Translate in your Language

Spring Decor

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Chakli (soft and mildly crunchy)



 Chakli (also known as chakkuli or chakali) is a very staple savory tea time snack found in most of the Indian households. When it comes to making chakli, there are numerous recipes out there. Previously I updated my blog with a recipe that called for crunchy chakli and this recipe calls for a more softer and crunchy chaklis. This is our home recipe. You gotta try it to believe it :)

My favorite kind is soft and crunchy chakli mixed with lots of spice. But now I appreciate less spicy kind too :) Ingredient phutani(dalia) that is used in this recipe is delicious in taste, nutritious and can be digested easily. It is commonly mixed with sugar and distributed to the devotees in temples as God's offering.
Getting the spirals right(it is a big deal:)) while you press on the dough using a chakli press maker, surely gives you a kick and cheap thrills :) If it won't come out neatly (or breaks) please don't overreact like a hindi serial mother-in-law hehe... absolutely don't worry, I do have few tips up my sleeve which is mentioned in the notes below.



The first time you make it right, that moment, that satisfaction, that simple pleasures of life are not to be forgotten! :) (at least in my case) I cannot thank the techno-era we live in where I can simply share my kitchen achievements/stories, mishaps, success any darn thing with my mom, sister or a friend instantly.

Let us take a look at the Chakli recipe,

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup rice flour 
  • 1/4th cup roasted gram dal (also known as dalia, phutani) 
  • 1 tsp chilly powder, (more if you like spicy) 
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric (haldi) 
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) 
  • 2 tsp sesame seeds (til) 
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder (dhania pwd) 
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder 
  • 2-3 tbsp butter at room temperature 
  • salt as per taste 
  • 1/2 - 3/4th cup approx. water (to knead the dough) 
  • oil to fry 


Preparation:
  • Mix all the above ingredients except water and mix everything with your fingers. 
  • Then slowly add water little by little and make a chapati/roti like dough. Keep aside for 20-30 min, covered.
  • Take some portion of the chakli dough, knead it some more and place it in the chakli press, start making spirals on a newspaper sheet or wax paper. 
  • Heat oil in a kadai, once the oil is hot bring the flame to med. Slowly slide the chaklis in the kadai using piece of wax paper or slide it on plain spatula and transfer slowly in the hot oil and fry nicely till it is brown on all sides on med-low flame. 
  • Take it out and place on the paper towel to absorb the extra oil. Nice soft and mild crispy chaklis are ready. 
  • Let it cool down completely before you store it in an airtight container. 

njoY!! happY  fryinG!! :)

Notes:* Always fry chakli on low-medium flame. If you see that the spirals are breaking while making chakli, try to work with little dough at a time, knead it well, add couple drops of water, knead well and place it in the chakli press. It works for me that way. If your dough is too soft, add little all-purpose flour and knead well before you start making the spirals. If still it isn't working just directly add the spirals in the oil (carefully) and fry. Spirals or no spirals, snack is yummy anyways! :)




Health Benefits:



Roasted gram dal (dalia) is high in fiber and helps to lower cholesterol. It also has a very low hypoglycemic index, which is important for those with diabetes. Chana dal is a helpful source of zinc, folate, calcium and protein. It is low in fat and most of it is polyunsaturated. 

Friday, May 5, 2017

Stuffed Baingan Curry (Brinjal/Eggplant)

STUFFED BRINJAL CURRY
There are various versions of stuffed brinjal recipes. This is one of the easiest and yummiest recipe you can find anywhere which is based out of Maharashtra. I grew up eating stuffed brinjal cooked in coconut base curry, but that recipe some other time. I simply love this sabjiyon ka raja (king of vegetables) Baingan/Brinjal/Eggplant in any form, be it fried, baked, fire roasted, grilled, in lasagna, rice or in curry. This spicy preparation will send you drooling, guaranteed!

