces and extra marinade so I marinated paneer pieces as well and baked it in the similar way.

Chilli Chicken

Here is yet another hot chicken favorite from my kitchen- The Chilly Chicken.

Chilly chicken is yet another Indo-chinese delicacy which makes us drool over its rich flavor and taste. Once exclusive to the restaurants, these dishes have slowly sneaked into the common household menu.... Here is a simple yet delicious recipe of this ever popular dish........read on....

Boneless chicken cut into chunks or long strips ( 2 breast pieces)

Green chillies, thinly sliced 3-4 ( or as required)

Cornflour 1/2 tbsp.

Salt  and sugar to taste

Black peppercorns, crushed 1/2 tsp.

Egg 1 (big.....use 2 if small)

Dark soy sauce 2 tbsp. ( make sure that you use dark soy sauce to get the perfect colour)

Oil 1 tbsp + for frying

Garlic, finely chopped 8-10 cloves

Onion 2 medium thick strips

Green capsicum thick strips2 medium

Red chilli sauce 1 tbsp.

Chicken stock/water 1 cup

1. Take chicken pieces in a bowl. Add half the cornflour, salt, crushed black peppercorns, egg and mix.
2. Now add a little dark soya sauce and mix.

3. Heat sufficient oil and deep fry the chicken pieces till they get light golden colour. No need to wait for the pieces to get cooked as they will be cooked in the sauce afterwords. Drain and set aside.

4. Heat the remaining tbsp of oil in a different pan. Add garlic and sauté for a minute. Add green chillies and continue to sauté.
5. Next add onion, green capsicum and sauté. Add the remaining dark soya sauce, red chilli sauce and stir.

6. Now add fried chicken pieces and toss. Next goes in little chicken stock/ water ( adjust the consistency as per the requirment; if you want gravy you need to add more water/ stock) and bring the mixture to a boil.
7. Blend the remaining cornflour in a little stock/water. Add it and mix. Adjust salt and a pinch of sugar( cuts down the stronge flavour of soy sauce) and cook for a minute watch out for the amount of salt you add as you have already added salt in chicken earlier and also soy sauce has salt). Chilli Chicken is Ready.

8. Garnish with chopped spring onion and serve hot.

Butter Chicken/ Murg Makhani

The weather sucks out here in Gothenburg.......I mean how can there be heavy snow fall one day with chilling winds one day, rains the next day and rising temperatures to follow! ...and the cycle repeats itself....There has to be some consistency somewhere!!

Anyway but even in this ridiculous weather the prospect of eating butter chicken that day, even if it meant hours of preparation and cooking made me extremely happy. Let me tell you its pretty simple to make butter chicken at home if you have all the right ingredients on hand and are ready to spend hours in the kitchen. Lets just start of with the longggggggg ingredient list...

Here it goes:-

      For the Gravy                                                    For Marination

    * 4 Tomatoes roughly chopped(Nice Red)               300gms. Chicken Breast

    * 1 tbsp Oil                                                         1/2 tbsp Red Chilli powder

    * 1 tsp Cumin Seeds                                             1/2 tsp Garam Masala

    * 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds                                      1 tsp Coriander powder

    * 1 tsp Fennel Seeds                                             2 tbsp thick Yogurt

    * 1 Bay Leaf                                                        1 tsp Cumin powder

    * 3-4 Green Cardamom                                         1/2 tsp Kasoori methi

    * 3-4 Black Peppercorns                                        1 tbsp Lemon juice

    * 3-4 Cloves                                                         1/2 tsp Salt

    * 3 tbsp Butter

    * 1 1/2 tsp Kasoori Methi

    * 1 tbsp Sugar and/or honey ( I added both)

    * 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic paste

    * 1 tsp Red Chilli powder

    * 1/3 cup Cream

    * Salt to taste

   

For Chicken Marination:

1. Preheat the oven on 200 0 C. Take chicken breast, cut in thin strips, wash well and pat dry using paper towel or napkin.
2.  Mix in red chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt, kasoori methi, add some lemon juice, yogurt, in a deep bowl.
3. Add chicken pieces, mix well with marinade, cover and keep it covered for 1 hour.

4. After one hour transfer marinated chicken in greased baking tray, drizzle some oil over it and bake for 15 to 20 minutes on 200 0 C.

For Masala:
1. Heat up oil a tbsp oil, add cumin seeds, whole garam spices, coriander seeds and cook till nice aroma come out from spices and they change its color.

2. Add ginger-garlic paste. Add fenel seeds, mix and cook for a minute.
3. Add tomatoes, sprinkle some salt, mix, cover and cook for 5 to 7 mins. This way you will be able to maintain the nice red colour that you require for the gravy instead of adding artificial food colour.

4. Once the tomatoes get cooked remove it from fire and let it cool down. 

5. Grind the mixture well to make a very smooth puree.
 

For Gravy:
1. Heat up 3 tbsp butter, add ground masala paste straining (to remove the skin and seeds of tomatoes) it directly into the butter, red chilli powder and cook till oil starts to separate from spices.

2. Add baked chicken pieces along with its juices, kasoori  methi, cover and cook for 5-8 mins on medium heat.

3. Check for the salt. Add sugar and/or honey. Mix it well. Add fresh cream and mix well.

4. Serve hot garnished with fresh cream.