Blogoversary....Yippeeee...

Hurrayyyyyy!!!! Today is the day to celebrate my first blogoversary.... :) I wrote my first post on this blog on February 24th 2010 although published it only on the 28th. I was always a total foodie, and with this blog I got my own place to share my experiments with all kinds of food.

The whole year has been an amazing journey. I can't find words to express my feelings towards the blogging community. It means so much to me. I really thank from bottom of my heart to all the bloggers, readers, my friends, and all those known and unknowns out there who supported me throughout the year for this blog.

If you are a first time visitor to my blog, please leave your comments, I would like to know who you are and if you are a regular commenter, thank you very much and I hope you keep coming back. You can grab some cake and enjoy!!!!

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.

Upma With a Twist

Fresh corn upma is filling and so refreshing.....read on for this simple yet delicious and quick recipe:-

2 cup Corn fresh

2 tsp Oil

1 Onion chopped

2-3 Green chillies chopped

1/4 tsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

Fresh coriander leaves chopped

1/4 cup Fresh Coconut (optional) 

Few drops Lemon juice

Salt & sugar to taste

1. Heat oil and add mustard seeds let them splutter, add green chillies, onions and saute till onion get light brown color. 

2. Add turmeric powder, asafoetida, corn , salt, coconut(optioal) and mix well. Add little water so that corn is cooked. 

3. Cook for 5-7 minutes or till all the water is evaporated and corn is well cooked. Add lemon juice and mix well.

4. Garnish with coriander leaves, coconut. Serve hot.

तिळगुळ घ्या गोड बोला

In Maharashtra on the Makar Sankranti day people exchange multi-colored tilguls made from til (sesame seeds) and sugar and til-laddus made from til and jaggery. Gul-polis(jaggery stuffed flat bread) are offered for lunch. While exchanging tilguls as tokens of goodwill people greet each other saying – ‘til-gul ghya, god god bola’ meaning ‘accept these tilguls and speak sweet words’. The under-lying thought in the exchange of tilguls is to forget the past ill-feelings and hostilities and resolve to speak sweetly and remain friends. So lets get started with the recipe:-

1 cup Dark Jaggery (Chikkicha Gul)...I didnt have any so I used the normal jaggery instead; it works but you cannot get the desired colour.

3/4 cup Sesame seeds ( Roasted)

1/4 cup Roasted crushed peanuts

Pinch of Cardamom powder and Nutmeg powder each

1 tsp Water

2 tsp. Ghee

1. In a microwave safe bowl add tsp.of ghee, jaggery and microwave for 2 minutes stirring after every one minute. (Microwave setting for each microwave differs, so try to cook it accordingly.)

2. Remove it and add cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and a teaspoon of water in melted jaggery, stir well. Add crushed peanuts, roasted sesame seeds and mix well.

3. Now grease the tray or a plate with the remaining ghee and spread this mixture evenly by using any bowl, spatula. Make sure if you are using a bowl; grease the bowl as well to avoid sticking the mixture to the bowl.

4. Make marking using knife and let it to rest for 30 minutes.

5. Now separate tilgul vadis and serve.

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.

Coming Up -----

Butter Chicken (Restaurant Style)