Ingredients:

  • 8 medium sized brinjals
  • 1 big onion chopped
  • 1 tbsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 2 pod garlic chopped (optional)
  • 1 inch ginger chopped (optional)
  • 1/2 cup peanuts roasted and powdered
  • 1/2 tsp jaggery (or brown sugar)
  • salt as per taste
  • 1/2 tsp tamarind pulp
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 10 curry leaves (optional)
  • 2-3 tbsp oil
  • cilantro for garnish
  • 2 cups water (or more)





Preparation:
  • Slit the brinjals in 4 parts keeping the stalk intact. Soak it in salt and tamarind water for 30 minutes.
  • In the meantime make a mixture of chopped onions, peanut powder, chilly powder, garam masala, ginger garlic, salt.
  • Drain the water from brinjals and stuff it with this onion mixture. Keep the remaining onion mixture aside.
  • In a wide non-stick pan, heat oil, add mustard seeds, once it splutters add curry leaves and the remaining onion mixture and saute it for few minutes. 
  • Now slowly add the stuffed brinjal and let it slightly roast on all sides, for a couple of minutes on each side. 
  • Now add 1 cup water and close the lid, let it cook for 8-10 minutes on low-med heat. Add jaggery and tamarind pulp. Now very gently turn brinjals over and let it cook till done. Last few minutes cook uncovered. Curry thickens, adjust water and spices accordingly. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with bhakri, roti or paratha. It's finger licking good!




njoY!! happY cookinG!!



Health Benefits: King of vegetables, better provide some royal benefits :) It helps in iron production in our body, keeps chronic diseases at bay, helps quit smoking(who knew?), has good amount of vitamin C and is effective as antiviral and antibacterial source, helps to have healthy strong hair, keeps the skin soft and supple, prevents skin cancer etc. Research on eggplant has focused on an anthocyanin phytonutrient found in eggplant skin called nasunin. Nasunin is a potent antioxidant that has been shown to protect cell membranes from damage.

Saturday, March 18, 2017

Fish Curry with Coconut Milk (Instant Pot)



Instant Pot pressure cooker is creating waves in the communities across the world and I am happy I have one at home to make some yummy dishes being absolutely carefree, stress free and mess free :)

Have tried quite a few recipes and I must say, so far so good. Very helpful when you have an errand to run and don't have enough time to cook the dish, switch off the gas and only after that dash out of the house. Instant Pot is a life savior in such scenarios. You wanna run to a grocery store? You wanna pick up your kid from the activities? You wanna go shopping? You wanna linger in your shower little more time :)(hell ya!)? no problemo :) Dump the ingredients of a recipe into the instant pot, set it up appropriately and off you go doing your errands tension free. By the time you get back home, your dish should be ready (hopefully :))


So today I made Tilapia Fish curry using coconut milk and spices. Tastes fantastic. This curry can be enjoyed with the plain rice or noodles. I usually use curry leaves for this preparation but today added thai basil leaves with thai bird chillies and the aroma was so fantastic that I just cudn't wait for it to be done. We enjoyed it as a family-- happily slurping away with the rice.

Very easy to make and a combination of spices and coconut milk gives this curry a heavenly taste and aroma. I actually enjoyed the thai basil twist on it :) It complements well with the aromatic long grained basmati rice or jasmine rice. You can make this same curry adding chicken or shrimp too.


Let us take a look at the Fish Curry with Coconut Milk (Tilapia)

Ingredients:
  • 3 cups coconut milk (can use coconut powder or tin)
  • 1.5 lb tilapia fish cut into big fillet (take any white fish)
  • 2 med onion sliced
  • 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes ( or 1 tomato chopped)
  • 4 pods garlic chopped
  • 2 inch ginger chopped
  • 2 green chillies (or thai bird chilies)
  • handful of curry leaves or thai basil
  • 1 tbsp coriander pwd
  • 2 tsp cumin pwd
  • 1 tsp chili pwd (or 1 tsp chili flakes)
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp fenugreek pwd (optional, but it imparts nice taste)
  • Either use above 5 powders or 3 tbsp of curry powder.
  • 1-2 tbsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • 1-2 tsp lemon juice to taste



Preparation:

  • Press [Saute] to pre-heat the cooker. When the words 'Hot' appear on the display add oil, then drop curry leaves or thai basil (keep 5 leaves aside to add later),  then add onion, garlic, ginger and saute until onion is translucent. (around 3-4 minutes)
  • Add all the powdered spices and saute together for 1 more minute. 
  • De-glaze with the coconut milk making sure to un-stick anything from the bottom and incorporate in the sauce. Add green chilies (or thai bird), tomatoes, fish pieces. Stir gently to mix everything. [adjust thickness by adding more coconut milk or water if needed]
  • Close the lid of the Instant Pot, Press [manual] and use [+], [-] to adjust time. Set on 3 minutes pressure cooking time. 
  • When time is up open the pressure cooker using QPR (don't wait on NPR because fish gets done quickly).
  • Add salt to taste, remaining thai basil leaves and lemon juice before serving it hot with Rice or Noodles.


njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Note*:
 This curry can be easily made on stove top too. Pretty much the same process. Before adding the fish to the curry, bring it to a boil, then add fish pieces and simmer the curry for few minutes till the fish is done. Serve hot with Rice or Noodles.
 The color of the curry varies depending on your chili powder. Some chilies are spicy but don't impart that dark red color and vice versa.



Health Benefits: 
Coconut Milk: 
Coconuts are highly nutritious and rich in fibre, vitamins C, E, B1, B3, B5 and B6 and minerals including iron, selenium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Unlike cow's milk, coconut milk is lactose free so can be used as a milk substitute by those with lactose intolerance. It is a popular choice with vegans and makes a great base for smoothies, milkshakes or as a dairy alternative in baking. Coconuts are one of those foods that oscillate between the 'good' food and 'bad' food camps. Coconut milk, especially the lower fat variety, can be used in moderation (1-2 times per week). source:https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/ingredient-focus-coconut-milk

Tilapia:
It is a bland yet delicious, lean white fish that has a wide variety of associated health benefits, including its ability to help reduce weight, boost overall metabolism, speed up repair and growth throughout the body, build strong bones, reduce the risk of various chronic diseases, lower triglyceride levels, prevent arthritis, protect against cognitive decline, prevent various types of cancer, reduce signs of aging, boost the health of your hair, and strengthen your immune system.

Sunday, March 12, 2017

Dates and Figs Burfi (Energy Bites)



When I think of burfi, the first thing that comes to my mind is oozing ghee, sugar and maybe khoya, besan etc.. But this particular burfi has no such thing, just plain main healthy ingredients. You will want to keep this in your pantry to chomp off whenever you will have a sugar craving :) and go guilt free :) It is more like an energy bite which will calm your sugar cravings too. Win Win situation!

So not wasting any more time here, am going straight to the recipe details!


Let us take a look at the Dates and Figs Burfi (Energy Bites) recipe.


      Ingredients:
  • 1 1/2 cups dry figs 
  • 1 cup dates 
  • 2 tbsp ghee 
  • 1/2 cup sugar(optional) 
  • 10 cashews (roughly chopped) 
  • 10 pistachios (roughly chopped) 
Preparation:
  • Soak dates in hot water and keep aside for 10 minutes. Then cut dates finely with a knife. 
  • In a processor grind figs. 
  • Take a pan and warm ghee in it, now add the figs and saute on medium flame for around 6-7 minutes.  
  • Add the dates and sugar if you need that extra nice sweet taste and saute till it leaves ghee at the side of the pan (like 5 more minutes) 
  • Add the chopped nuts and mix everything well. 
  • Grease a tray or plate with ghee or on a wax parchment sheet, add this mixture, spread it evenly with a flat spoon. 
  • Refrigerate for 10 minutes, cut into desired shaped pieces and keep it back in the refrigerator for an hour. 
  • You can roll it into bite size balls too. Get creative and give your own twist :)
njoy!! happY cookinG!!


Health Benefits: Figs are a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps to control blood pressure. Very good source of fibre, magnesium, vitamin b6 and copper. Good news is dry figs are available easily in the market. 


Dates: again high in dietary fiber helps prevent LDL (bad) cholesterol. Good content of iron, potassium, B-vitamins along with vitamin A(for eyes, skin), Vitamin K(for bones).

Friday, March 10, 2017

Ragi Rotti (Finger Millet Pancakes)



Today I was in a great mood to have these yummilicious Ragi Rotti. Ragi rotti (in Karnataka) also known as Nachani chi Bhakri in Maharashtra: is a very staple and savory breakfast dish. Ragi(finger millet) is hailed as a very nutritious millet/grain with a naturally nutty flavor. Lots of recipes are churned out using this ancient grain and Rotti (flat bread) is one of them. Feel free to take a look at few more interesting recipes on my blog that use Ragi as the main ingredient. In the past few years Ragi has taken a permanent place in my pantry :)



Ragi Rotti is nothing but a finger millet pancake made with mixing ragi flour, hot water, onions, chilies and few other ingredients to make a semi-soft dough. It makes a power packed breakfast or meal for that matter. It is usually served with spicy chutney, yogurt and dollops of ghee/butter.
Most authentic way of making it is by patting a rotti on a banana leaf and then frying the rotti on both the sides on a griddle till it's cooked. The flavors are amazing. As banana leaves are not easily available in the USA,  I use wax paper to roll it 🙂 . Many a times I directly pat the rotti on the griddle/tava itself. I wouldn't recommend it for the beginners though.


Ragi digests slowly and hence keeps you full for a longer period of time, just like protein. That's the reason why it is very loved and common amongst hard working class of people like farmers, construction workers etc. Ragi Mudde is another such example. Ragi flour porridge is given to babies once they start on solid food. A very staple grain found in almost every household in India. I highly recommend to incorporate this grain in your lifestyle.


Let us take a look at this recipe of Ragi Rotti.

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup ragi flour (finger millet flour)
  • 3/4 cup hot water (approx)
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1 green chili chopped
  • 1 inch ginger minced
  • couple sprigs of cilantro chopped
  • salt as per taste
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • oil to fry
  • 2 tbsp grated coconut (optional)*

Semi Soft Dough

Spread the ball of dough on a wax paper with your greased fingers,

Fry on both sides.
Preparation:
  • In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients except water.
  • Nicely mix everything with your hands or use a wooden ladle. Pour hot water slowly little by little as you keep mixing the mixture in circular motion. Keep doing it till you get a nice soft dough. Not too hard. Keep aside closed for 5-10 minutes.
  • Now heat a griddle/tava till smoking hot and then reduce the heat to med. Add 1 tsp of oil.
  • Take a square piece of wax paper to roll out rotti's. Take a portion of the dough about the size of a tennis ball and keep it on the wax paper. Grease your palms with oil and flatten it nicely using your fingers slowly and gently making a round rotti about 5 inch in diameter. (You can also use a rolling pin to make rotti).
  • If the edges are cracking, do not worry, just dip your finger with some water and gather it and seal the crack. Make some holes in between to make sure the oil gets absorbed uniformly well.
  • Lift the rotti along with the wax paper and invert it on the hot tava carefully and peel the wax paper out leaving the rotti on it.
  • Add oil or ghee gingerly around the rotti and over it. Cover with a lid and cook for couple of minutes. Flip the rotti and add more oil if you want and let it cook for another 2 minutes or till its done.
  • Take it out and serve hot with ghee/butter/yogurt/chutney etc.
njoY!! happY cookinG!!

Note:* Usually the ragi rotti turns out little on the crispier side.
If you want it more on the softer side then add coconut.
If you think that dough is too soft to make rottis, add a tsp (or more) of rice flour to make it semi-soft.
You can also add veggies in it to make it more nutritious like grated carrot, cucumber etc.

You may also like:

Ragi Mudde
Ragi Iddiyapam
Ragi Poori
Potato Stew



Health Benefits: 
Finger Millet(Ragi) is a power packed grain! It is high in protein and minerals. Helpful in controlling diabetes, keeps one younger for a long period(cross-linking of collagen), reduces bad cholesterol, also has anti-microbial properties and has been found to act against a number of bacteria including Bacillus cereus, which causes food poisoning, Salmonella sp., which causes a typhoid-like fever etc. Try and include this healthy food in your diet when you can.


Thank you for dropping by this post! Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Monday, March 6, 2017

Apple Walnuts Oatmeal Cookies









I always get fascinated looking at the freshly baked goodies whenever I visit grocery stores and bakeries. The aroma that lingers around these goodies is awesome. Brings in so much of warmth and happiness. I start baking hysterically once in a while, for no particular reason :)
Also the season of holidays gets me inspired to bake the goodies and I get comfortable doing so!

Here are some freshly baked oats cookies loaded with apple sauce, apples cubes and walnuts. Yummy in everyone's tummy :) Ingredient line up is healthy and outcome is very delicious too.  Its chewy and soft. One of the healthiest cookies that's out there, if your kids fall for this, there is no second thought. Just put this recipe on a repeat mode. It is a winner recipe.






I have already made it thrice and thanks to sallys baking addiction blog. She tried it few times to get a correct measurement for this recipe. I try to tweak it every time I make by just adding extra nuts or switch the main fruit that goes in it. Like once I added small chunks of persimmon fruit. I also added cranberries. So you can play with it once you get a hang of it.

One cup of milk and 2 oats cookies will make SantaClaus happy too :) What say? :)

Let us take a look at the recipe of Apple Walnuts Oatmeal Cookies.



Ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 3/4 cup packed dark or light brown sugar (or white granulated sugar)
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup finely diced apple 
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Either take the following ingredients 
  • 1 cup old-fashioned whole rolled oats
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
OR
  • 1 cup of ready to make Maple or Apple Cinnamon flavored 3 min Oatmeal packets.


Preparation:
  • Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
  • Whisk the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon- together in a large bowl.
  • Whisk the butter, applesauce, brown sugar(or white sugar) together until combined. Then whisk in the egg and vanilla. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Fold in the apples and walnuts. The cookie dough will be thick and sticky.
  • Using a medium cookie scoop or a spoon, scoop cookie dough into balls (about 2 Tbsp of dough each) and place 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Slightly flatten the balls out- as the cookies won't spread much.
  • Bake for 17-18 minutes or until lightly browned and set on the edges. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheets.
  • Enjoy with a nice cup of hot cocoa or milk or Tea.
You may also like 

njoY!! happY bakinG!!


Recipe adapted from Sallys Baking Addiction. 

Monday, February 20, 2017

Chana Ghashi (Black Chickpeas cooked in coconut gravy using Instant Pot and traditional way)



Chana Ghashi (ChaNya Ghashi or ChaNe Ghashi) is a very staple and beloved dish of the konkani clan :) This quintessential yummy ghashi is usually eaten with rice, parboiled rice, papad, sandige, pickles etc. A slurpicious curry where you literally keep licking your fingers even after your plate is wiped off clean :) The addition of either kadagi (young/raw jackfruit) or plantain pieces or potato makes it even more yummY!

I got this Instant Pot Cooker(IP) :) after the rage on the internet :), it's been a month now and I keep experimenting with it on and off. Have tried Khandvi, Chole, Oats, Fish curry etc which comes out excellent, will upload those recipe also! (eventually :)) Today I cooked my husband's favorite chana ghashi in IP and it came out perfect! 2 thumbs up! I couldn't be more happy.


I will write the recipe for both Instant Pot as well as traditional method here, so not to worry :)

Legumes when cooked with coconut masala tastes simply awesome. I don't know what it is but the taste is exquisite. It is funny how my cooking trait keeps changing! Few years back coconut was hailed as the villain in the food industry because of the oil content in it which eventually led to cholesterol disease. So I restricted myself from using coconut with just few must recipes up my sleeve. But now in the past couple of years, coconut has taken the spot of a healthy ingredient and the experts say that it must be incorporated in your diet! So yay to that! I have started using it a little bit more and am happy to cook without much guilt! Just a FYI:  anything in excess is bad for health :):)


Let us take a look at Chana Ghashi recipe cooked in IP and traditional way.

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup chana (black chickpeas)
  • 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
  • 5-6 dry red chillies
  • 1 small marble shaped tamarind ball
  • 1 can young jackfruit (raw jackfruit)
  • 2 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • pinch asafoetida (optional)
  • salt to taste
Preparation:

Instant Pressure Cooking Method:
  • Soak the chana overnight or atleast 6-8 hours. Drain the water.  Dump the chana in IP container.
  • Add enough water to soak the chana (should be immersed in water with approx 1 inch water showing on top of chana) Add salt to taste.
  • Close and lock the lid, press manual mode and set to 15 minutes pressure cooking time. When time is up NPR. ( Note: I have also tried it on bean/chili mode--- takes 30 minutes of cooking)
  • In the meantime, prepare your coconut masala (known as masol in konkani). In a blender,  add coconut, dry chillies and tamarind and make a fine paste by adding little water.
  • Also drain the water from young jackfruit tin, rinse it nicely, cut into pieces and keep aside.
  • Open the lid of the IP once you get the indication, your chana should be nicely cooked.
  • Using a masher gently mash the chana to get the creaminess/thickness in the curry.
  • Now pour the coconut paste in the cooked chana, add chopped young jackfruit (kadagi) pieces, adjust salt.
  • Close the lid, on sealing, press manual mode for 3 minutes. Open the lid when pressure releases. Your Chana Ghashi is done!! You can transfer it to a serving bowl.
  • Now you can give a tadka by heating oil in a tadka pan, add mustard seeds, let it splutter, then add curry leaves and hing.
  • Pour this over the chana ghashi and enjoy!!














Traditional Method:
  • Soak the chana overnight or atleast 6-8 hours. Drain the water.  Dump the chana, add enuf water, salt in a pressure cooker and cook for 4-5 whistles.
  • Let the cooker cool off, open the lid. Your chana should be nicely cooked.
  • In the meantime, prepare your coconut masala (known as masol in konkani). In a blender,  add coconut, dry chillies and tamarind and make a fine paste by adding little water.
  • Also drain the water from young jackfruit tin, rinse it nicely, cut into pieces and keep aside.
  • Using a masher gently mash the chana to get the creaminess/thickness in the curry. Now pour the coconut paste in the cooked chana, add chopped young jackfruit (kadagi) pieces, adjust salt.
  • Bring the curry to a boil, then simmer for 6-8 minutes while stirring in between. Adjust water and salt as per your liking of thickness. Switch off the gas.
  • Now you can give a tadka by heating oil in a tadka pan, add mustard seeds, let it splutter, then add curry leaves and hing.
  • Pour this over the chana ghashi and serve hot with rice or roti.

njoY!! happY cookinG!!

You may also like

Kala Chana Dry Sabji
Kala Chana Masala (Curry)
Tomato Poori
Val Dal Sabji (Dalimbi)




Health Benefits: Chana is loaded with proteins. The fact that chickpeas have low glycemic index (GI) makes this legume good for diabetics. It causes a slow and steady release of glucose into the bloodstream and thus, maintains your blood sugar levels. Chickpeas also help in relieving mood changes during menstruation and post-menopausal symptoms in women. The high fibre content in chickpeas helps in promoting a healthy digestive system and intestine by lowering the risk of digestive disorders.

Friday, February 17, 2017

Chicken Over Rice (Halal Cart Style)



Manhattan (New York) and halal cart food go hand in hand!! As you walk past the over populated streets and corners of the city, aroma of the amazing warm spices from the chicken and rice hits you and you will find yourself standing in the long lines before you even realize what happened:) Serving lunch to late-night, these carts dish up a container full of chicken over rice that is so rich and yet so subtle, hitting the spot that's absolutely crave-worthy and totally worth your time standing in those long lines!! Its street food at its best Manhattan is world's melting pot where best of best cuisine is served. A grand treat for your taste buds.

So coming to the cart food, this particular meal is served with perfectly seasoned grilled chicken or beef over flavorful rice with their secret sauces, one so hot that fumes may come out of your ears and other yogurt based mild cooling sauce. It serves as a comfort food for the exhausted tourists after a grand site seeing day!


Witnesses literally swear by the food and the rush hour actually begins after midnight! Yessss! this takes me back to the streets of Mumbai where such famous spots like Bade Miya in Colaba and Khyber in Kala Ghoda are known for their kebabs (check out sheekh kebabs and chapli kebabs) and fast food that is more famous than any other 5 star hotels in the vicinity. I am actually slightly drooling thinking about all these places and the food

I thought of making it at home and got recipes online from yourhomebasedmom and dinneranddessert blogs. Since I liked the sauce from both sites I mixed up the ingredients :) I was happy with what I found and the outcome.
Now to my delight the halal guys have started their franchise and one is open right by my house... Yay!! But I can still cook at home and be happy :)

Let us get to the recipe of Chicken over Rice Halal Cart Style!

Ingredients:
For the chicken: 
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano (you can use dried oregano too)
  • ½-1 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped (about 1½ tablespoons) 
  • ¼ cup light olive oil 
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper (1 tsp)
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (6 to 8 thighs) 
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil 
For the rice: 
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric 
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin 
  • 1½ cups extra long-grain or Basmati rice 
  • 2½ cups chicken broth 
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
White Sauce
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • handful chopped fresh parsley
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper (1/2 tsp)
  • 2 tsp sriracha sauce
To serve:
  • 1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
  • 1 large tomato, chopped
  • red onion rings
  • cucumber chopped (optional)
  • Pita bread (optional)


Preparation:

Chicken
  • Combine the lemon juice, oregano, coriander, garlic, and olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth and well combined.
  • chop chicken to bite size pieces and apply the marinade evenly. Season the marinade to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours, turning occasionally to redistribute the marinade. Do not marinate for longer than 4 hours. If need to wait longer, remove chicken from marinade and pat dry and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • When ready to use, season with salt and pepper, going heavy on the pepper.
  • Heat the oil in a 12-inch heavy-bottomed cast iron or stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat until it is lightly smoking.
  • Add the chicken pieces and cook without disturbing until they are lightly browned on the first side, about 4 minutes.Turn the chicken and reduce the heat to medium and cook until the chicken is cooked through for another 3-4 minutes. Don't overcook or else you will end up with dry pieces.
Fragrant Rice:
  • Melt the butter over medium heat in a large heavy pan. Add the turmeric and cumin and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 30 sec (don't burn it). Add the rice and stir to coat.
  • Cook, stirring frequently, until the rice is lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.
  • Add the chicken broth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil.
  • Cover, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes without disturbing. Remove from the heat and allow to rest until the water is completely absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
Yummy Sauce:
  • In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, black pepper and sriracha sauce. Whisk to combine. Season to taste with salt. 
  • Refrigerate for 1 hr or until ready to use.
  • To serve, divide the rice, lettuce, tomato evenly among four to six plates. Pile the chicken on top of the rice. Top with the white sauce. Serve immediately. Have extra sauce on hand.
njoY!! happY cookinG!!


You may also like 

Mediterranean Salad

Thank you for dropping by. Your feedback is much appreciated.



Recent Posts